Dill

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual, herbaceous plant from the family of umbellifers (Apiaceae) and is one of the oldest cultivated and medicinal plants of Europe and West Asia. The plant is easy to recognize by its delicate, feathery leaves and its yellow-flowering umbels. Originally native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Western Asia, Dill is now widespread worldwide – both in gardens as a culinary and medicinal herb and growing wild in temperate zones. In the kitchen, both the fresh leaves (dill weed) and the seeds (dill fruits) are popular – the latter above all as a spice for pickled cucumbers or bread. The characteristic taste and aroma come from essential oils, especially carvone, limonene, and α-phellandrene. But Dill is not just an aromatic kitchen herb; it also has a long tradition in folk medicine: as early as ancient Egypt, among the Romans, and in medieval monastery medicine, it was used for digestive complaints, insomnia, and bloating. Today, the constituents and possible health-promoting properties of Dill are once again increasingly the focus of research and naturopathy.

What health benefits does Dill offer? Dill was traditionally used in many cultures to support digestion and for calming purposes. Modern studies also show interesting pharmacological properties:

  • Digestive & carminative: Dill stimulates the production of digestive juices and could thus help relieve bloating – an effect that is attributed to the essential oils such as carvone and limonene (1,2).
  • Antioxidant effect: In laboratory studies, extracts of Dill show antioxidant properties that can help reduce oxidative cell damage (3,4).
  • Antimicrobial effects: The essential oil of Dill acts in vitro against various bacterial and fungal strains – including some that are responsible for food spoilage or infections (5,6).
  • Anti-inflammatory properties: Studies point to an anti-inflammatory effect that appears to stem from various constituents such as limonene (7).
  • Calming effect: Traditionally, Dill was used for sleep problems and restlessness – some studies indeed suggest a mild calming effect, which, however, still needs to be researched more closely (8,9).

How does Dill work in the body? The main effect of Dill is due to its essential oils**, especially carvone, limonene, and α-phellandrene, which are particularly concentrated in the fruits (7). In addition, laboratory analyses show that the polyphenols and flavonoids it contains can activate antioxidant enzymes in the body (4). Antimicrobial effects are attributed, among other things, to dill oil (5).

Are there risks or side effects?

  • Skin irritation from essential oil: Undiluted dill oil can – like many concentrated essential oils – cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. It should therefore always be diluted and applied with care.
  • Not in high doses during pregnancy: Due to possible labor-inducing effects, dill oil should only be used during pregnancy in consultation with qualified professionals.
  • Interactions with medications possible: Caution is advised with concentrated extracts or essential oil – especially when taken together with medications that have a calming or digestive effect.

Conclusion:

Dill is far more than a kitchen herb – the plant looks back on a long healing tradition and contains a variety of valuable constituents. Various properties are already suggested by studies. Antimicrobial and antioxidant potential is also increasingly being investigated scientifically. In moderate amounts, Dill is considered very well tolerated – with concentrated extracts or essential oils, however, medical advice is recommended.

Sources:

  1. Hosseinzadeh, H., Karimi, G. R., & Ameri, M. (2002). Effects of Anethum graveolens L. seed extracts on experimental gastric irritation models in mice. BMC pharmacology, 2, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2210-2-21
  2. Fleming T. PDR for Herbal Medicines. Medical Economics Company, New Jersy. 2000. pp. 252–253.
  3. Kaur, N., Chahal, K. K., Kumar, A., Singh, R., & Bhardwaj, U. (2019). Antioxidant activity of Anethum graveolens L. essential oil constituents and their chemical analogues. Journal of food biochemistry, 43(4), e12782. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.12782
  4. Oshaghi, E. A., Khodadadi, I., Tavilani, H., & Goodarzi, M. T. (2016). Aqueous Extract of Anethum Graveolens L. has Potential Antioxidant and Antiglycation Effects. Iranian journal of medical sciences, 41(4), 328–333.
  5. Saji, A., Sajid, M. E. K., Ashif, M., Junaidh, M. K., & Kumar, M. (2022). A review on Anethum graveolens: Its role in human life. The Pharma Innovation Journal, 11(7S), 332–336. https://www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2022/vol11issue7S/PartE/S-11-6-352-325.pdf
  6. Kaur, G. J., & Arora, D. S. (2009). Antibacterial and phytochemical screening of Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare and Trachyspermum ammi. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 9, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-9-30
  7. Naseri, M., Mojab, F., Khodadoost, M., Kamalinejad, M., Davati, A., Choopani, R., Hasheminejad, A., Bararpoor, Z., Shariatpanahi, S., & Emtiazy, M. (2012). The Study of Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Oil-Based Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) Extract Used Topically in Formalin-Induced Inflammation Male Rat Paw. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR, 11(4), 1169–1174.
  8. Shaki, Z., Ghaffari, F., Alijaniha, F., Kamalinejad, M., Kazemnejad, A., Daneshfard, B., Naseri, M., & Heidari, M. R. (2024). Effect of Dill (Anethum graveolens) Oil on Pruritus and Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Three-Arm Controlled Trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2024, 3077603. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/3077603
  9. Aslam Pathan Anethum graveolens seeds: Neurological assessment of anxiolytic like effect on albino mice by using locomotor activity NeuroPharmac Journal 2016 September; (09): 25-27