Effect of Fennel on Reduction of Symptoms Associated with Pain in Primary Dysmenorrhea

Background & objectives: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the common problems of women in reproductive age, disrupting the quality of life young women, especially when accompanied with symptoms such as headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and impatience. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Fennel on reduction of symptoms associated with pain in primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on 105 dormitory students of Ardabil Islamic Azad University with primary dysmenorrhea who consented to the study. Among them, 72 qualified individual with grade 3 primary dysmenorrhea were selected and then randomly divided into two experimental (Fennel) and control (placebo) groups. In experimental group and at the first 3 days of the menstrual cycle, 3-5 drops of fennel, in tea or water, was administered for three consecutive cycles. The control group received distilled water-containing capsule (placebo) 4 times a day for three consecutive cycles. The data were collected by five-part questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi-square test in SPSS version 17. Results: The results of this study showed that there was no significant difference in the symptoms associated with pain during menstruation cycle between experimental and control groups. Conclusion: The study found that Fennel was not able to reduce the symptoms associated with pain in the primary dysmenorrhea, including headaches, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It seems that this herbal cannot be used as remedy for systemic symptoms in dysmenorrhea.