Med. J. Cairo Univ., Vol. 80, No. 2, March: 101-113, 2012 www.medicaljournalofcairouniversity.com Beneficial Health Effects of Fennel Seeds (Shamar) on Male Rats Feeding High Fat-Diet AMR A. REZQ, Ph.D. The Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Home Economics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt Abstract and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and decrease the risk of chronic heart diseases by increasing level of HDL-C as Fennel has been known since antiquity as a medicinal well as enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes. and aromatic herb, it commonly used in household remedy for various medicinal purposes. The present study was con- Key Words: Fennel – Hyperlipidemia – Hypercholestermia – ducted to investigate the effect of beneficial health effects of Liver functions – Antioxidant system. fennel seeds on feeding rats with high fat-diet. Histopatho- logical changes of aorta, heart and liver were examined. Thirty Introduction five male albino rats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 200±5g were used. Animals were divided into five groups of HYPERLIPIDEMIA is a heterogeneous disorder seven rats each: group (1) fed on the basal diet and kept as a negative control group; group (2) fed on high fat–diet and involving multiple etiologies. It is characterized kept as positive control group; groups (3), (4) and (5) fed on by the elevated in serum levels of free fatty acids, high fat diets supplemented with three different levels of triglycerides (TG), total lipid (TL), total cholesterol fennel seeds (5, 10 and 15%, respectively. The present results (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL- revealed that rats fed on high fat-diet only (positive control C) and Apolipoprotein B, and reduced serum high- group) had significant (at p<0.05) increase in serum TL, TG, TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, AST, ALT, ALP and MDA concentra- density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concen- tions, and significant decrease in serum HDL-C level as well tration [1] . as significant decrease in HDL-C/LDL-C ratio value and serum activity of CAT, GPX and SOD enzymes as compared Hyperlipidemia contributes significantly in the to rats fed on basal diet only (negative control group). High development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart fat-diet supplemented with the three different levels of fennel diseases. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause seeds significantly improved serum levels of TL, TG, TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, AST, ALT, ALP and MDA, and significant of mortality and morbidity worldwide [2] . High raise in serum HDL-C level, values of HDL-C/LDL-C ratio cholesterol diet leading to hyperlipidemia is re- and improve activities of CAT, GPX and SOD enzymes garded as an important factor in the development compared to the positive control group. Histopathological investigation showed vaculations of tunica media and narrow- of ischemic heart disease. Ischemic stress of the ing in the lumen of aorta sections and congestion of cardiac heart is a major cause of mortality in civilized blood vessel as well as fatty change of hepatocytes in positive societies [3] . Although several factors, such as diet control rats. Vaculations of tunica media in aorta sections and high in saturated fats and cholesterol, age, family fatty changes of hepatocytes were showed in rats fed high history, hypertension and life style play a significant fat-diet supplemented with 5% of fennel seeds. Slight thick- role in causing heart failure, the high levels of ening in the wall of aorta sections was showed in rats treated with 10% fennel seeds, whereas, other sections showed ap- cholesterol particularly TC, TG and LDL-C is parent normal histological structure. Its liver sections had mainly responsible for the onset of cardiovascular small vacuoles in the cytoplasm hepatocytes. Liver sections diseases [2] . of treated rats with 15% fennel seeds showed small vacuoles in the cytoplasm of some hepatocytes and other sections revealed apparent normal hepatocytes. There were no histo- The use of medicinal plants for health started logical changes in heart sections of all treated rats with fennel from thousands of years and still a part of the seeds and in aorta of rats treated with 15% fennel seeds. In medical practice in Egypt and other developed conclusion, the present study revealed that fennel seeds countries. Foeniculum vulgare is an annual, biennial improve dyslipidaemia by improving lipid profile, cholesterol or perennial plant, depending on the variety and it is a well-known umbelliferous plant. The leaves, Correspondence to: Dr. AMR A. REZQ, The Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Home Economics, Helwan stalk and seeds are edible part. Fennel is the ripe University, Cairo, Egypt fruit known as seed of Foeniculum Vulgare [4] . It 101 102 Beneficial Health Effects of Fennel Seeds (Shamar) on Male Rats is a commonly used in household remedy for var- The Gamma Trade Company for Pharmaceutical ious medicinal purposes [5] . Fennel seed has been