Botanical name of fennel: Foeniculum vulgare
Plant family: Umbelliferous plants (Umbelliferae)
Main botanical characteristics: Annual, perennial, round stem is finely grooved, 1-2 m high, blue-pruinose, richly branched in the upper part, with multiple pinnately dissected leaves, middle and upper leaves have large leaf sheaths, flowers are yellow and arranged in umbels.
Flowering time: July-September
Plant part used: Ripe fruit / Fructus Foeniculi
Ingredients: Essential oils (trans-anethole and fenchone), fatty oil, protein, sugar
Effect: Promotes gastric and intestinal motility, carminative (anti-flatulent), spasmolytic, expectorant (secretolytic), antimicrobial (anethole, fenchone), expectorant (increases expectoration), increases gastric juice secretion.
Indications: Flatulence, cramp-like stomach and intestinal complaints, dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite; catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, expectoration, cough, asthma, bronchitis; infant dyspepsia with diarrhea, 3-month colic, insufficient milk secretion during breastfeeding; inflammation of the outer eye, such as blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid margins), conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) with eyelid swelling.
Contraindication – Side effects: Rarely allergic skin, stomach and intestinal reactions.
Preparation and dosage form:
- Infusion (1 heaped teaspoon crushed Fennel fruits) several times a day
- Homeopathic D1-D2
- Inhalation (for catarrh),
- Fennel – spice for cooking and baking
- Mix fennel essential oil with carrier oil and rub in, or apply as a compress
- Apply tea as a compress to eye inflammation and rinse.
Effect of fennel according to TCM (warm):
- Dispels stomach cold, harmonizes and warms the stomach
- Dispels cold, relieves pain
- Tonifies the kidney yang
- Resolves liver qi stagnation
- Acts as a mild expectorant of the lungs
- Mild diuretic
