BADIYAN

Englsih            :           Fennel

Urdu                :           Saunf/Sonf/Badi Saunf

Telugu             :           Sopu/Pedda jila-kurra

Description     : This is a perennial herb,having erect and nearly about 70-90 cm high stem and 3 or 4 times pinnate leaves and fruits 6-10 mm long and 4 mm wide. Saunf or fennel consists of the dried ripe fruits of this plant. These are sweet in taste and contain sweet-smelled and volatile oil.

Action and uses: Seeds are mild lexative,stomachic, carminative, lectagogue,diuretic and eye-sight tonic. When roasted, they act as astrignent and anti-diarrhoeal. Seeds are used in abdominal flatulence and pain, dyspepsia,billiosness,constipation and for promoting breast-milk and eye-sight. Also used in urinary tract diseases. Fennel is an important in the compound preperations which are used as e.g. U1 syrup and antacid e.g U3 powder.

Root is coctive for phlegm,diuretic and emmenagogue. It is used in coctive formulations,used in paralysis,headaches,retension of urine and menses.

Oil is an anthelmintic against hookworm and carminative. It is used in gastro-intestinal diseases.

Ibn Sina’s View: Fennel is deobstruent and eye-tonic.Garden variety is galactagogue and useful in nausea and gastritis.Wild variety is lithontriptic and useful in strangury and chronic fevers.