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 activitiesDill 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 effectsSerum 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 activitiesMethanol 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 protectionIran 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 effectsDill 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 BenefitsDill 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 effectsThe 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 ProfileDill 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 effectsGenotoxic 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 BenefitsTo 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.
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 activitiesDill 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 effectsSerum 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 activitiesMethanol 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 protectionIran 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 effectsDill 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 BenefitsDill 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 effectsThe 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 ProfileDill 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 effectsGenotoxic 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 BenefitsTo 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.
