Dill and its Health Effects

Dill or Anethum graveolens aka: Peucedanum graveolens, Anethum/Peucedanum sowa, Shubit, Inondo, Kopar, Sjamar, Bazrul shibbat, Soyah, has enjoyed one of the oldest plant relationships with man. The Genus word Anethum finds its roots in the Latin word Anethon, and Dill specifically was referred to by Pliny the Elder or Gaius Plinius Secundus, in his encyclopaedia Naturalis Historia in 77CE, as The Anethon of Dioscorides. The common name Dill sees its roots in the Norse word Dilla meaning to calm or soothe, which refers to its carminative effects on the stomach.

Although Dill is indigenous to Central Asia, the first evidence of its cultivation comes from an archaeological site in Switzerland dated around 8500 BCE in the Neolithic Era. This was around the time it has been evidenced, cultivation started to become an alternative human lifestyle as opposed to hunter gathering in Europe. So this time honoured herb has been utilised by humanity for at least 11200 years. In terms of modern civilisation Dill kicks into mainstream use like Basil from the Ancient Egyptians through to Europe by way of the Ancient Greeks and then Romans. Thereby gaining an immortal position in the list of edible herbs humanity consumes on a daily basis.

Dill is both an herb and spice, in that the fresh leaves (often called Dill Weed to avoid confusion) and the dry seeds are both used. Dill is also like Chives enjoying a return to the farmlands as living anti-pest/fungal/bacterial companion to crops, around them and inter-planted and has a whopping 71 compounds that are known pesticides. Both are employed gastronomically in a wide range of uses from Sauces, Stews, and Soups to Pickling, Vinegar, and Garnish. Dill impregnates many cultures from its Neolithic roots, but there are a few anecdotal ethnobotanical similarities that span most of them. But first let’s look at Dill pharmacologically and see what’s known so far.

Dill has over 410 compounds present in various strengths and parts of the plant. These 410 compounds have a remarkable 749 activities or effects upon the human body when ingested in any form. Medically today, it is sometimes used and studied as an essential oil presented by extraction from the seeds mainly, but the whole plant can be used fresh or somewhat dry in the process. Though it is to be noted oil of Dill is highly potent, like all essential oils, they are really very strong. Again I am listing the five effects with the highest number of compounds attached, though I am beginning to think (and you may have noticed it too), as the same effects seem to cross the spectrum in top five of these last three herbs, that perhaps this is more an indication of multi purpose compounds combined with directed research than anything else. Although this can make the effect explanations repetitive, I will look into these interesting cross spectrum patterns and tell you what I find after the last herb reviewed.

Surprise! Cancer Preventatives are first with 47 compounds known to have an initial cancer preventative effect. (5-METHOXY-PSORALEN, AESCULETIN, ALPHA-LINOLENIC-ACID, ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, ANETHOLE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BERGAPTEN, BETA-MYRCENE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPHOR, CARVONE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, ESCULETIN, EUGENOL, FERULIC-ACID, FIBER, GERANIOL, HYPEROSIDE, IMPERATORIN, ISOEUGENOL, ISOQUERCITRIN, ISORHAMNETIN, KAEMPFEROL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LINOLEIC-ACID, METHIONINE, MYRISTIC-ACID, MYRISTICIN, NIACIN, OLEIC-ACID,P-COUMARIC-ACID, PIPERINE, QUERCETIN, QUERCITRIN, RIBOFLAVIN, ROSMARINIC-ACID, RUTIN, SAFROLE, SCOPOLETIN, SELENIUM, STIGMASTEROL, UMBELLIFERONE, XANTHOTOXIN)

Second up, there are 43 Anti-bacterial compounds present in Dill or those compounds known to have a specific anti-bacterial action. (AESCULETIN, ALPHA-PHELLANDRENE, ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TERPINEOL, ANETHOLE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CARVACROL, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, CIS-OCIMENE, DELTA-3-CARENE, DELTA-CADINENE, DILLAPIOL, DIPENTENE, ESCULETIN, EUGENOL, FERULIC-ACID, FLAVONE, ERANIOL, HYPEROSIDE, ISOQUERCITRIN, ISORHAMNETIN, KAEMPFEROL, LAURIC-ACID, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, MYRCENE, P-COUMARIC-ACID, P-CYMENE, PIPERINE, QUERCETIN, QUERCITRIN, ROSMARINIC-ACID, RUTIN, SABINENE, SAFROLE, SCOPOLETIN, TERPINEN-4-OL, THYMOL, UMBELLIFERONE, XANTHOTOXIN)

