F

F

FALSE UNICORN

*Other Common Name:*	Helonias root
*Botanical Names:*	Chamaelirium luteum, Helonias luteum^#
*Family:*	Melanthiaceae
*Plant Part Used:*	Root

# Alternative name.

PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

Actions	Uterine tonic, ovarian tonic, estrogen modulating
Potential Indications	Based on appropriate evaluation of the patient, practitioners should consider prescribing false unicorn root in formulations in the context of: • Disorders of the female reproductive tract, including amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, ovarian pain, leukorrhea, prolapse, atony of the reproductive organs, threatened miscarriage, and morning sickness (5) • Menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes (5) • Infertility, sexual lassitude (5)
Contraindications	None known.
Warnings and Precautions	None required.
Interactions	None known.
Use in Pregnancy and Lactation	No adverse effects expected.
Side Effects	None expected if taken within the recommended dose range. Very large (undefined) doses are said to cause nausea and vomiting.^1,²
Dosage	*Dose per day^	*Dose per week^
	2–6 ml of 1:2 liquid extract	15–40 ml of 1:2 liquid extract

* This dose range is extrapolated from the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983, the British Herbal Compendium 1992, and the author’s education and experience.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Traditional Prescribing	Traditional Western herbal medicine uses include: • Disorders of the female reproductive tract, especially amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea (particularly of a congestive nature), anemia associated with reproductive problems, ovarian pain, leukorrhea, prolapse, atony of the reproductive organs, threatened miscarriage, and morning sickness ^1,^3,⁴ • Menopausal complaints ² • Infertility and sexual lassitude in both sexes ³
	The Eclectic physicians regarded false unicorn root as a valuable uterine tonic, imparting tone and vigor to the female reproductive organs, and used it to promote normal activity of the glandular organs.^3,⁵
	Native Americans used false unicorn root. False unicorn was official in the NF from 1916 to 1947 and was used as a diuretic and uterine tonic.⁶
Pharmacologic Research	False unicorn root contains steroidal saponins that may exert estrogenic effects by binding with estrogen receptors of the hypothalamus.² In the premenopausal woman, this action may provide an estrogenic effect, and in the low-estrogen environment of menopause, these saponins may relieve menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes. • In an early study, false unicorn root extract did not demonstrate any activity on isolated uterine tissue.⁷ A later study confirmed a lack of stimulatory activity on the uterus in vivo after injection.⁸
Clinical Studies	No clinical studies using false unicorn root have been found.

FENNEL

*Botanical Name:*	Foeniculum vulgare
*Family:*	Umbelliferae
*Plant Part Used:*	Fruit (sometimes referred to as seed)

PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

Actions	Carminative, appetite stimulating, spasmolytic, galactagogue, estrogen modulating, antimicrobial, expectorant
Potential Indications	Based on appropriate evaluation of the patient, practitioners should consider prescribing fennel in formulations in the context of: • Dyspepsia,^* in combination with wormwood, caraway, and peppermint (2) • Chronic digestive problems, bloating, flatulence,^** in combination with caraway, peppermint, and gentian (2) • Infantile colic,^** in combination with lemon balm, chamomile, vervain, and licorice (3) • Mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints, bloating, flatulence (4) • Chronic nonspecific colitis, in combination with dandelion root, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, and Calendula (4) • Upper respiratory tract catarrh (4) • Abdominal pain with anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea (5) • Wheeze, shortness of breath, chronic cough, as a gargle for pharyngitis (5) • Suppressed lactation (5) • Irritable bowel syndrome (6) • Possible benefit for obesity (6)
Contraindications	Contraindicated in patients who suffer from “celery-carrot-mugwort-spice” syndrome.
Warnings and Precautions	Allergic reactions to fennel are rare and seem to be limited to occupational exposure. A percentage of patients who are allergic to celery also display allergic reactions to fennel. Individuals sensitized to carrot, for example, may also have allergic reactions to other vegetables or spices of the Umbelliferae family (celery-carrot-mugwort-spice syndrome). Allergic reactions in the skin and respiratory tract have been reported.
Interactions	None known.
Use in Pregnancy and Lactation	No adverse effects expected, especially when administered as infusions that contain a lower essential oil content than do extracts. Fennel has a long history of use as a galactagogue.
Side Effects	Allergic reaction occurs rarely, as previously indicated.
Dosage	*Dose per day^**	*Dose per week^**
	3–6 ml of 1:2 liquid extract	20–40 ml of 1:2 liquid extract

* ESCOP recommends fennel for treating dyspepsia. (4,5)

** Fennel has been used in traditional herbal medicine for treating the following conditions: infantile colic, chronic digestive problems, and flatulence. (5)

