Ferula communis L. Ferula communis L. Umbelliferae Ferula brevifolia Hoff. & Link ; Ferula nodiflora L.; Ferula linkii Webb & Berthel. Arabic: Kelkh, kelkha, keshbour, besbas harami. - - - Berber: Aboubal, aouli, ouffal. English: Giant fennel, african ammoniacum French: Grande férule, férule commune, faux fenouil. the leaf-lobes of the genuina variety. It flowers from May to July. Compiled by: Dr. Driss Lamnauer I Geographical distribution Edited by: Prof. Kamal Batanouny Local: In Morocco, the two varieties identified are distributed differently; the brevifolia variety is found I Morphological description mostly along the Atlantic coasts (from Larache to Ferula communis or giant fennel: giant is not an Ifni), whereas the genuina variety is located inside exaggeration since this spectacular architectural the country and up until the Mediterranean coast. plant is known to grow to 3 metres. Regional: Ferula communis is wide spread in The lower leaves are 3 to 4 pinnates, triangular, North Africa, mostly in Morocco and Algeria, but varied in size, soft, glabrous, green on both sides not found in Egypt. and usually have a conspicuous sheathing base. The Global: Ferula communis is an umbelliferous plant lamina is finely divided into linear and filiform of the Mediterranean, where it has always marked lobes. The latter have no distinct revolute margin the landscape. and are up to 50 mm. long, but no more than 1 mm. wide. The upper fertile leaves of the inflores- I Ecology cence are progressively reduced to a conspicuous Ferula communis grows in forest glades and in the sheathing base. The bracts are absent and the pasture of plains and mountains up to an altitude of 2 bracteoles are few or absent. 200 m. It has an enormous root system and is The stem is very robust, wide (3-7 cm. in diameter), drought-resistant. full, finely striated and can grow to 2 to 3 metres The perennial seeds germinate very irregularly over a high. long period. Temperatures of less than +5°C are very The terminal fertile umbel is large and composed of effective. Seed trays should not be discarded prema- 20 to 40 rays. turely. Constant moisture must be maintained. Do not The flower is bright yellow. The fruit (mericap) is leave in direct sunlight. Germination to transplanting elliptical or oblong-elliptical, strongly compressed takes 4 to 8 weeks. Reproduction is by root and seeds. dorsally; the length is varied between 7 and 15 mm. I Status Ferula communis has a well-developed, strong root Not an IUCN threatened species. system. Slight differences exist between the two varieties I Part used reported in Morocco. The leaves of the brevifolia The resin gum or fessoukh, unopened inflorescence variety are light green and markedly smaller than and the root. A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa 139 Ferula communis L. is a source of resin gum, obtained has a similar qualitative composition, however by incision of the root, and used in traditional medi- differs quantitatively: aristolene (70.0 %) and cine for a variety of ailments. It was also reported to myrcene (9.3 %) being the major components. The be toxic in man and especially in livestock. occurrence of sesquiterpenes and the lack of The fessoukh or the resin gum of Ferula communis monoterpenes characterized the root oil. is a specifically Moroccan product, known in Arabic countries and up to India under this name. I Pharmacological action and Moroccan fessoukh is appreciated for certain uses toxicity in countries where Ferula communis apparently Chemical composition studies of Ferula communis grows. The demand for the fessoukh is the main showed that it contains 4-hydroxycoumarin deriva- cause of the intense exploitation of the plant. In tives, some of which were demonstrated to have addition the pre-blossom inflorescences of Ferula hypothrombonic action. 4-hydroxycoumarin antico- communis have culinary uses. agulants are known, on the other hand, to be used for the treatment and management of thromboem- I Constituents bolic disease in humans. Coumarins and daucane sesquiterpenes were identi- Man and all animal species are sensitive to F. fied in solvent extracts of the different parts of Ferula communis toxicity. Poisoning depends on the communis. The chemical composition of the essential amount of the plant materiel ingested and the oil was also investigated. duration of the ingestion. The most important characteristic of Ferula communis Ferula communis toxicosis in animals was shown to is its capacity to synthesize 4-hydroxycoumarins. At be dominated by an hemorrhagic syndrome associ- this time, no other plant is known to be able to do so. ated with hypothrombinaemia. The hypothrombinic Among these compounds are: ferulenol, 20-hydrox- action is related to a decrease in vitamin-K yferulenol, omega-hydroxyferulenol, (ferulenoloxy- dependent factors, which is due to the presence of 20’)-13 ferulenol, and other derivatives identified in 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives in the plant. the genuina variety of Morocco. 