Flatulence Tea Recipe

Ginger, peppermint, dill, and fennel have been used for centuries to help with digestive upset such as flatulence, bloating, and cramps; scientific studies help to back up this herbal remedy.  Drink some flatulence tea to help reduce embarrassing gas made with herbs that can calm digestion.

Flatulence Tea Ingredients

• 1 tsp of minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp of dried fennel or dill seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp of fresh peppermint leaves
• About 2 cups of hot water

Flatulence Tea Instructions

Steep the herbs in hot water for about 10 minutes.  Strain and drink.  Avoid fennel and dill during pregnancy; may induce menses.

Flatulence Tea Research

Ginger

• Percutaneous application on neck of Zingiber officinale (ginger), Elletaria cardamomum (cardamom) and Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon) essential oils in equal parts reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting 50-75%.  From:  De Pradier, E. (2006). A trial of a mixture of three essential oils in the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(1), 15-20.
• Ginger aromatherapy was effective in treating postoperative nausea.  From:  Hunt, R., Dienemann, J., Norton, H. J., Hartley, W., Hudgens, A., Stern, T., & Divine, G. (2013). Aromatherapy as treatment for postoperative nausea: a randomized trial. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 117(3), 597-604.
• Ginger aromatherapy lowered the incidence of nausea and vomiting in the post-anaesthesia recovery. From:  Geiger, J. L. (2005). The essential oil of ginger, Zingiber officinale, and anaesthesia. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 15(1), 7-14.
• Ginger, peppermint, aniseed and fennel, citrus fruits, dandelion and artichoke, melissa and chamomile have digestive enhancing activities.  From:  Valussi, M. (2012). Functional foods with digestion-enhancing properties. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 63(sup1), 82-89.
• The following methanol extracts showed activity against Helicobacter pylori which causes gastrointestinal disorders:  Myristica fragrans (nutmeg seed), Zingiber officinale (ginger root), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary leaf), Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel seed), Passiflora incarnata (passionflower), Origanum majorana (oregano), and others.  From:  Mahady, G. B., Pendland, S. L., Stoia, A., Hamill, F. A., Fabricant, D., Dietz, B. M., & Chadwick, L. R. (2005). In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to botanical extracts used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Phytotherapy research, 19(11), 988-991.
• The antioxidant activity of gallic acid and the inhibitory activity of cinnamic acid against Helicobacter pylori found in ginger rhizomes contributed to its gastroprotective ability.  From:  Nanjundaiah, S. M., Annaiah, H. N. M., & Dharmesh, S. M. (2011). Gastroprotective effect of ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale) extract: role of gallic acid and cinnamic acid in H. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011.
• Ginger had a gastroprotective and anti-ulcerogenic effect in rats.  From:  Al-Yahya, M. A., Rafatullah, S., Mossa, J. S., Ageel, A. M., Parmar, N. S., & Tariq, M. (1989). Gastroprotective activity of ginger zingiber officinale rosc., in albino rats. The American journal of Chinese medicine, 17(01n02), 51-56.
• Ginger had a protective effect in rats induced with gastric ulcers, likely related to gingerol and shogaol constituents.  From:  Wang, Z., Hasegawa, J., Wang, X., Matsuda, A., Tokuda, T., Miura, N., & Watanabe, T. (2011). Protective effects of ginger against aspirin-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Yonago acta medica, 54(1), 11.

