Anethum, Dill

Anetum (old Latin)
Shibt, Shabbat (Unani)
Shatahva (Ayurveda, A. sowa)

Anetum Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Anethum graveolens Ortus sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501

Anethum graveolens
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

Anethum graveolens
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800

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Botanical name:

Anethum graveolens
A. sowa is also used in Ayurveda and Unani. They have the same effects and uses.

Parts used:

Seed; herb

Temperature & Taste:

Very Warm, dry. Pungent
Digests, discusses, ripens, eases pain

Classification:

2B ATTENUATERS.   2H. CARMINATIVES.   2Q. ANODYNE.   2U. SUPPURATIVES
3F. LITHONTRIPTIC.   3H. LACTAGOGUE
4e. STOMACHIC

Uses:

1. Warms the Stomach, clears Wind:
-Colic, bloating and pain of the stomach and intestines
-Hiccups, Nausea and Vomiting

2. Warms and Strengthens the Kidneys:
-lower back pain and stiffness
-chronic diarrhea
-Impotence, promotes Lust
-Bed-wetting in children
-the tops in decoction are ‘commended for Stones’

3. Settles Wind, Calms the Mind:
-Promotes Sleep (when green: Galen; oil has also been used to induce sleep)
-Pains of the Head and Nerves
-strengthens the Brain (Culpeper)
-Dizziness

4. Moves the Qi, Warms and Promotes Menstruation:
-amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea
-uterine pain from cold and wind

5. Increases Milk

6. Resolves Swellings and Masses:
-‘maketh ripe raw Humours’ (Galen); eases ‘swellings and pains’ (Culpeper); ‘digest, discuss and ripen Tumours’ (John Pechy)
-Tumors of the Stomach, Liver, Mouth, Breast, Throat and Anus
-Ulcers and Tumors of the Testicles (Arnold de Villa Nova)

7. Warms the Heart, Settles Wind:
-Palpitation
-Cold-type chest pain
-beneficial for Hypertension; lowers Cholesterol

8. Externally:
-externally to ease Bruises and Pain (headaches etc.); juice or the Tops boiled in Oil and the Oil applied
-often used in Enemas for Wind, Colic and Pain
-topically to Hemorrhoids; strong infusion of the herb can be used internally, topically and as a retention enema
–Galen applied the burnt powder as an application to moist Ulcers.
-Oil in which Dill is boiled is applied to Paralysis (from cold and damp)
-topically to ripen abscesses
-‘The ashes of the Seed of this herb laid to, after the manner of an Emplaster, taketh away the hard lumps and knots that are about the
fundament [anus] or in other places’ (Turners Herbal).
–‘The Seed being roasted or fried, and used in oils or plasters, dissolves the impostumes [abcesses] in the fundament [anus], and drieth up all moist Ulcers, especially in that part’ (Culpeper)
-paste of the seeds is applied to Bee stings and other venomous bites and stings (Ayurveda)

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams
Decoction: 3–9 grams

Main Combinations:

Dill seed is often used with other ‘Warm’ seeds for Wind, Colic etc.; Aniseed, Fennel seed, Caraway, Cumin etc.

1. Combine Dill seed with Rue for internal Pain; pain of the Chest and Sides; Coughs, hardness of Breathing, Lung inflammations, Sciatica and Arthritic pain. (Culpeper)
2. Poor appetite, Nausea and Vomiting,
i. The Decoction of the fresh leaves of Dill cures poor appetite and windiness of the Stomach (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
ii. Dill seed and Mastic (Arnold de Villa Nova)
3. To promote Milk:
i. Dill seed decocted with Lentils (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
ii. Dill seed, Fennel seed, Aniseed
4. To ripen an abscess, mix Dill with Marshmallow root powder and pig fat; apply (Arnold de Villa Nova)
5. Pain of the Nerves and Joints, Dill oil is mixed with Ointment of Marshmallow (Arnold de Villa Nova)

Major Formulas:

Decoction for Stomach Pain
Decoction Against Scrofula (Fuller)
Syrup of Betony (Bononiense)
Wine for Edema
Powder of Polypody (Montagnana)
Powder of Rosemary Compound (Dianthos) (Nicholas)
Special Powder for Memory (Wirtzung)
Powder for Menstrual Flux (Nicholas)
Powder to Increase Milk Supply
Electuary for a Duke (Electuarium Ducis) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Horehound Diaprassium
Pills for Vertigo (Ayurveda)

Cautions:

Generally Safe, although the oil should be used carefully, avoiding overdose.

Main Preparations used:

Distilled Water, Infused or Boiled Oil of the leaf, Distilled Oil of the Seed