Bitter Fennel

Bitter fennel belongs to Apiaceae family. It can be found in two varieties – sweet dulce and bitter amari which have been used medicinally for centuries. The herbal raw material is the fruit of fennel Foeniculi fructus, which contains essential oil, where the main component is anethole (the bitter variety contains on average twice as much oil as the sweet variety), in addition to flavonoids, phytosterols and proteins. Processed products are traditionally used for the symptomatic treatment of mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal disorders, including bloating and passing wind; the symptomatic treatment of mild cramps associated with menstruation; and as an expectorant in coughs associated with the cold. Traditionally, fennel fruits are recommended to breastfeeding women as a milk-stimulating agent, as well as to facilitate digestion and prevent colic in nursing babies.