*** This dose range is extrapolated from the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983 and the author’s education and experience. The dosage listed in the British Pharmaceutical Codex 1934 indicates that the essential oil is an integral aspect of the dosage.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Traditional Prescribing	Traditional Western herbal medicine uses include: • Flatulent colic, especially in infants; flatulent dyspepsia,^1,² irritable bowel syndrome³ • Increasing reduced appetite ¹ and suppression of food cravings⁴ • Wheezing, shortness of breath, chronic cough ¹ • Amenorrhea, suppressed lactation ² • Topically to treat conjunctivitis and blepharitis, as a gargle for pharyngitis ¹ • Improving the taste of unpleasant medicines ²
Traditional Prescribing	Uses and properties from TCM include: • To dispel cold and relieve pain, to regulate stomach function ⁵ • Abdominal pain with anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea; dysmenorrhea with cold sensation ⁵
Pharmacologic Research	Fennel fruit contains an essential oil, the quantity and composition of which depends on the subspecies: F. vulgare subsp. vulgare var. vulgare (bitter fennel) contains more than 4% essential oil; F. vulgare subsp. vulgare var. dulce (sweet fennel) contains more than 2%.⁶ • Fennel oil and alcohol extracts of fennel demonstrated anti-spasmodic activity in several in vitro models using isolated smooth muscle. This activity was confirmed in an in vivo model following injection. • Fennel water was used to decrease the tone and amplitude of peri-stalsis in the stomach, small intestine, and colon in an experimental model. Another study found that fennel appeared to relax smooth muscle by a direct local activity and to stimulate it via the sympathetic nervous system. • In experimental models, acetone extracts of fennel (route unknown) induced estrus (changes in the uterine mucosa related to the mating period) and caused growth of mammary glands, oviducts, the cervix, and vagina. An antiandrogenic effect was also observed. • In an experimental model, oral administration of fennel fruit extract caused a significant increase in collected bile when compared with controls. • An ethanolic extract of fennel fruit showed significant diuretic activity compared with controls. The diuresis was not associated with changes in sodium or potassium excretion. • Fennel oil administered by inhalation was shown to have a mild anti-tussive or cough suppressant effect. • Several studies have demonstrated the in vitro antibacterial activity of fennel oil. • Fennel oil displayed a favorable influence on the total quantity of milk (and its fat content) produced by goats.
Clinical Studies	• A liquid herbal formula containing fennel, wormwood, caraway (Carum carvi), and peppermint was found to be superior to the spasmolytic drug metoclopramide in relieving pain, nausea, belching, and heartburn in a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial assessing treating dyspepsia. • In another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial, patients with marked chronic digestive problems such as flatulence or bloating were treated with either an herbal formula containing car-away, fennel, peppermint, and gentian in tablet form or a placebo over a 14-day period. Significant improvement was achieved in the herbal group compared with placebo. • Patients with chronic nonspecific colitis were treated with a combination containing dandelion root, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, Calendula, and fennel. By the fifteenth day of treatment, spontaneous and palpable pains along the large intestine had disappeared in 96% of the patients. Defecation was normalized in patients with diarrhea syndrome. • The effect of an instant herbal tea preparation containing chamomile, vervain, licorice, fennel, and lemon balm on infantile colic was assessed in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study involving babies approximately 3 weeks of age. After 7 days, colic scores were significantly lower in the herbal tea group compared with the placebo group. The tea preparation was offered with every episode of colic, up to 150 ml per dose, but not more than three times per day. The exact composition of the preparation was not defined. • In Germany, the Commission E supports using fennel to treat mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints, bloating, flatulence, and upper respiratory tract catarrh.⁷ • ESCOP recommends fennel for treating dyspepsia and upper respiratory catarrh.⁸

The following book was referred to in the compilation of the pharmacologic and clinical informationMills S, Bone K. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.

1 British Herbal Medicine Association’s Scientific Committee. British herbal pharmacopoeia. Bournemouth: BHMA, 1983.

2 Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King’s American dispensatory, ed 18. Portland: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1905. rev 3, reprinted 1983

3 Bartram T. Encyclopedia of herbal medicine, ed 1. Dorset, UK: Grace Publishers, 1995.

4 Grieve M. A modern herbal. New York: Dover Publications, 1971.

5 Pharmacopoeia Commission of the People’s Republic of China. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, English ed. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press, 1997.

6 European Pharmacopoeia Commission. European pharmacopoeia, ed 3. Strasbourg, France: European Department for the Quality of Medicines within the Council of Europe, 1996.

7 Blumenthal M, et al, editors. The complete German Commission E monographs: therapeutic guide to herbal medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council, 1998.

8 Scientific Committee of the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy [ESCOP]. ESCOP monographs: Foeniculi fructus. Argyle House, Gandy Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3LS, United Kingdom: European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, ESCOP Secretariat, March 1996.

FENUGREEK

*Botanical Name:*	Trigonella foenum-graecum
*Family:*	Leguminosae
*Plant Part Used:*	Seed

PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

Appetite stimulating, galactagogue, antiinflammatory, demulcent, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic

Potential Indications

Based on appropriate evaluation of the patient, practitioners should consider prescribing fenugreek in formulations in the context of:

• Managing diabetes mellitus (both insulin-dependent and non-insulin–dependent) (3,5)

• Loss of appetite (4,5)

• Dyspepsia, gastritis, debility, gastrointestinal inflammation (5)

• Preventing atherosclerosis (5,7)

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Dec 4, 2016 | Posted by admin in GENERAL & FAMILY MEDICINE | Comments Off

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