An Anti-Inflammatory effect ties second with 43 compounds that are known to reduce inflammation, which is the intricate reaction of blood vessel tissue to various stimuli resulting in inflammation of that tissue. (AESCULETIN, ALPHA-LINOLENIC-ACID, ALPHA-PINENE, ANETHOLE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BERGAPTEN, BETA-PINENE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CARVACROL, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, COPPER, DELTA-3-CARENE, ESCULETIN, EUGENOL, FERULIC-ACID, HYPEROSIDE, IMPERATORIN, ISOEUGENOL, ISOQUERCITRIN, ISORHAMNETIN, KAEMPFEROL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LINOLEIC-ACID, LUTEOLIN-7-GLUCOSIDE, MAGNESIUM, MYRISTICIN, OLEIC-ACID, PIPERINE, QUERCETIN, QUERCETIN-3-O-BETA-D-GLUCURONIDE, QUERCETIN-3-RHAMNOGLUCOSIDE, QUERCITRIN, ROSMARINIC-ACID, RUTIN, SALICYLATES, SCOPOLETIN, STIGMASTEROL, THYMOL, UMBELLIFERONE, XANTHOTOXIN)

Anti-oxidants are in at third with 40 compounds present that are proven anti-oxidants and thereby help the body by donating their electrons (which they can regain elsewhere without harm) to stabilise free radicals who are missing theirs and therefore dangerous. (ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, ANETHOLE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPESTEROL, CAMPHENE, CARVACROL, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, EUGENOL, FERULIC-ACID, GAMMA-TERPINENE, HISTIDINE, HYPEROSIDE, ISOEUGENOL, ISOQUERCITRIN, ISORHAMNETIN, KAEMPFEROL, LAURIC-ACID, LINALYL-ACETATE, METHIONINE, MYRCENE, MYRISTIC-ACID, MYRISTICIN, P-COUMARIC-ACID, PALMITIC-ACID, PIPERINE, QUERCETIN, QUERCITRIN, ROSMARINIC-ACID, RUTIN, SCOPOLETIN, SELENIUM, STIGMASTEROL, TERPINEN-4-OL, TERPINOLENE, THYMOL, TRANS-ANETHOLE, VICENIN)

Anti-Spasmodics are fourth with 35 supporting compounds. They suppress smooth muscle contractions mostly within tubular organs such as the stomach intestine and bladder. This is effect is useful for gastric complaints such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TERPINENE, ANETHOLE, APIGENIN, APIOLE, BERGAPTEN, BETA-PINENE, BUTYL-PHTHALIDE, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPHOR, CARVACROL, EUGENOL, FERULIC-ACID, GERANIOL, ISORHAMNETIN, KAEMPFEROL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LINALYL-ACETATE, MYRCENE, MYRISTICIN, NIACIN, P-COUMARIC-ACID, PIPERINE, POTASSIUM, QUERCETIN, QUERCETIN-3-RHAMNOGLUCOSIDE, QUERCITRIN, RUTIN, SCOPOLETIN, TERPINEN-4-OL, THYMOL, UMBELLIFERONE, XANTHOTOXIN, Z-LIGUSTILIDE)

“Therewith her Vervain and her Dill, That hindereth Witches of their Will.” -Michael Drayton from his poem Nymphidia in 1627 CE

Dill has enjoyed a rich ancient folklore for it properties as an aid in the garden and medically, though always touched with a hint myth, magic and folklore. The fresh leaf has long ruled as a proven carminative and overall digestive aid for adults and for baby gripes colic and flatulence in young children. Here are some of the other recorded traditional medical uses for Dill and represent many different preparations of the parts and whole of the plant fresh and dried. I will also add the number of compounds that relates to that traditional medical use when so supported, but again this is not proof of its true efficacy due to concentrations but just perhaps a small indication of veracity:

Stomach Ache

Surface skin bruising

Carminative (prevents or eases the formation of gases in the alimentary canal) 8

Cough (aids with bronchial dilation to ease a cough) 1

Digestive (aids with the overall digestive process) 1

Diuretic (increases flow of water from the renal system) 17

Dropsy (the increase in interstitial fluid in organs between cells) 1

Lactogogue (promotes increased milk flow) 1

Laxative (eases bowel movements) 5

Scurvy (deficiency of vitamin C) Ascorbic Acid clocks in at 1214-1440 ppm

Sedative (depression of the central nervous system) 7

Stimulant (excitement of the central nervous system) 9

Stomachic (A toning affect on the stomach as a whole, no medical definition exists for this general type of tonic effect)

Tumour (abnormal growth or mass of tissue) 21

Abdomen Tumour (abnormal growth or mass of tissue in the abdomen) 5

So it would seem that apart from a very general stomach ache (which could be aided by any one of the carminative and digestive effects) and bruising, the rest are supported by at least one pharmacological compound that could give credence to their traditional medicine uses. Good news for those who consume Dill daily the world round in all its various forms and preparations. Even if it is for the most part culinary, we all do experience some or all of those 749 effects to varying degrees.

Herbs for thought… C=;}

In this series: Basil Chives Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Thyme Conclusion