Latin name: Foeniculum vulgare
Other name(s): hui hsiang; fennel; Foeniculum officinale; adas, jintan manis
It is a perennial herb with a height of 0.5 to 2 meters tall. It grows in clusters of 3 – 5 green blue, grooved and hollow stalks which produce an aromatic smell when crushed. The medicinal part -the fruits- are oval in shape with a length of 6 – 10 millimeters and width of 3 – 4 millimeters, and when still young are green in color and become brownish green to dark brown when they get mature. However this color may differ in each country. The ripe fruit has a specific aromatic smell and taste a bit that of camphor.
Fennel produces a volatile oil called “minyak adas” (Fennel oil, oleum foeniculi) which comes in two types; the sweet and the bitter one. It is distilled from the mature and dried adas fruit powder and is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. Adas is also used as spices in food preparation and to enhance food taste as well as to improve the taste of herbal decoctions.
MEDICINAL PART: Dried fruits, leaves
THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS: Dried fruits: tonic, analgesic, stomachic, carminative, mucolytic, and stimulates lactation or lactagogue. Leaves: diuretic, lactagogue, stomachic, and improve vision. Fennel oil can be used as carminative, antibacterial and anthelmintic.
INDICATION: Dried fruits: stomachache, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, loss of appetite, exudatiive coughing, asthma, dysmenorrheal, amenorrhea, lack of lactation, proteinuria, insomnia, orchidoptosis (sagging of testicle), hernia inguinalis, epididimitis, testicle hydrocel, pain due to gallstones, gout, drug and fungal poisoning. Leaves: Coughing, flatulence, colic, excessive thirsty and to improve vision
INDICATION: Dried fruits: stomachache, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, loss of appetite, exudatiive coughing, asthma, dysmenorrheal, amenorrhea, lack of lactation, proteinuria, insomnia, orchidoptosis (sagging of testicle), hernia inguinalis, epididimitis, testicle hydrocel, pain due to gallstones, gout, drug and fungal poisoning. Leaves: Coughing, flatulence, colic, excessive thirsty and to improve vision
DOSAGE AND USAGE: Decoction: boil 3 – 9 grams of adas fruit and drink it as recommended. Or you may grind the dried fruit and steep in boiling water, drink while warm. Leaves can be consumed as vegetables or by boiling it in pure water and then drink it. For external use, the dried fruit is finely ground to powder. Apply the powder to affected area of sprue, toothache, earache or wound. Adas oil can also be used to rub the body of a child with colds. For the specific indication as mention above, adas is used as a single herb or mixed with other herbs or ingredients to cure the ailment as follows:
Cough:
(1) Steer 5 grams of adas powder with ½ cup of boiling water. After cooling off add 1 teaspoon of honey, and stir well and drink until you get well.
(1) Steer 5 grams of adas powder with ½ cup of boiling water. After cooling off add 1 teaspoon of honey, and stir well and drink until you get well.
(2) Prepare the following materials:
Abrus precatorius - folia (daun saga) - ¼ handfuls
Shoeflowers (Hybiscus Rosa-sinensis, kembang sepatu) - 2 flowers
Mentha arvensis - folia (daun poko) - 1/5 handfuls
Lantana camara - flowers (bunga tembelekan) - 10 flowers
Red scallions (Allium ascolonicum, bawang merah) - 2 bulbs
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - 1 teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) -1 finger-size cut
Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale, jahe) - 1 finger-size cut
Palm sugar - 3 finger-size cuts
Wash all materials and cut to small pieces. Boil the ingredients together in 3 glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ½ glass 3 times daily.
Abrus precatorius - folia (daun saga) - ¼ handfuls
Shoeflowers (Hybiscus Rosa-sinensis, kembang sepatu) - 2 flowers
Mentha arvensis - folia (daun poko) - 1/5 handfuls
Lantana camara - flowers (bunga tembelekan) - 10 flowers
Red scallions (Allium ascolonicum, bawang merah) - 2 bulbs
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - 1 teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) -1 finger-size cut
Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale, jahe) - 1 finger-size cut
Palm sugar - 3 finger-size cuts
Wash all materials and cut to small pieces. Boil the ingredients together in 3 glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ½ glass 3 times daily.
Asthma:
(1) Pour 10 drops of fennel oil with 1 tablespoon hot water. Drink 3 times daily while warm until the condition gets better
(1) Pour 10 drops of fennel oil with 1 tablespoon hot water. Drink 3 times daily while warm until the condition gets better
(2) Prepare the following materials:
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ½ teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ¼ finger-size cut
Zedoary (Kaempferia galanga, rimpang kencur) - 2 finger-size cuts
Round turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza, rimpang temulawak) 1 finger-size cut
Black cumin (Cuminum cyminum, jintan hitam) - ¼ teaspoon
Jasminum pubescens (daun poncosudo) - ¼ handful
Palm sugar 3 jari
Wash all materials and cut to small pieces. Boil all with 4½ glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily until the condition gets better.
