Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), of the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. Tall aromatic biennial or perennial with feathery threadlike leaves and golden umbels; native range: Mediterranean coasts; naturalised across temperate Eurasia and beyond. Globally recognized as mishreya / madhurika / shatapushpa in Sanskrit, saunf in Hindi, xiao hui xiang (小茴香) in Chinese, raziyanaj / basbas in Arabic, and sweet fennel · common fennel in English. The part used is the ripe fruit ('seed'); also root and the swollen leaf-base. Ridged green-brown seeds smelling warmly of anise and sweet liquorice; the taste is sweet and aromatic with a cooling camphoraceous finish.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
FENNEL
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Fennel
- Scientific name
- Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
- Family
- Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Form
- Part used
- the ripe fruit ('seed'); also root and the swollen leaf-base
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent
- Ayurveda
- sweet · pungent · bitter (madhura, katu, tikta)
- Western
- sweet · aromatic
- Unani
- sweet · aromatic
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta virya)
- Western
- warm
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Kidney · Spleen · Stomach
- Western
- stomach · digestion · lungs · uterus
- Unani
- stomach · liver · kidneys · uterus
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- warms and regulates qi, dispels cold and stops pain, harmonises the Stomach
- Ayurveda
- dipana-pachana (kindles and digests), vata-anulomana, stanyajanana (galactagogue), medhya, chakshushya (benefits the eyes)
- Western
- carminative, aromatic, antispasmodic, galactagogue and expectorant
- Unani
- kaasir-e-riyah (carminative), mudirr-e-baul-o-haiz (diuretic and emmenagogue), mufatteh-e-sudad (deobstruent), muqawwi-e-basar (strengthens sight)
Cautions
Contraindications: high heat states in large medicinal dose; the concentrated volatile oil in pregnancy and for infants
Toxicity: the isolated oil is neurotoxic in excess (may provoke seizures) and can sensitise the skin; the seed itself is a gentle food
Interactions
- Western
- hormonal therapy: phytoestrogenic action may oppose or add to oestrogen-based and anti-oestrogen therapy
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