Fennel

The tall, majestic feathery fronds of fennel stand out from roadsides imparting a sweet aniseed scent however it’s the richly aromatic seeds of this wild weed that are an ancient digestive remedy. Fennel’s carminative action means it is often applied to treat mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints such as flatulence, hiccupping, indigestion, colic, bloating, heartburn and intestinal cramps, especially in children and infants (it is an ingredient in gripe water for infant colic). This explains why eating raw fennel seeds before or after a meal is common in many Asian cultures.

Fennel is a useful women’s remedy, and is a well-known galactagogue, used to promote the flow of breast milk. Throughout European tradition it has been highly valued for increasing milk production in both humans and other mammals, such as farm animals. When taken by the mother the volatile oils will pass to the baby to soothe digestive troubles. It has also been used to regulate the menstrual cycle and relieve period pains. Its diuretic properties help relieve fluid retention and urinary infections. This action also assists with arthritis and gout.

Interestingly fennel has ancient connections with the Olympic marathon, the ultimate prize for a long-distance runner. The word ‘marathon’ literally means ‘a place full of fennel’ in Ancient Greek. It is believed that the Greek town of Marathon was originally named so because of an abundance of fennel plants in the area. Marathon was the site of the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, in which the heavily outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persians. Legend has it that Pheidippides, a Greek herald at the battle, was sent running from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory which is how the marathon running race was conceived in modern times. Since then the word ‘marathon’ has been applied to anything that’s done for a long time.

Rarely is fennel seen in herbal texts as a nervine however it has been reported to have mood enhancing properties. Herbal writer and nun from the 12th Century, Hildegard von Bingen, said “Fennel forces the spirits into the correct balance of joy.” In line with this, a recent systematic and meta-analysis investigation into the effectiveness of fennel on symptoms among menopausal women found that, based on the two trials, fennel had beneficial effects on some psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. The researchers said fennel may have an indirect effect in the treatment of sleep disorder through improving depression and anxiety. The women treated with fennel showed reportedly higher sexual function and sexual satisfaction compared to the placebo group.

References

McIntyre A. The Complete Women’s Herbal. London: Gaia Books Limited, 1994. p. 189

Mills S. The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine. Penguin: London. 1991. p.425-6

McIntyre A. The Complete Women’s Herbal. London: Gaia Books Limited, 1994. p. 189

McIntyre A. The Complete Women’s Herbal. London: Gaia Books Limited, 1994. p. 189

Khadivzadeh T, Najafi MN, Kargarfard L, Ghazanfarpour M, Dizavandi FR, Khorsand I. Effect of Fennel on the Health Status of Menopausal Women: A Systematic and Meta-analysis. J Menopausal Med. 2018 Apr;24(1):67-74. doi: 10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.67. Epub 2018 Apr 30. PMID: 29765930; PMCID: PMC5949311.

Heckels F, Lawton K (The Seed Sistas). The Sensory Herbal Handbook. Watkins: London. 2019. p. 173-4