Therapeutic and Pharmacological Potential of Foeniculum Vulgare Mill
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J HerbMed Pharmacol. 2015; 4(1): 1-9. Journal of HerbMed Pharmacology Journal homepage: http://www.herbmedpharmacol.com Therapeutic and pharmacological potential of Foeniculum vulgare Mill: a review Wesam Kooti1, Maryam Moradi1, Sara Ali-Akbari1, Naim Sharafi-Ahvazi1, Majid Asadi-Samani2*, Damoon Ashtary-Larky3 1Member of Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran 2Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran 3Member of Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article Type: Introduction: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) is one of the oldest spice plants which, due to its Review economic importance and significant pharmaceutical industry applications, is considered as one of the world’s most important medicinal plants. The purpose of this study is to investigate and Article History: collect scientific reports such as morphological characteristics, phytochemical compounds and Received: 12 November 2014 evaluation of the therapeutic properties of this valuable medicinal plant that have been published. Accepted: 3 December 2014 Methods: In order to gather the information the keywords Fennel and Foeniculum vulgare mill, therapeutic, and pharmacology have been searched until January 1, 2015 from journals accessible in databases such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, EBSCO, Medline, PubMed, Embase, SID Keywords: and Iran Medex. Foeniculum vulgare Mill Results: The results showed that this plant has various pharmacological properties including Pharmacology antioxidant, anti-cancer activity, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti-bacterial and estrogenic Phytochemical compounds effects which are probably due to the presence of aromatic compounds such as anethole, estragole Therapeutic uses and fenshon. Traditional medicine Conclusion: Fennel possesses various pharmacological properties and the fennel bioactive molecules play an important role in human health, hence, it might be used for different drug productions. Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) has different pharmacological properties such as anti-allergic, analgesic, anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-stress, cytotoxicity, etc. The fennel bioactive molecules play an important role in human health and can be used for different drug productions. Please cite this paper as: Kooti W, Moradi M, Ali Akbari S, Sharafi-Ahvazi N, Asadi-Samani M, Ashtary-Larky D. Therapeutic and pharmacological potential of Foeniculum vulgare Mill: a review. J HerbMed Pharmacol 2015; 4(1): 1-9. Introduction antioxidant properties they reduce drugs toxicity (6,7). The use of herbs to treat diseases has been common since Also, the natural effective ingredients cause biological ancient times. Also the use of plants different parts is balance and prevent drug accumulation in body (8). So common in public health. Using natural remedies and medicinal plants can be used in the treatment of various herbal medicines is beneficial cost-effective method for diseases (9) treating diseases (1,2). From 422 000 flowering plants around the world, more Nowadays medicinal herbs are good alternative to than 5000 ones are used for medicinal purposes. Among chemical drugs, one of the major reason for this is low these herbs can point to fennel (Foeniculum vulgare side effect compared to chemical drugs (3,4). Plants Mill) which is of great importance and is used in the have always played an important role in the health and pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and healthcare industries treatment of human society (5). Medicinal herbs have (10). Fennel is one of the oldest spice plants which widely fewer side effects than synthetic drugs and due to their grows in arid and semi-arid and due to its economic *Corresponding author: Majid Asadi-Samani, Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Email: [email protected] Kooti W et al. importance and pharmaceutical industry usage, it is one acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 1, of the world’s most dimension medicinal herb (11). This 3-O-di-caffeoylquinic acid, 1, 4-O-di-caffeoylquinic acid plant has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, and 1, 5-O-di-caffeoylquinicacid. Its flavonoid contains carminative, diuretic and analgesic effect and is effective eriodictyol-7-rutinoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside and in gastrointestinal disorder treatment. Also with its rosmarinic acid (22). Also aqueous extract of fennel fruit anti-ulcer and anti-oxidant properties it is used to treat include quercetin-3-O-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O- neurological disorders (12,13). According to