Fennel

FAMILY: Apiaceae.

HABITAT: native to the Mediterranean basin, but now also widespread in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and China.

USED PART: seeds.

RECOMMENDED PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS: nebulised dry extract titrated in essential oil min. 2% (Italian Pharmacopoeia X), whose daily dose ranges from 600 to 1200 mg, divided into two administrations to be taken approximately 15-30 minutes before the two main meals.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: is a plant rich in essential oil, containing between 1% and 2%.

THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES:
Digestive action: It is traditionally used to aid digestive functions, for its remarkable meteorism-reducing properties and for its stimulating action on the milk supply.
Antimeteoric action: The antimeteoric properties depend both on its ability to inhibit fermentation processes in the large Gut and on its antispasmodic action on colon smooth muscle. Indeed, during intestinal fermentation, particularly that of sugars, high quantities of biogas are produced, which cause the Gut to swell and stimulate contractions of its smooth muscles, often leading to bloating and abdominal pain.
This is why it is also frequently used to reduce the pain ingredient of irritable bowel syndrome.
A controlled clinical study evaluated the effect of dry fennel extract in children with gaseous colic. 125 children, aged between 2 and 12 weeks, were enrolled and received fennel extract or a placebo mixed in milk by mouth for 2 weeks. The frequency and duration of crying was measured. At the end of the trial, 65% of the children taking the fennel extract no longer showed colic, compared to 23.7% of the children taking the placebo. No notable side effects were noted in either of the two groups studied.
Action on muscles: In the rat, fennel essential oil causes relaxation on intestinal smooth muscle and to a lesser extent also on tracheal smooth muscle. This action is mainly due to the essential oil.

SIDE EFFECTS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS: Allergy may occur in some patients, usually with symptoms such as burning and redness of the tongue and gums.
It significantly reduces the effect of an antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, so it should not be taken while taking this antibiotic. The titrated dry extract can be used during pregnancy, lactation and in children.

It can be found in relaxcol^® PLUS