Fennel or Dill

• In a study of 25 patients who were also using other medicines, a synergistic blend of Pimpinella anisum (anise), Foeniculum vulgare (sweet fennel), Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile) and Mentha piperita (peppermint) resulted in  nausea relief.  From:  Gilligan, N. P. (2005). The palliation of nausea in hospice and palliative care patients with essential oils of Pimpinella anisum (aniseed), Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce (sweet fennel), Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile) and Mentha x piperita (peppermint). International Journal of Aromatherapy, 15(4), 163-167.
• A blend of  Pimpinella anisum (anise), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) , Sambucus nigra (elderberry), and Cassia angustifolia has laxative efficacy and is a safe alternative option for the treatment of constipation.  From:  Picon, P. D., Picon, R. V., Costa, A. F., Sander, G. B., Amaral, K. M., Aboy, A. L., & Henriques, A. T. (2010). Randomized clinical trial of a phytotherapic compound containing Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, and Cassia augustifolia for chronic constipation. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 10(1), 1.
• Ginger, peppermint, aniseed and fennel, citrus fruits, dandelion and artichoke, melissa and chamomile have digestive enhancing activities.  From:  Valussi, M. (2012). Functional foods with digestion-enhancing properties. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 63(sup1), 82-89.
• In a study of 118 women who had received a cesarean section, an oral treatment containing dill essential oil taken every 20 minutes reduced flatulance and digestive tract pain over the placebo.  From:  Fazel, N., Pejhan, A., Taghizadeh, M., Tabarraei, Y., & Sharifi, N. (2017). Effects of Anethum graveolens L.(Dill) essential oil on the intensity of retained intestinal gas, flatulence and pain after cesarean section: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 8, 8-13.
• The following methanol extracts showed activity against Helicobacter pylori which causes gastrointestinal disorders:  Myristica fragrans (nutmeg seed), Zingiber officinale (ginger root), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary leaf), Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel seed), Passiflora incarnata (passionflower), Origanum majorana (oregano), and others.  From:  Mahady, G. B., Pendland, S. L., Stoia, A., Hamill, F. A., Fabricant, D., Dietz, B. M., & Chadwick, L. R. (2005). In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to botanical extracts used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Phytotherapy research, 19(11), 988-991.

