Fennel seed
Place in Therapy
Place in Therapy
Fennel has a long history of use in complementary and alternative medicine; the herb originates from the Mediterranean, however it is now found in many other regions of the world. It has a mild licorice flavour and
is a good source of potassium. It has traditionally been used in European and Chinese medicine and is the remedy of choice to treat infants suffering from dyspeptic disorders. The herb is often used as a carminative in infant care as
it is believed to help with gas expulsion from the body; it is also a common ingredient in gripe water. Studies have shown fennel to have antispasmodic effects.
Fennel is well tolerated with its mild flavour and is generally regarded as safe to use; it typically comes in the form of a tea or extract that uses the volatile seed oil. There is clinical trial evidence to show that fennel seed oil emulsion is superior to placebo in reducing symptoms of infantile colic. As a result, it can be considered as a possibly effective therapeutic treatment option in most cases. Fennel has a good safety profile, with no reports of significant adverse effects; it is generally regarded as safe for use.
References:
1. Weizman Z, Alkrinawi S, Goldfarb D, Bitran C. Efficacy of herbal tea preparation in infantile colic. J Pediatr.
1993 Apr;122(4):650-2.
2. Savino F, Cresi F, Castagno E, Silvestro L, Oggero R. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a standardized extract of Matricariae recutita, Foeniculum vulgare and Melissa officinalis (ColiMil) in the treatment of breastfed colicky infants. Phytother Res. 2005 Apr;19(4):335-40.
3. Arikan D, Alp H, Gözüm S, Orbak Z, Cifçi EK. Effectiveness of massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea or hydrolysed formula in the treatment of infantile colic. J Clin Nurs. 2008 Jul;17(13):1754-61.
4. Alexandrovich I, Rakovitskaya O, Kolmo E, Sidorova T, Shushunov S. The effect of fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;9(4):58-61.
5. Perry R, Hunt K, Ernst E. Nutritional supplements and other complementary medicines for infantile colic: a systematic review. Pediatrics. 2011 Apr;127(4):720-33. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-2098. Epub 2011 Mar 28.
6. Natural Standard. 2013. Online resource available at: www.naturalstandard.com
7. Therapeutic Choices for Minor Ailments. 2013. First Edition. Canadian Pharmacists Association. Chapter 36:pg. 345
8. Infantile Colic – Fennel. 2013. Source: http://therapy.epnet.com/nat/GetContent.asp?siteid=EBSCO&chunkiid=108303
9. University of Maryland Medical Center. 2013. Source: Infantile colic | University of Maryland Medical Center
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/infantile-colic#ixzz2ZQso8xL7
Fennel has a long history of use in complementary and alternative medicine; the herb originates from the Mediterranean, however it is now found in many other regions of the world. It has a mild licorice flavour and
is a good source of potassium. It has traditionally been used in European and Chinese medicine and is the remedy of choice to treat infants suffering from dyspeptic disorders. The herb is often used as a carminative in infant care as
it is believed to help with gas expulsion from the body; it is also a common ingredient in gripe water. Studies have shown fennel to have antispasmodic effects.
Fennel is well tolerated with its mild flavour and is generally regarded as safe to use; it typically comes in the form of a tea or extract that uses the volatile seed oil. There is clinical trial evidence to show that fennel seed oil emulsion is superior to placebo in reducing symptoms of infantile colic. As a result, it can be considered as a possibly effective therapeutic treatment option in most cases. Fennel has a good safety profile, with no reports of significant adverse effects; it is generally regarded as safe for use.
References:
1. Weizman Z, Alkrinawi S, Goldfarb D, Bitran C. Efficacy of herbal tea preparation in infantile colic. J Pediatr.
1993 Apr;122(4):650-2.
2. Savino F, Cresi F, Castagno E, Silvestro L, Oggero R. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a standardized extract of Matricariae recutita, Foeniculum vulgare and Melissa officinalis (ColiMil) in the treatment of breastfed colicky infants. Phytother Res. 2005 Apr;19(4):335-40.
3. Arikan D, Alp H, Gözüm S, Orbak Z, Cifçi EK. Effectiveness of massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea or hydrolysed formula in the treatment of infantile colic. J Clin Nurs. 2008 Jul;17(13):1754-61.
4. Alexandrovich I, Rakovitskaya O, Kolmo E, Sidorova T, Shushunov S. The effect of fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;9(4):58-61.
5. Perry R, Hunt K, Ernst E. Nutritional supplements and other complementary medicines for infantile colic: a systematic review. Pediatrics. 2011 Apr;127(4):720-33. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-2098. Epub 2011 Mar 28.
6. Natural Standard. 2013. Online resource available at: www.naturalstandard.com
7. Therapeutic Choices for Minor Ailments. 2013. First Edition. Canadian Pharmacists Association. Chapter 36:pg. 345
8. Infantile Colic – Fennel. 2013. Source: http://therapy.epnet.com/nat/GetContent.asp?siteid=EBSCO&chunkiid=108303
9. University of Maryland Medical Center. 2013. Source: Infantile colic | University of Maryland Medical Center
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/infantile-colic#ixzz2ZQso8xL7