PDR for Herbal Medicines

302 /FALSE UNICORN ROOT PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

General: No health hazards or side effects are known in

conjunction with the proper administration of designated

therapeutic dosages. The appearance of gastric complaints is

conceivable with the drug, due to the high saponin content,

particularly in cases of overdosage.

Pregnancy: Not to be used during pregnancy.

LITERATURE

Atta-Ur-Rahman, Ali RA, Choudhary MI, New steroidal

alkaloids from rhizomes of Veratrum album. In: JNP 55:565-

570. 
     
     
     
     1992. Hegnauer R, Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen, Bde 1-11:
           Birkhauser Verlag Basel. Boston, Berlin 1962-1997 (unter
           Chamaelirium luteum (L.) GRAY).
           Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,
           Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979 (unter
           Helionas dioica).
           Wagner H, Wiesenauer M, Phytotherapie. Phytopharmaka und
           pflanzliche Homoopathika, Fischer-Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New
           York 1995.
     
     
     
     

Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the Fennel oil

extracted from the ripe fruit and the dried ripe fruit and

Fennel seeds of Foeniculum vulgare.

Flower and Fruit: The inflorescence is fairly large umbels

almost 15 cm across on very irregular rays. The flowers are

fairly small and usually androgynous. The petals are a rich

yellow, broadly ovate and have an involute lobe at the tip.

The style is very short and almost wart-like. The fruit is

glabrous, brownish or greenish-gray. They are 6 to 10 mm

long, somewhat cylindrical with blunt ribs and strongly

domed.

Leaves, Stem and Fruit: The plant is biennial to perennial,

about 80 to 15.0 cm high, glabrous, sea-green to glaucous and

has a strong spicy smell. The stem is erect, round, glabrous,

smooth and filled with latex. The lower leaves are petiolate

and have long sheaths.

Characteristics: Fennel has a spicy aroma.

Habitat: Fennel is indigenous to the Mediterranean region,
has spread to England, Germany, South Tyrol and Argentina.
Fennel is also found today in Iran, India and China.

Production: Fennel oil is the essential oil obtained from the
dried, ripe fruits of Foeniculum vulgare by steam distillation.

Fennel seed consists of the dried, ripe fruits of Foeniculum

vulgare.

Other Names: Large Fennel, Sweet Fennel, Wild Fennel,

Fenkel, Bitter Fennel

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: FENNEL OIL

When extracted from bitter fennel the chief components are:

Trans-anethols (50-75%)

Fenchone (12-33%)

Estragole (2-5%?)

Additional components are - alpha-pinenes. camphene, p-

cymene, myrcene, limonene, alpha- and beta-phellandrene,

gamma-terpenes, terpinols, cis-ocimene

When extracted from sweet fennel the chief components are:

Trans-anethole (80-90%)

Fenchone (1-10%?)

Estragole (3-10%c)

Additional components are - alpha-pinenes. camphene, p-

cymene, myrcene, limonene, alpha- and beta-phellandrene,

gamma-terpenes, terpinols, gamma-fenchen

EFFECTS: FENNEL OIL

Stimulation of gastrointestinal motility; in higher concentra-

tions, antispasmodic; experimentally, anethole and fenchone

have shown a secretolytic action on the respiratory tract. In

vitro, it is antimicrobial.

COMPOUNDS: FENNEL SEED

Volatile oil

With bitter fennel the chief components are:

Trans-anethole (50-75%)

Fenchon (12-33%)

Estragole (2-5%)

Additional components - alpha-pinenes, camphene, p-cy-

mene, myrcene, limonene, alpha- and beta-phellandrene,

gamma-terpenes, terpinols cis-ocimene

With sweet fennel the chief components are:

Trans-anethole (80-90%)

Fenchon (1-10%)

Estragole (3-10%)

Additional components - alpha-pinenes, camphene, p-cy-

mene, myrcene, limonene, alpha- and beta-phellandrene,

gamma-terpenes, terpinols, gamma-fenchen