Peppermint

• In a study of 25 patients who were also using other medicines, a synergistic blend of Pimpinella anisum (anise), Foeniculum vulgare (sweet fennel), Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile) and Mentha piperita (peppermint) resulted in  nausea relief.  From:  Gilligan, N. P. (2005). The palliation of nausea in hospice and palliative care patients with essential oils of Pimpinella anisum (aniseed), Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce (sweet fennel), Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomile) and Mentha x piperita (peppermint). International Journal of Aromatherapy, 15(4), 163-167.
• Peppermint oil and menthol exert an antiemetic effect in vitro.  From:  Heimes, K., Hauk, F., & Verspohl, E. J. (2011). Mode of action of peppermint oil and (‐)‐menthol with respect to 5‐HT3 receptor subtypes: binding studies, cation uptake by receptor channels and contraction of isolated rat ileum. Phytotherapy Research, 25(5), 702-708.
• Peppermint essential oil inhalation may be useful in treating postoperative nausea.  From:  Lane, B., Cannella, K., Bowen, C., Copelan, D., Nteff, G., Barnes, K., … & Lawson, J. (2012). Examination of the effectiveness of peppermint aromatherapy on nausea in women post C-section. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 30(2), 90-104.
• Peppermint essential oil reduced postoperative nausea.  From:  Tate, S. (1997). Peppermint oil: a treatment for postoperative nausea. Journal of advanced nursing, 26(3), 543-549.
• Peppermint and spearmint reduced chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.  From:  Tayarani-Najaran, Z., Talasaz-Firoozi, E., Nasiri, R., Jalali, N., & Hassanzadeh, M. K. (2013). Antiemetic activity of volatile oil from Mentha spicata and Mentha× piperita in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. ecancermedicalscience, 7, 290.
• Seventeen randomized clinical trials for the herbal treatment of non-ulcer dyspepsia were reviews.  Nine studies involved peppermint and caraway and showed promising results.  More research is necessary.  From:  Thompson Coon, J., & Ernst, E. (2002). Herbal medicinal products for non‐ulcer dyspepsia. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 16(10), 1689-1699.
• Helicobacter pylori causes gastritis and peptic ulcer disease.  Botanical extracts that were most effective against H. pylori included:  Carum carvi, Elettaria cardamomum, Gentiana lutea, Juniper communis, Lavandula angustifolia, Melissa officinalis, Mentha piperita, Pimpinella anisum, Matricaria recutita, and Ginkgo biloba.  From:  Mahady, G. B., Pendland, S. L., Stoia, A., Hamill, F. A., Fabricant, D., Dietz, B. M., & Chadwick, L. R. (2005). In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to botanical extracts used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Phytotherapy research, 19(11), 988-991.
• Enteric coated peppermint capsules reduced irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in humans.  From:  Merat, S., Khalili, S., Mostajabi, P., Ghorbani, A., Ansari, R., & Malekzadeh, R. (2010). The effect of enteric-coated, delayed-release peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome. Digestive diseases and sciences, 55(5), 1385-1390.
• Peppermint essential oil was effective in reducing abdominal pain in diarrhea predominant IBS transiently.  From:  Alam, M. S., Roy, P. K., Miah, A. R., Mollick, S. H., Khan, M. R., Mahmud, M. C., & Khatun, S. (2013). Efficacy of Peppermint oil in diarrhea predominant IBS-a double blind randomized placebo-controlled study. Mymensingh medical journal: MMJ, 22(1), 27-30.
• Peppermint capsules reduced symptoms of irritable bowels.  From:  Cappello, G., Spezzaferro, M., Grossi, L., Manzoli, L., & Marzio, L. (2007). Peppermint oil (Mintoil®) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Digestive and liver disease, 39(6), 530-536.
• Peppermint was studied to treat irritable bowel syndrome.  From:  Carling, L. A. S. S. E., Svedberg, L. E., & Hulten, S. (1989). Short-term treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome: a placebo-controlled trial of peppermint oil against hyoscyaminme. Opusc Med, 34, 55-57.
• Artemisia ludoviciana, Cuphea aequipetala, Ludwigia repens, Mentha piperita, Persea americana, Annona cherimola, Guaiacum coulteri, and Moussonia deppeana showed the highest inhibitory effect against helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that causes gastrointestinal disorders.  From:  Castillo-Juárez, I., González, V., Jaime-Aguilar, H., Martínez, G., Linares, E., Bye, R., & Romero, I. (2009). Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of plants used in Mexican traditional medicine for gastrointestinal disorders. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 122(2), 402-405.
• In a review of multiple studies, peppermint was more effective than placebo in treating irritable bowel syndrome. From:  Ford, A. C., Talley, N. J., Spiegel, B. M., Foxx-Orenstein, A. E., Schiller, L., Quigley, E. M., & Moayyedi, P. (2008). Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bmj, 337, a2313.
• Ginger, peppermint, aniseed and fennel, citrus fruits, dandelion and artichoke, melissa and chamomile have digestive enhancing activities.  From:  Valussi, M. (2012). Functional foods with digestion-enhancing properties. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 63(sup1), 82-89.
• Peppermint and caraway oil relaxed the gall-bladder and slowed small intestinal transit.  From:  Goerg, K. J., & Spilker, T. H. (2003). Effect of peppermint oil and caraway oil on gastrointestinal motility in healthy volunteers: a pharmacodynamic study using simultaneous determination of gastric and gall‐bladder emptying and orocaecal transit time. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 17(3), 445-451.
