Officinal fumaria

The fumitory is a mostly annual, rarely perennial herbaceous plant with reddish to purple flowers that grows upright or lying down and reaches a height of 10 to 20 cm. It flowers from the end of April to the end of October. In naturopathy, it belongs to the group of phytopharmaceuticals and is mainly used for cramp-like complaints in the area of the gallbladder and bile ducts.

The above-ground parts harvested at flowering time, i.e. leaves, stems, flowers and fruits, are used phytotherapeutically.
The commercial drug comes from Eastern European countries.

Quality is defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: traditional use: to increase the flow of bile, alleviate digestive complaints (such as bloating, flatulence and slow digestion). Not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

ESCOP mon ograph: digestive complaints (e.g. stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, flatulence), liver-bile disorders.
Commission E-monograph: cramp-like complaints in the area of the gallbladder and bile ducts and the gastrointestinal tract.

Systemically, extracts of fumitory have spasmolytic, cholecytic, antiphlogistic effects. When applied locally, extracts of fumitory have anti-inflammatory effects.

The fumitory contains protopine (fumarin) and other isoquinoline alkaloids; also bitter substances, flavonoids, caffeic acid derivatives, fumaric acid.

The indication is cholepathies - chronic spasmodic complaints of the gallbladder and bile ducts (K82.9). The dermatological indication is acute eczema (L30.9).

Hypersensitivity to the active substance, obstruction of the bile ducts, cholangitis, gallstones and other bile ducts and hepatitis.

Pregnancy, lactation;

Children and adolescents < 18 years (HMPC)

The most common way to use fumitory for natural healing is tea, preferably in the form of a mixed tea.
Recipe: For the fumitory tea, pour a cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of fumitory. The tea should steep for 10 minutes. Then strain and drink in small sips. Drink 1-3 cups of this tea per day.

The tea can also be used for envelopes.

Finished product: Bilobene® 3 x 2 film-coated tablets before meals

1. Jowkar F et al.(2011) The effects of fumaria parviflora L extract on chronic hand eczema: a randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. Iran Red Crescent Med J 13:824-828.
2. Loew D (2012) in Beer A M et al [eds] Leitfaden Naturheilverfahren für die ärztliche Praxis, Urban und Fischer Verlag p 178.
3. Najeeb-ur-Rehman et al. (2012) Species and tissue-specificity of prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic effects of Fumaria parviflora. BMC Complement Altern Med 12:16.
4. Najeeb-ur-Rehman et al. (2012) Mechanisms underlying the antidiarrheal, antispasmodic and bronchodilator activities of Fumaria parviflora and involvement of tissue and species specificity. J Ethnopharmacol 144:128-137.
5. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/erdrauch.php
6. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-fumaria-officinalis-l-herba_en.pdf
7. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 102-103