Dill [Anethum graveolens; Family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), Genus: Anethum]

Dill originates from Mediterranean and West Asia. It leaves are commonly used in salads and tea while its
seeds are used in tea, breads, soups, salads and preserves. The plant is a source of protein,
carbohydrate, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sodium and potassium. It also contains a small amount of
riboflavin, niacin and zinc. [2]

Dill has also been used in traditional herbal medicine for more than 2000 years. Without scientific
evidence, the plant was thought to offer benefits on cough, cold and flu. And, its seeds were believed to
benefit various digestive problems. The seed essential oil may relieve intestinal spasms and griping.

Dill benefits herb

Dill benefits- anti-microbial activities
Dill contains some chemicals which exhibit antimycobacterial activities, the chemicals include
oxypeucedanin, oxypeucedanin hydrate and falcarindiol. [3] Its essential oil shows activities against some
Gram-positive and negative bacteria as well as fungi.  [4,5]

Dill benefits -anti-oxidant activities.
The antioxidant activity of the aqueous extracts of dill is comparable with ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol
and quercetin in in-vitro systems. [6, 7]

Dill benefits - cholesterol lowering effects
Serum triacylglycerides and total cholesterol levels in rats, with hyperlipidaemia induced by diet, were
determined after oral adminstration of a water extract of Anethum graveolens leaves before and after the
extraction of the furocoumarin content of the leaves. Administration of the extracts consecutively for 14
days reduced the triacylglycerides and total cholesterol levels by almost 50 and 20%, respectively.
Chloroform extraction of furocoumarins from the aqueous extracts did not reduce the antihyperlipidaemic
potential of the extracts to a significant degree. Oral administration of the essential oil of A. graveolens
seeds, at two different doses, also reduced the triacylglyceride levels by almost 42%. The total
cholesterol level was not reduced by the same doses of the essential oil. [8]

Dill benefits - anti-cancer activities
Methanol extracts of dill shows anti-proliferative activities against tumor cell lines MK-1, HeLa and
B16F10. [9] The aqueous extracts of dill weed from Anethum graveolens L. and dill seeds exhibited a
mutagenicity to Salmonella typhimurium. The aqueous methanol extracts were fractionated by the
mutation assay. Isorhamnetin 3-sulfate (persicarin) and quercetin 3-sulfate were characterized as the
mutagenic principles. Carcinogenicity was not observed when the diets containing dill weed and seeds in
33% were administered to the inbred strain ACI rats. [11] Bioassay-directed fractionation of dill weed oil
and caraway oil, respectively, from the plants Anethum graveolens L. and Carum carvi L. (Umbelliferae)
has led to the isolation of three monoterpenes, anethofuran (1), carvone (2), and limonene (3). These
compounds induced the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase in several mouse target tissues.
The alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone system in carvone appeared to be critical for the high
enzyme-inducing activity. [10] It is worth to conduct clinical studies to find out if dill benefits patients
suffered from cancers.

Dill benefits - gastric protection
Iran researchers claimed that dill seed extracts have significant mucosal protective and antisecretory
effects of the gastric mucosa in mice. They first induced gastric mucosal lesions by oral administration of
hydrochloric acid and absolute ethanol. They found high dose of dill seed extract reduced the acidity and
total acid content. [12]

Dill benefits skin?  - Dill side effects
Dill has vitamin A, then, dill has been claimed by marketers to have benefits on mucus membranes and
skin. Another website says dill promotes healing of the skin and controls infection. Similarly, one website
says dill essential oil protects skin and wounds from infections and helps them heal quickly. In fact, there
is a report on dill side effect - and the side effect is dermatitis! Here is the explanation of its side effect -
Phytophotodermatitis is a phototoxic eruption following contact with photosensitizing compounds and
long-wave ultraviolet light. The most common phototoxic compounds are the furocoumarins contained in
a wide variety of plants. Dill is one of the commonly occurring photosensitizing plants. [1, 2]

Dill Essential Oil Benefits
Dill essential oil has been claimed to have many health benefits over the internet. In fact, there are not
many reports about dill essential oil benefits.