importance rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O- of fennel as a medicinal herb, the aim of the present study glucuronide, kampferol-3-O-glucuronide, isoquercetin, was to evaluate the phytochemical characteristics, and and isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (23). therapeutic properties of this medicinal plant. Use of fennel in traditional medicine Methods Fennel has been used in traditional medicine to treat In order to gather the information the keywords various diseases for thousands of years in the East Asian Fennel and Foeniculum vulgare mill, therapeutic, and countries, India and China (16). People have long been pharmacology have been searched until January 1, 2015 familiar with fennel plant. In the middle ages people from journals accessible in databases such as ScienceDirect, believed that chewing the seeds is important to eliminate Scopus, EBSCO, Medline, PubMed, Embase, SID and abdomen noise (24). In the fifth century it was believed Iran Medex. that fennel had sedative effect and in 9th to 14th centuries numerous therapeutic properties were attributed to it Results (25). The Romans believed that fennel seed could help Phytology supercharge the vision. The English believed that the plant Foeniculum vulgare Mill with English name of Fennel, could offer relief from bloating stomach and facilitate Fenouil in French, Shmr (Razianaj) in Arabic and digestion. The fennel therapeutic use has been serious Razianeh in Persian belongs to Apiaceae family. It is an since the 18th century, and many studies have been taken herbaceous and aromatic plant, with a height of 1 to 2 (26). Nowadays, the different parts of the plant are used meters, grows in many parts of Europe, the Mediterranean, in treatment of many diseases, particularly pain in the and Asia. Fennel is a perennial herb with stems grooved, digestive system. Also it is very useful in the treatment of intermittent leaves, often combined with dark green, diabetes, bronchitis, chronic cough and kidney stones (27). fluffy with a blade divided into thin pieces, petiole with Fennel seeds are used as a flavoring in cooking meat and sheath, flowers are usually bisexual, regular or irregular, fish, prepare ice cream and cream. Due to its diuretic effect with yellow umbrella in the form of oval beads (14,15). On the plant is used to treat kidney and bladder diseases. radiating branches linear lines can be diagnosed. Fennel It is also used to relieve nausea and remove vomiting. has small seed with a length of about 8 mm and a width of The herbs is helpful for chronic fever and removing the 3 mm with an aromatic odor and sweet taste. Fennel seeds obstruction in the internal organs, especially the liver, are narrow, long, cylindrical appearance and dimensions gut, respiratory and urinary tract and also it is used to vary depending on plant growth. The crack groove light improve eye diseases such as cataract as well as diseases green surface (16). of the stomach, chronic diarrhea and relieve children colic (28,29). Phytochemical composition of fennel All parts of fennel such as roots, leaves, fruit and especially Pharmacological effects the seeds are used (17). Fennel seed contains 6.3% water, The pharmacological activities of fennel include following 9.5% protein, 10% fat, 13.4% minerals, 18.5% fibers and items (30). 42.3% carbohydrates (18). Its leaves contain vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, Anti-bacterial activity phosphorus, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C Fennel is used to treat many bacterial, fungal, viral, (19). Fruits consist 10 to 12 % of oil that is stored in the and mycobacterial infectious diseases (31). Fennel cotyledons of seeds. Oil obtained from the fennel fruit has has antibacterial activity due to compounds such as, 4% palmitic acid, 22% oleic acid, 14% linoleic acid and linoleic acid, undecanal, 1, 3-benzenediol, oleic acid and 6% petrocylic acid. The fruit has value of 4 to 6% essence 2,4-undecadienal. Fennel has 5-hydroxy-furanocoumarin which its essence and combine ingredients vary according which has important role antibacterial activity of this plant to the location of plant growth (16). The aromatic property (32). Aqueous extract of fennel shows bactericidal activity of fennel is because of the essence. There are more than against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, 30 types of terpene compounds in the essential oil of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella fennel, the most important of them are 50 to 80% trans- typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella flexneri (33). anethole, 8% fenshon and limonene 5% (20). This herb During a study it was found that this plant extract has a also contains phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, significant antibacterial