Effect of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) on symptoms of depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomised controlled trial

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) on anxiety and depression symptoms in postmenopausal women. This study was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, in which 60 eligible postmenopausal women were selected and then randomly assigned to fennel and placebo groups. Then, symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Zung's Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Following the intervention, the score of HADS (depression and anxiety subgroups) and SDS did not show any significant decrease in the sample under study. However, the analysis of patients with depression or anxiety disorder showed a borderline or significant improvement. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm the findings. Impact statement Current knowledge on the subject: Based on the results of in vivo and in vitro animal studies, fennel may have anti-depressant and anti-anxiety properties. The contribution made by this study: It appears that fennel is effective in menopausal women with depression and anxiety disorders. The implications of findings for clinical practice and future research: Further studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm the actual effect of fennel in clinical setting.

Effect of Fennel on the Health Status of Menopausal Women: A Systematic and Meta-analysis

“…Two studies investigated fennel effect on psychological symptoms. 3 20 Ghazanfarpour et al 17 conducted a randomized clinical trials on forty nine Iranian postmenopausal women who randomized to fennel (n = 25) and placebo (n = 24). Fennel group received capsule containing fennel and placebo group received placebo capsule.…”

“…However, the fennel had more effect when it applied topically. Based on the two trials, 3 20 the fennel had beneficial effects on some psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. The fennel seems to have more effect in the patients with depression or anxiety disorders.…”

“…The menopause as a natural biological phenomenon experienced by all women 1 2 3 refers to the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle as a result of ovarian dysfunction. 4 The menopause is characterized by estrogen deficiency that is associated with the vaginal atrophy, bone loss, mood variations and hot flashes.…”

Effect of Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) on Sleep Quality of Menopausal Women: A Double-blinded, Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial

“…The menopause symptoms can affect the quality of sleep in menopause women 2. Moreover, previous studies showed beneficial effects of fennel on depression, anxiety,16 vaginal atrophy,17 sexual satisfaction,18 physical symptoms and vasomotor 15. Therefore, slight effect appeared might be due to the indirect effect of the fennel on other menopause symptoms, such as vaginal atrophy, depression and anxiety.…”

The Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Raloxifene in Menopausal Women: A Mini Review

“…Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a widely used therapeutic approaches to deal with menopausal symptoms 4. Based on the report by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) the risk of cardiovascular events and breast cancer increase following the HRT regimen 5. These serious complication have resulted in reduced desire to use HRT for menopausal women 5…”