Dill Essential Oil Benefits - Anti-microbial effects
The essential oil produced from the seed of dill is found to be effective against vulvovaginal candidiasis in
immunosuppressed mice. [13]

Dill Essential Oil Benefits - on Cholesterol Profile
Dill essential oil was prepared by hydrodistillation and found to contain alpha-phellandrene (32%),
limonene (28%) and carvone (28%). Daily oral administration of dill essential oil to rats at doses of 45, 90
and 180 mg/kg for 2 weeks significantly and in a dose-dependent manner reduced total cholesterol,
triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) [14]

Dill Essential Oil Benefits - Anti-cancer effects
Genotoxic properties of the essential oils extracted from dill herb and seeds, peppermint and pine
needles were studied in human lymphocytes in vitro. In the test, the most active essential oil was from dill
seeds, then followed essential oils from dill herb, peppermint herb and pine needles, respectively. [15]

Dill Tea Benefits
To make dill tea, one infuses 2 teaspoons of mashed dill seeds in 1 cup of boiling water, and wait for 10
minutes. Dill tea benefits have also claimed over the internet. As same dill essential oil, there are limited
reports about the health benefits of dill tea.

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Reference
[1] Egan CL, e l, Phytophotodermatitis: a visit to Margaritaville. Cutis. 1993 Jan;51(1):41-2. [2] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants
of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4. [3] Stavri M, Gibbons S. The antimycobacterial constituents of dill
(Anethum graveolens).  Phytother Res. 2005 Nov;19(11):938-41. [4] Lopez P, et al, Solid- and vapor-phase antimicrobial activities of six
essential oils: susceptibility of selected foodborne bacterial and fungal strains. : J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Aug 24;53(17):6939-46. [5]
Jirovetz L, et al, Composition, quality control, and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of long-time stored dill (Anethum graveolens L.)
seeds from Bulgaria. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Jun 18;51(13):3854-7. [6] Satyanarayana S, The extracts of dill fruits show antioxidant
activities in an in-vitro study. J Herb Pharmacother. 2004;4(2):1-10. [7] Souri E, The antioxidant activity of some commonly used vegetables
in Iranian diet. Fitoterapia. 2004 Sep;75(6):585-8. [8] Yazdanparast R, Alavi M. Antihyperlipidaemic and antihypercholesterolaemic effects
of Anethum graveolens leaves after the removal of furocoumarins. Cytobios. 2001;105(410):185-91. [9] Nakano Y, et al, Antiproliferative
constituents in Umbelliferae plants II. Screening for polyacetylenes in some Umbelliferae plants, and isolation of panaxynol and falcarindiol
from the root of Heracleum moellendorffii. Biol Pharm Bull. 1998 Mar;21(3):257-61. [10] Zheng GQ, et al, Anethofuran, carvone, and
limonene: potential cancer chemopreventive agents from dill weed oil and caraway oil. Planta Med. 1992 Aug;58(4):338-41. [11] Fukuoka
M, et al, Characterization of mutagenic principles and carcinogenicity of dill weed and seeds. J Pharmacobiodyn. 1980 May;3(5):236-44.
[12] Hosseinzadeh H, et al, Effects of Anethum graveolens L. seed extracts on experimental gastric irritation models in mice. BMC
Pharmacol. 2002 Dec 19;2:21. [13] Zeng H, Tian J, Zheng Y, Ban X, Zeng J, Mao Y, Wang Y.  In Vitro and In Vivo Activities of Essential Oil
from the Seed of Anethum graveolens L. against Candida spp. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:659704. [14] Hajhashemi
V, Abbasi N. Hypolipidemic activity of Anethum graveolens in rats. Phytother Res. 2008 Mar;22(3):372-5. [15] Lazutka JR, Mierauskiene J,
Slapsyte G, Dedonyte V. Genotoxicity of dill (Anethum graveolens L.), peppermint (Menthaxpiperita L.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) essential
oils in human lymphocytes and Drosophila melanogaster. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 May;39(5):485-92.
Dill benefits health, dill side effects
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