4-hydroxy- In fact, ferulenol and other of its derivatives were coumarins were also identified in the Ferula shown to produce an increase in prothrombin time communis in Italy. and hemorrhage in experimental animals. This effect The Brevifolia variety in Morocco contains only feru- is inverted by the injection of vitamin K1 (an antag- lenol, in addition to daucane sesquiterpenes, as a 4- onist of coumarin anticoagulants). hydroxycoumarin and ombelliferone (7-hydroxy- Like coumarin anticoagulants, fessoukh and feru- coumarin) derivatives, which are absent in the lenol were shown to be effective as rodenticides. genuina variety. 4-hydroxycoumarins were shown to have some The 4-hydroxycoumarins are the major constituents antibacterial activity. of fessoukh. A non-poisonous chemotype of Ferula communis in I Traditional medicine and local Sardinia (no 4-hydroxycoumarins) is also described. knowledge Despite the lack of morphological difference, a • Method of collection: broad chemical diversity exists within the giant In Morocco, only Ferula communis L. var. genuina is fennel, underlying the contrasting data on its used to extract the resin gum. For this, the leaves poisonous properties. are cut down at ground level, and then the top of Analysis of the inflorescence oil of the giant funnel the root is sliced off. The latex secretion oozes out growing wild in Corsica identified 46 components and is collected every 7 to 10 days, several times. representing 96.3 % of the amount of the inflores- Each time, the upper part of the root is cut again. cence oil. The main constituents were myrcene The collection is done in summer on hot days since (53.5 %), limonene (6.9 %) and a-pinene (6.6 %). it seems that hot weather increases the secretion of Several sesquiterpernes were present at appreciable the latex. The latex that is milky and white at the level: aristolene (8.5 %), (E,E)-farnesol (4.3 %), beginning becomes progressively solid and may turn gurjunene (1.4 %). The oil obtained from the spike brown with time. 140 A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa I Uses known and documented. In humans, several case In Morocco, the uses of fessoukh are about the studies exist and underline the toxicity of the plant same every where. for man and animals. Ferula communis poisoning in Mixed with olive oil, it is recommended by practi- man is reported as therapeutic accidents, mainly by tioners for external use for a variety of skin oral use of fessoukh or after the overuse or contin- diseases. In friction it is used against moths or ring- uous ingestion of the unopened inflorescence as a worm, rheumatism, and to heal in the feet cracks. legume for several days (more than 5 to 6 days). Gum resin is also added to some depilatory prepa- Women during menstruation or pregnant women rations. are the most affected, with exaggerated haemor- Orally it is prescribed by practitioners as an anti- rhage and abundant bleeding childbirth or abortion. helmintic, diuretic, vermifuge, and analgesic, and for Persons under therapeutic use of drugs with some pains in the joints, female sterility, and rheuma- anticoagulant activity should avoid consumption of tismm, as well as as an emetic. the pre-blossom inflorescence or fessoukh. The roasted flower buds are absorbed as a vermifuge, an anti-hysteric, for dysentery, and as an I Diseases treated and medicinal aphrodisiac. The whole plant is said to possess anti- properties spasmodic properties. It is used for skin diseases, rheumatism, cracks in Fessoukh seems to be famous because of its use in the feet, helminthic disease, pains in the joints, magic and sorcery. Fessoukh means that “which female sterility, rheumatism, hysteria, and dysentery. undoes spells (magical)”. Fessoukh is frequently It is antispasmodic, vermifugal, aphrodisiac, and can used in ritual or magic fumigation and in sorcery be used against moths or ringworm, as a depilatory, and counter-sorcery. Fumigation is believed to ward an emetic, a diuretic and an analgesic. off the “evil spirits” and the “evil”. The roots are also used, especially in a preparation I Other uses of the plant used for hair care. (Ethnobotany) The pithy, dried to stalks have been used to kindel fires. I History They are also used to build hives and sheep barns. Ferula communis, a typical plant of the Mediter- ranean region, was well known in classical times I Culinary uses and was said by Dioskorides, Gale, Pliny and other Consumption of the plant is not recent but goes ancient authors to be a medicinal herb. back to classical times. In Roman times, Pliny noted The resinous gum of the plantwas reported to be that the stems of the plant were consumed and one of the oldest gums of the umbelliferae known much appreciated. It was also reported that even to be used in traditional medicine. Moreover, the the “cotes” of the leaves were consumed in North maritime trade to Gibraltar, Alexandria and India Africa during periods of food shortage.