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Fennel common
Synonym(s)
DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
The common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) originates from the Mediterranean region, there are subspecies: fennel piperitum (pepper or donkey fennel), a wild-growing fennel and the garden fennel. The latter is cultivated throughout Europe. The latter also has three varieties: bitter fennel, sweet or Roman fennel and vegetable or onion fennel. A herbaceous, biennial plant from the umbellifer family, growing to a height of 0.4-2.0 meters. The two- to three-pinnate leaves are slit like hairs. The leaf stalks of the lower leaves are 5-15 cm long. The ripe fruits of the bitter and sweet fennel, Foeniculi fructus, are used as a phytotherapeutic agent.
Fennel is traditionally used as a spice with fish. It is added to sauces and minced meat. Finely chopped fennel leaves are used in small quantities to season soups, salads, mayonnaises and for vinaigrette sauce. Fennel is also used in some spirits (absinthe or pastis).
HMPC - Monograph: both bitter fennel, sweet fennel and fennel oil: traditional-use: mild cramp-like gastrointestinal complaints, flatulence, flatulence. also mild menstrual cramps, also expectorant for coughs with colds.
ESCOP monograph: bitter and sweet fennel, as well as bitter fennel oil: dyspeptic complaints, mild, cramp-like gastrointestinal complaints, flatulence, but also catarrh of the upper respiratory tract. Only bitter fennel for the relief of menstrual cramps
Commission E-Monograph: Bitter fennel and bitter fennel oil: dyspeptic complaints. mild, cramp-like gastrointestinal complaints, bloating, flatulence, also catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.
Empirical medicine: loss of appetite, infant dyspepsia with diarrhea
General informationThis section has been translated automatically.
Naturopathy:
Foeniculum vulgare is the parent plant of the medicinally important Foeniculi fructus, the officinal fennel fruit, and of Foeniculi aetheroleum, the officinal fennel oil, which is also used in naturopathy.
Cosmetics:
Foeniculum vulgare (semen) oil (from the sweet fennel). Foeniculum vulgare (semen) oil, the cosmetically used sweet fennel oil, is obtained from the crushed seeds of sweet fennel by steam distillation. The oil is a colorless to pale yellow liquid.
Foeniculum vulgare (semen) oil (from bitter fennel): Foeniculum vulgare (semen) oil is obtained from the crushed seeds of bitter fennel by steam distillation. Bitter fennel (seed) oil is a colorless to pale yellow liquid with a camphor-like odor.
Foeniculum vulgare oil (from the bitter fennel): Foeniculum vulgare oil, a pale orange-brown liquid with a pungent, camphor-like odor, is extracted from the whole plant by steam distillation.
Effects: Promotes gastrointestinal motility, spasmolytic, secretolytic, carminative and appetizing, increases gastric juice secretion, antimicrobial.
Indication (according to Commission E): dyspeptic complaints, bloating, flatulence, cramp-like gastrointestinal complaints, also: catarrh of the upper respiratory tract
Indication in empirical medicine: loss of appetite, infant dyspepsia with diarrhea
Contraindication: Pregnancy, infants: Fennel oil may only be used in the oil portion of max. 5-7 g drug
Ingredient(s)This section has been translated automatically.
Bitter fennel: Essential oil, bitter fennel oil, with sweet-tasting trans-anethole as the main component and the bitter-tasting fenchone.
Sweet fennel: Essential oil with significantly less fenchone, trans-anethole dominates.
Both fennel varieties: Estragole
Note(s)This section has been translated automatically.
Often commercially available in combination preparations, e.g. fennel honey, fennel lozenges or in cough drops.
LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.
- Schöne F et al. (2006) Effects of essential oils from fennel (Foeniculi aetheroleum) and caraway (Carvi aetheroleum) in pigs. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 90:500-510.
- SchilcherH et al. (2010) Guide to phytotherapy; 122-124
- https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/fenchel.php
- https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-foeniculum-vulgare-miller-subsp-vulgare-var-dulce-miller-thellung_en.pdf
- Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 106-107
- https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industriepflanzen/arzneipflanzen/pflanzen-datenbank
Blaschek W (2015) Wichtl tea drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practitioners. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Munich. S 259-261