(Foeniculum vulgare ssp. piperitum) Supports healthy digestion, circulation and kidney/bladder function.
Inhalation: Diffuse or use a personal Nasal Inhaler Internal: Fennel is suitable for internal use within safe parameters if such use is deemed appropriate. We feel that internal use is rarely *needed* and should only be used with respect for how concentrated the oils are. HEO does not advocate internal use of essential oils without appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to administer, for what purpose, how much, which essential oils, safety concerns and so on. In our experience, essential oils are generally more effective used topically with proper dilution or inhaled. Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D. notes that "French aromatherapy literature contains many references to using oils orally." He goes on to note that "generally 1 drop is always enough when ingesting essential oils." A potential toxicity hazard could occur when untrained people use essential oils orally and ingest too much. Keep in mind that while medical doctors or health care practitioners may prescribe essential oils for internal use, they are trained and experienced in the safe application of essential oils. It is not a matter of using "French" or "British" methods, it's a matter of experience and appropriate application. Tisserand's maximum adult oral dose for Bitter Fennel is 54mg (slightly less than 2 drops). Kurt Schnaubelt wrote in The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils (p. 133) that 1-2 drops orally is analgesic and sedates reflexes. Click here for information about internal usage.
2. I put the Fennel EO in a couple drops of carrier oil and applied to my sternum after nursing. I literally felt myself fill up! - Malissa
3. I have never taken Hopewell Oils' blends with Fennel due to past personal experience with another high-quality Fennel essential oil and fennel tea, so this information is about Fennel in general from any company. I think everyone may have a different sensitivity regarding different seizure types. For me, Fennel in any form is a trigger. I had not had any seizure episodes for over a year and a half. I do not take seizure medication - never have. I went through a Functional Neurology Treatmtent to try a natural recovery. I had never had seizures until my TBI from a motor vehicle accident. I have healed, however I still need to be careful about what I taken internally. I learned that MSM and Fennel both stir things up for me despite how well I have been doing or how much I have healed. In my personal situation I learned that Frankincense can counter seizure episodes, so I took some internally and applied some to the base of my skull on my spine, then on my stomach and right big toe (apparently a path to the brain). It worked fast and ended the seizures. I share this in case anyone has an episode. Having Frankincense on hand saved me much grief, and you never know when you might face that kind of an emergency! - Natalie [HEO's Comment: Curiously, Tisserand/Young do not mention Fennel as a seizure trigger in Essential Oil Safety 2014.]
Tisserand also noted: "Fennel is contraindicated during pregnancy and nursing because it is estrogenic (due to about 75% trans-anethole content). This probably explains why it can boost milk supply, but the concern is that it might upset the delicate balance of hormones in an infant. This is only a theoretic risk, but it's one that is perhaps worth heeding."
Caution with Oral Use: Diabetes medication, anticoagulant medication, major surgery, peptic ulcer, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders (Tisserand).
Estragole: Tisserand writes: "Estragole is a rodent carcinogen when oral exposure is sufficiently high." The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy by Salavatore Battaglia on the safety of Fennel: "I have a suspicion that some aromatherapists may be concerned about the fenchone content, which is a ketone. As we know, some ketones are reputed to be neurotoxic. There is no pharmacological evidence to suggest that fenchone or transanethole are neurotoxic in the doses used in aromatherapy." Battaglia references other noted authors: Blumenthal, Lawless, Tisserand.
Clinical Aromatherapy by Jane Buckle: "Some essential oils are generally contraindicated for all therapeutic uses." Her list includes Fennel. She continues: "These oils all contain toxic constituents." She lists Fennel as one to avoid if prone to epilepsy and then writes: ". . . although there is no published report of any of these triggering a seizure." (Note that the "toxic constituent" Buckle refers to in Fennel is a ketone - see Battaglia's note above.) The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless: Fennel is "non-irritant, relatively non-toxic, narcotic in large doses . . ." Avoid contact with the eyes and other sensitive areas. Essential oils are both lipophilic and hydrophobic. Lipophilic means they are attracted to fat— like the membranes of your eyes and skin. They are also hydrophobic, meaning they do not like water. Applying a carrier oil will create another fat for the essential oil to be attracted to other than the membranes of the eyes or skin. Tisserand suggests: "With essential oils, fatty oil has been suggested as an appropriate first aid treatment, though the advantage of saline [eyewash] is that the eyes can be continually flushed, and this is less easy with fatty oil.” We are not aware of a case where essential oil in the eyes caused permanent injury or long-term discomfort, but if you feel concerned, please call your health care provider.
