Sweet Fennel
Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is cultivated and steam distilled from seeds in France, Spain, Germany, and Hungary. It belongs to Apiaceae family. The color of Sweet Fennel essential oil is pale yellow to clear. Eighteen components make up 99.8% of the essential oil of sweet fennel. Core components include: trans-anethole (46.26+%), limonene (27.78%) and fenchone (12.77%). Contraindications: Due to its trans-anethole content, fennel essential oil should be avoided by any route (method of application) in pregnancy, breastfeeding, endometriosis, and estrogen dependent cancers. Aroma description: Aniseedy, spicy, warm, sweet.
Sweet Fennel essential oil is indicated for colic, indigestion, excess gas, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, lack of or decreased appetite, abdominal pain, indigestion, nonspecific colitis. Sweet Fennel is balancing to hormones, PMS, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, lack of or reduced sexual drive, lack of or reduced milk flow in lactating woman, asthma, lung congestion.
Human Studies
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil proves beneficial for the treatment of dysmenorrhea.
In a placebo controlled double blind clinical study designed to explore the clinical effectiveness of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, fennel essential oil was able to significantly reduce pain. The study involved 50 girls aged 15-24 years old. Participants were divided into two groups: one received a capsule of 30 mg fennel essential oil to take four times a day for three days from start of their menstrual period. The placebo group received a capsule containing wheat flour in same dose. The study concluded that the use of fennel essential oil could be beneficial in significantly reducing the signs and symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. (National Library of Medicine)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil demonstrated hepatoprotective activity.
Foeniculum vulgare essential oil exhibited potent liver protection activity against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats. (Scandinavian journal of laboratory animal science)
Sweet Fennel essential oil is one of the components of Honest & Pure Digestive Comfort blend.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil has anti-inflammatory activity. (International Journal of Pharmacology)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil exhibits antioxidant activity. (Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils from organically cultivated fennel cultivars, 2011)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil exhibits gastroprotective, vasorelaxant and
antithrombotic activity. (Pharmocological research)
Sweet Fennel essential oil is generally regarded as safe for ingestion by the FDA. Please consult with a certified aromatherapist for suggested use.
Written by Lena Isayev, B.A.,C.A.