and Chemicals, Dokki, Egypt. known since antiquity as a medicinal and aromatic Preparation of fennel seeds: Dried fennel seeds herb, commonly used to flavor breads, fishes, (shamar) were washed with tap water to remove salads and cheeses [6] . Some people use fennel as possible potential dust. Afterwards, it was dried a diuretic, and it may be an effective diuretic and by cotton cloth to remove the excess liquid prior a potential drug for treatment of hypertension [7] . to drying. Drying was achieved at room temperature It can be add into syrup to treat babies with colic for 48 hr. Then a grinder mill and sieves were used [8] . to obtain a powder particle size of less than 0.2mm. Fennel seeds are rich in carbohydrates, moisture, Preparation of basal diets: The basal diet (AIN- and protein and fat [9] . Its mineral contents are 93M) was prepared according to Reeves et al. [24] . calcium, phosphorous, iron, sodium and potassium. Diet was formulated to meet recommended nutri- Vitamins content are thiamine, riboflavin, niacin ents levels for rats. and C [10] . The major fatty acid components of fennel seeds are oleic acid and linoleic acid. Fennel Experimental design: seeds are high in isoleucine and histidine [9] . The The experiment was conducted on thirty five seed oil yield varies according to variety and origin male rats weighing approximately 200 ±5g for 4 and the highest concentration of fennel oil ranging weeks. The animals were housed in healthy condi- from 2-7%. Fennel volatile oil is a mixture of tion at room temperature (21-23ºC), with 40-60% different chemicals and the main ingredients are humidity, exposed to a 12: 12-h light-dark cycle anethole, fenchone and estragole [4] . and fed on the basal diet and water was provided Recently, fennel seeds were found to have a ad libitum for one week before starting the exper- hypotensive effect [11] , antispasmodic activities imental for acclimatization. After acclimatization [12] , antihirsutism [13] , hepatoprotective [14] , anti- period rats were divided into five groups of seven inflammatory [15] , antidementia [16] , possess pain rats each: group (1) fed on the basal diet and kept reliever in primary dysmenorrhoea [17] , antiplatelet as a negative control group (normal rats); the and antithrombotic [18] , immunomodulatory [19] , remaining four groups fed high fat containing-diet. protective effect against ethanol induced gastric Group (2) kept as a positive control group; groups mucosal lesions [20] , anticancer [21] , potential in (3), (4) and (5) fed on high fat diets supplemented the treatment of glaucoma [22] and antioxidant [23] . with the three different levels of fennel seeds (5, 10 and 15%, respectively). Hyperlipidemia in rats The current study was aimed to investigate the was done according to the method described by beneficial health effects of fennel seeds (Foenicu- Balkan et al. [25] . In briefly, basal diet was formu- lum vulgare) administration on hyperlipidemic rats lated with 1% cholesterol, 2% sheep fat and 0.5% feed on high fat-diet. Histopathological changes cholic acid to enhance the enteral absorption of of aorta, heart and liver were examined. lipids. Material and Methods At the end of the experimental period, diets were withheld from experimental rats for 12-h and Fennel seeds (foeniculum vulgare): Fennel then rats were sacrificed. Blood samples were seeds were obtained from Haraz market for herbs collected from the portal vein into dry clean cen- and medicinal plants market, Cairo, Egypt. trifuge tubes. For serum separation, blood samples Rats and diet: Thirty five male albino rats of were left at room temperature to get clot, and then ± Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 200 5g were centrifuged for 15 minutes at 3000 rpm. Serum obtained from the Laboratory Animal Colony, was carefully aspired using a needle and transfers Ministry of Health and Population, Helwan, Egypt. into dry clean test tubes and kept frozen at-10ºC Basal diet constituents were purchased from El- until chemical analysis. Gomhorya Company for Pharmaceutical and Chem- Aorta and organs such as heart and liver were ical, Cairo, Egypt. removed and washed with saline solution, dried, Kits: Kits for biochemical analysis of serum and kept in formalin solution (10%) for histopatho- TL, TG, TC, HDL-C, aspartate aminotransferase logical examination. (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline Biochemical analysis: phosphatase (ALP), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and Lipid profile and lipoprotein cholesterol assay: superoxide dismutase (SOD) were purchased from Serum TL concentration was determined colori- Amr A. Rezq 103 metric using spectrophotometer apparatus adjust Results at 520nm as described by kit instructions (Randox Serum total lipids, triglycerides and total cho- Co., Ireland). TG, TC and HDL-C concentrations were determined using enzymatic methods as de- lesterol concentrations: Recorded data in Table (1) illustrated that feeding animal with high fat scribed in the instructions provided with the kits diet (positive control group) produced a significant (Analyticon® Biotechnologies AG, Germany).