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ½ teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ¼ finger-size cut
Zedoary (Kaempferia galanga, rimpang kencur) - 2 finger-size cuts
Round turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza, rimpang temulawak) 1 finger-size cut
Black cumin (Cuminum cyminum, jintan hitam) - ¼ teaspoon
Jasminum pubescens (daun poncosudo) - ¼ handful
Palm sugar 3 jari
Wash all materials and cut to small pieces. Boil all with 4½ glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily until the condition gets better.
Sprue or mouth ulcer:
Prepare the following ingredients:
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ¾ teaspoon
Coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum, ketumbar) - ¾ teaspoon
Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides, daun iler) - 1/5 handful
Ngai camphora leaves (Blumea balsamifera - folia, daun sembung ¼ handful
Gotu kola levaes (Centella asiatica - folia, daun pegagan) - ¼ handful
Paederia foetida - folia (daun kentut) - 1/6 handful
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ¾ finger-siza cut
Zingiber aromaticum - rhizoma (rimpang lempuyang wangi) ½ finger-sizs cut
Turmeric (Curcuma domestica, rimpang kunyit) - ½ finger=size cut
Cinnamon bar (Cinnamomum burmanni, kayumanis) ¾ finger-size cut
Palm sugar 3 jari Wash all materials and cut the leaves and roots to small pieces. Boil all ingredients with 4½ glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily until the condition gets better.
Prepare the following ingredients:
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ¾ teaspoon
Coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum, ketumbar) - ¾ teaspoon
Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides, daun iler) - 1/5 handful
Ngai camphora leaves (Blumea balsamifera - folia, daun sembung ¼ handful
Gotu kola levaes (Centella asiatica - folia, daun pegagan) - ¼ handful
Paederia foetida - folia (daun kentut) - 1/6 handful
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ¾ finger-siza cut
Zingiber aromaticum - rhizoma (rimpang lempuyang wangi) ½ finger-sizs cut
Turmeric (Curcuma domestica, rimpang kunyit) - ½ finger=size cut
Cinnamon bar (Cinnamomum burmanni, kayumanis) ¾ finger-size cut
Palm sugar 3 jari Wash all materials and cut the leaves and roots to small pieces. Boil all ingredients with 4½ glasses of pure water until left to half. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily until the condition gets better.
Dysmenorrhea:
Ingredients:
Coral jasmine leaves (Nyctanthes arbortristis, daun srigading) - 1/5 handful
Coral jasmine flowers (Nyctanthes arbortristis, bunga srigading) - 1/5 handful
Black cumin (Cuminum cyminum, jintan hitam) - ¾ teaspoon
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ½ teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ½ jari
Bixa orellana - flowers (bunga kesumba keling) - 2 flowers
Sour lime (Citrus aurantifolia, jeruk nipis) - 2 pieces
rock sugar - 1 egg-size
Wash all ingredients and cut the leaves and flowers into small pieces. Boil with pure water until left to 2 ¼ glasses. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily.
Ingredients:
Coral jasmine leaves (Nyctanthes arbortristis, daun srigading) - 1/5 handful
Coral jasmine flowers (Nyctanthes arbortristis, bunga srigading) - 1/5 handful
Black cumin (Cuminum cyminum, jintan hitam) - ¾ teaspoon
Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare, bubuk adas) - ½ teaspoon
Pulosari tree - stem (Alyxia stellata, pulosari) - ½ jari
Bixa orellana - flowers (bunga kesumba keling) - 2 flowers
Sour lime (Citrus aurantifolia, jeruk nipis) - 2 pieces
rock sugar - 1 egg-size
Wash all ingredients and cut the leaves and flowers into small pieces. Boil with pure water until left to 2 ¼ glasses. After cooling, strain and drink ¾ glass 3 times daily.
Drug and fungal poisoning
Steep 5 grams of fennel powder in ½ cup of liquor and drink on an empty stomach
Steep 5 grams of fennel powder in ½ cup of liquor and drink on an empty stomach
Gallstones
Steep 5 grams of fennel powder in 1 cup of hot water. Drink after cooling, repeat daily until pain subsides.
Steep 5 grams of fennel powder in 1 cup of hot water. Drink after cooling, repeat daily until pain subsides.
REMARKS: Surgery remains the best treatment for hernia inguinalis, while the effect of fennel is just temporarily lifting up the sagged intestine. Avoid consuming adas in large doses. Some discomfort effects are flatulence and burping. Adas fruit is also en effective insect repellent.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The recipes and techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment of a medical practioner. Before using any of these recipes, the author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this page.
