J Menopausal Med.  2018 Apr;24(1):67-74. 10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.67.

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

• Khadivzadeh T
• Najafi MN
• Kargarfard L
• Ghazanfarpour M
• Dizavandi
• Khorsand I

• KMID: 2429223
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.67

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of the present study is the systematic and critical investigation of the effectiveness of fennel on the climacteric symptoms among menopausal females.
METHODS
A search of the trials studying the effect of fennel on menopausal females was conducted in 2017 using the MEDLINE and Scopus databases and the Cochrane Library with the following keywords: fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, and menopause.
RESULTS
Fennel combined with officinalis is more effective in the attenuating of sleep disorders compared to Citalopram. The comparison of these two groups regarding the mean bone mineral density and bone mineral content (P = 0.14, P = 0.504); the total hip femoral (P = 0.42, P = 0.66); the trochanter (P = 0.075, P = 0.07); the intertrochanter (P = 0.84, P = 0.93); and the femoral neck (P = 0.43, P = 0.64) did not show any significant statistical differences; however, a statistically significant difference regarding the vasomotor symptoms (P < 0.01) was found. The other significant differences are related to the values of the total cholesterol (P = 0.103); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C (P = 0.104); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL-C (P = 0.266); triglyceride (P = 0.679); body weight (P = 0.212); body mass index (P = 0.041); waist and hip circumferences (P = 0.365); and fat distribution (P = 0.337) between the two groups. The standardized mean difference (SMD) values of sexual activity (SMD = 0.638; P < 0.001), and maturation value (SMD = 0.601; P = 0.003) are highly significant among the fennel-treated women compared with the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS
According to the findings of the present study, fennel is important in the relieving of vasomotor symptoms, vaginal itching, dryness, dyspareunia, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and sleep distribution.

Keyword

Foeniculum; Health status; Menopause; Meta-analysis

MeSH Terms

Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Bone Density
Cholesterol
Citalopram
Climacteric
Dyspareunia
Female
Femur
Femur Neck
Foeniculum*
Hip
Humans
Lipoproteins
Menopause
Orgasm
Pruritus
Sexual Behavior
Sleep Wake Disorders
Triglycerides
Cholesterol
Citalopram
Lipoproteins

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Study search strategy.

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  Fig. 2 Effects of fennel on vaginal atrophy. ■: point estimate, ♦: combined overall effect of the intervention. CI: confidence interval.

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  Fig. 3 Effects of fennel on sexual activity. ■: point estimate, ♦: combined overall effect of the intervention. CI: confidence interval.

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  Fig. 4 Effects of fennel on psychological symptoms. ■: point estimate, ♦: combined overall effect of the intervention. CI: confidence interval.

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