Infantile colic

Since animal studies had demonstrated that the essential oil of F. vulgare reduced intestinal spasm and increased the motility of the small intestine, it was used in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in the treatment of infantile colic. The 125 infants were all 2-12 weeks of age and those in the treatment group received a water emulsion of 0.1% fennel essential oil and 0.4% poly-sorbate (5-20 mL) up to four times a day. The dose was estimated to provide about 12 mg/kg/day of fennel essential oil. The control group received the polysorbate only. The treatment provided a signi cant improvement of colic, eliminating symptoms in 65% of infants as compared to 23.7% for the control. No side effects were noted (Alexandrovich et al., 2003). 

Alexandrovich, I., Rakovitskaya, 0., Kolmo, E., Sidorova, T., Shushunov, S. 2003. The effect of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic A randomised, placebo-controlled study. Altern. Ther. Health Med. 9 58-61. 

Lothe L, Ivarsson SA, Ekman R, Lindberg T. 1990. Motilin and infantile colic. A prospective study. Acta Paediatr Scand 7 410 16. 

Szajewska H, Gju czuk E, Horvath A. Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for the management of infantile colic in breastfed infants a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Pediatr. 2013 162 257-262. 

Savino F, Pelle E, Palumeri E, Oggero R, Miniero R. Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic a prospective randomized study. Pediatrics. 2007 119 el24—el30. 

Critch J. Infantile colic is there a role for dietary interventions Paediatr Child Health. 2011 16 47-49. 

A.E.M. Kheir, Retracted Infantile colic, facts and fiction, Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 38 (34), 1-4, 2012. 

S.K. Gupta, Update on infantile colic and management options, Curr. Opin. Investig. Drugs, 8 (11), 921-926, 2007. 

Cinnamon is believed to have antispasmodic, carminative, orexigenic, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, refrigerant, and anthelmintic properties. It is used for anorexia, intestinal colic, infantile diarrhea, common cold, influenza, and specifically for flatulent colic and dyspepsia with nausea. Cinnamon bark is also an astringent, and cinnamon oil is reported to possess carminative and antiseptic properties. 

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