Botanical name

Fumaria officinalis L.

Family

Papaveraceae

Common name

Common fumitory, Earth smoke, Drug fumitory, Fumaria

Information about the plant

The common fumitory is native to the Mediterranean region, now widespread in large parts of Europe, western and temperate Asia, as well as in North Africa. It has also spread to North and South America. It grows in ruderal habitats such as roadsides, rubble heaps, wastelands, as well as fields, forest edges, and undergrowth.

The genus name Fumaria is based on the lat. ‘fumus’ (= smoke), which can be interpreted in two ways. The leaves are slightly frosted and thus appear smoky. The interpretation of the flower color is more convincing: its purple-red petals are deep dark red to almost black at the tip and, therefore, appear as if smoked or charred by fire. The species epithet officinalis suggests that it is an old medicinal plant, as the ‘officina’ refers to the salesroom of a pharmacy, and ‘officinalis’ means commonly used in the pharmacy.

The herbaceous plant is an annual and grows to a height of 10 to 20 cm. The soft leaves are double-pinnate, blue-green, and frosted, with the pinnae themselves deeply divided. The flowers are borne in clusters of 10 to 30 in terminal racemes on a branchy stem that is also frosted. The purple to pink petals are deep dark red to black at the tips, the outer ones are rounded at the front with a green keel, while the inner ones are fused at the tip. The fruits, which usually appear during the flowering period, are spherical. It flowers from the end of April to the end of October.

Medicinally used parts of plants (herbal drug)

The above-ground parts harvested at flowering time are used, consisting of leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits (Fumariae herba).

The commercially available drug comes from Eastern European countries.

Constituents of the herbal drug

Fumitory contains alkaloids (benzylisoquinolines), flavonoids, plant acids, and mucilage.

Quality of the drug

The quality of fumitory herb (Fumariae herba) is specified in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

Medical applications

Recognised medical use

The HMPC has classified fumitory as a traditional herbal medicinal product (see ‘Traditional use’).

ESCOP: For digestive complaints (e.g. stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, bloating, flatulence) associated with hepatobiliary disorders.

Traditional use

Fumitory has been classified by the HMPC as a traditional herbal medicinal product (Article 16a of Directive 2001/83/EC). Based upon long-standing use, fumitory can be used to relieve digestive complaints such as bloating, slowed digestion, and flatulence, as well as to treat dyspeptic symptoms to facilitate difficult digestion; spastic discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract (gall bladder).

Herbal drug preparations in finished dosage forms

• Cut fumitory herb for tea preparation
• Dry extracts of fumitory in dragées and tablets

Dosage

Finished medicinal product: see patient information leaflet.

Tea: Drink a cup of fumitory tea several times a day, before or with meals. Daily dose: 6 g drug.

Preparation of a tea

Pour 150 mL of boiling water over 2 to 3 g of fumitory and strain after 10 minutes.

Notes

In case of bile obstruction or bile inflammation, gallstones, and other bile disorders, as well as liver disease, fumitory should not be taken.

No safety studies are available on the use of fumitory during pregnancy and lactation. Its use in children and adolescents under the age of 18 is not recommended due to a lack of evidence.

Side effects

None known.

Interactions

None known.

References

Herbal drug monographs

HMPC (2011, 2024), ESCOP (2019)

Further literature

Commentary on the European Pharmacopoeia (Fumitory, No. 1869)