• In nine studies, peppermint oil improved gastrointestinal health.  From:  Grigoleit, H. G., & Grigoleit, P. (2005). Gastrointestinal clinical pharmacology of peppermint oil. Phytomedicine, 12(8), 607-611.
• Peppermint oil enhanced gastric emptying. ​From: Inamori, M., Akiyama, T., Akimoto, K., Fujita, K., Takahashi, H., Yoneda, M., … & Nakajima, A. (2007). Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying: a crossover study using a continuous real-time 13C breath test (BreathID system). Journal of gastroenterology, 42(7), 539-542.
• Patients treated orally with a peppermint / caraway oil showed good tolerability and reduced symptoms associated with functional dyspepsia.  From:  May, B., Köhler, S., & Schneider, B. (2000). Efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of peppermint oil and caraway oil in patients suffering from functional dyspepsia. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 14(12), 1671-1677.
• In this mega analysis on herbal remedies for IBS, peppermint was identified as effective from multiple studies.  From:  Rahimi, R., & Abdollahi, M. (2012). Herbal medicines for the management of irritable bowel syndrome: a comprehensive review. World J Gastroenterol, 18(7), 589-600.
• Peppermint essential oil capsules reduced colonic spasms during a colonscopy.  From:  Shavakhi, A., Ardestani, S. K., Taki, M., Goli, M., & Keshteli, A. H. (2012). Premedication with peppermint oil capsules in colonoscopy: a double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial study. Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica, 75(3), 349-353.
• Peppermint increased bile flow in rats.  From:  Trabace, L., Avato, P., Mazzoccoli, M., & Siro‐Brigiani, G. (1994). Cholertic activity of Thapsia chem I, II, and III in rats: Comparison with terpenoid constituents and peppermint oil. Phytotherapy Research, 8(5), 305-307.
• An essential oil blend including rosemary, lemon, and peppermint rubbed on the abdomine reduced constipation in the elderly.  From:  Kim, M. A., Sakong, J. K., Kim, E. J., & Kim, E. H. (2005). Effect of aromatherapy massage for the relief of constipation in the elderly. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi, 35(1), 56-64.
• Reasons for peppermint oils spasmolytic effect on the gastrointestinal tract are discussed. From:  Grigoleit, H. G., & Grigoleit, P. (2005). Pharmacology and preclinical pharmacokinetics of peppermint oil. Phytomedicine, 12(8), 612-616.
• In a meta-review of 12 randomized controlled trials and 591 patients,  peppermint essential oil showed spasmolytic activity related to IBS.  From:  Ford, A. C., Talley, N. J., Spiegel, B. M., Foxx-Orenstein, A. E., Schiller, L., Quigley, E. M., & Moayyedi, P. (2008). Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bmj, 337, a2313.
• A barium solution mixed with peppermint essential oil was safe and effective for eliminating colonic spasm during an enema procedure.  From:  Asao, T., Kuwano, H., Ide, M., Hirayama, I., Nakamura, J. I., Fujita, K. I., & Horiuti, R. (2003). Spasmolytic effect of peppermint oil in barium during double-contrast barium enema compared with Buscopan. Clinical radiology, 58(4), 301-305.
• Peppermint essential oil inhibiting the gastric peristalsis in Japanese individuals undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.  From:  Hiki, N. (2010). [Peppermint oil reduces gastric motility during the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy]. Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine, 68(11), 2126-2134.
• Peppermint essential oil relaxed digestive smooth muscle. ​From: Hills, J. M., & Aaronson, P. I. (1991). The mechanism of action of peppermint oil on gastrointestinal smooth muscle: an analysis using patch clamp electrophysiology and isolated tissue pharmacology in rabbit and guinea pig. Gastroenterology, 101(1), 55-65.
• Peppermint essential oil was useful as an antispasmodic during esophagogastroduodenoscops.  From:  Imagawa, A., Hata, H., Nakatsu, M., Yoshida, Y., Takeuchi, K., Inokuchi, T., … & Miyatake, H. (2012). Peppermint oil solution is useful as an antispasmodic drug for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, especially for elderly patients. Digestive diseases and sciences, 57(9), 2379-2384.
• Oral intake of peppermint essential oil was antispasmodic on the digestive tract.  From:  Mizuno, S., Kato, K., Ono, Y., Yano, K., Kurosaka, H., Takahashi, A., … & Hiki, N. (2006). Oral peppermint oil is a useful antispasmodic for double‐contrast barium meal examination. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 21(8), 1297-1301.
• Peppermint was spasmolytic during endoscopic cholangiopancreatography.  From:  Solà-Bonada, N., de Andrés-Lázaro, A. M., Roca-Massa, M., Bordas-Alsina, J. M., Codina-Jané, C., & Ribas-Sala, J. (2011). [1.6% peppermint oil solution as intestinal spasmolytic in retrograde endoscopic cholangiopancreatography]. Farmacia hospitalaria: organo oficial de expresion cientifica de la Sociedad Espanola de Farmacia Hospitalaria, 36(4), 256-260.
• Spasmolytic activity of peppermint, sage, and rosemary were assessed.  From:  Taddei, I., Giachetti, D., Taddei, E., Mantovani, P., & Bianchi, E. (1988). Spasmolytic activity of peppermint, sage and rosemary essences and their major constituents. Fitoterapia, 59, 463-468.

By: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, RA, LMT

4/11/18

4/11/18

This categorized compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use. These statements are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases. The information at this page has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult a Doctor before using herbs and essential oils if you have medical conditions, are taking medications, or have questions.