Exploring the potential of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) as a valuable medicinal plant: a comprehensive (review)

Introduction. Foeniculum vulgare Mill., commonly known as fennel or drugstore dill, is very common as one of the world's oldest spice plants, which has significant economic importance and wide application in the pharmaceutical industry. In medical practice, the fruits of this plant are mainly used, which are included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the XIV edition and are a source of essential oil. They are used as an antispasmodic and carminative agent in the form of an infusion. Fennel grass harvested before flowering is used for food, as well as fruits, stems and inflorescences of the plant as a seasoning.

Text. The purpose of this study is to summarize scientific papers on the morphological characteristics, phytochemical compounds, therapeutic properties and basic mechanisms of pharmacological activity of F. vulgare. A systematic literature search was conducted using relevant keywords such as "fennel", "Foeniculum vulgare Mill.", "therapeutic" and "pharmacology" in well-known databases, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, EBSCO and Medline. The search covered articles published before April 25, 2023 in available journals. The results of the study showed that fennel has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial and estrogenic effects. These effects can be explained by the presence of aromatic compounds, in particular anethole, estragole and fenchone, which are abundantly present in fennel.

Conclusion. The diverse pharmacological properties and rich chemical composition of fennel make it a promising raw material for the development of new medicines. Further study of the therapeutic potential of fennel through in vivo and in vitro studies will contribute to the establishment of mechanisms of pharmacological action of biologically active substances (BAS) of fennel.

1. Ghasemi P. A. Iranian medicinal and aromatic plants. Islamic Azad University. 2009.

2. 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. Journal of HerbMed Pharmacology. 2015;4(1):1–9.

3. Kooti W., Ghasemiboroon M., Asadi-Samani M., Ahangarpoor A., Abadi M. N. A., Afrisham R., Dashti N. G. The effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of celery on lipid profile of rats fed a high fat diet. Advances in Environmental Biology. 2014;8(9):325–330.

4. Kooti W. et al. Protective effects of celery (Apium Graveolens) on testis and cauda epididymal spermatozoa in rat. Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2014;12(5):365–366.

5. Abe R., Ohtani K. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants and traditional therapies on Batan Island, the Philippines. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2013;145(2):554–565. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.11.029.

6. Zafar S., Khan M. K., Perveen S., Iqbal M., AL-Huqail A. A. Fennel. In: Zia-Ul-Haq M., AL-Huqail A. A., Riaz M., Gohar U. F. Essentials of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023. P. 483–514. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-35403-8_19.

7. Bernáth J., Németh É., Kattaa A., Héthelyi É. Morphological and chemical evaluation of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) populations of different origin. Journal of Essential Oil Research. 1996;8(3):247–253. DOI: 10.1080/10412905.1996.9700610.

8. Ahmadi A., Nasirinezhad F., Parivar K. Effect of aqueous extract of the aerial part of the Ruta graveolens on the spermatogenesis of immature Balb/c mice. Razi Journal of Medical Sciences (Journal of Iran University of Medical Sciences). 2007;14(56):13–20.

9. He W., Huang B. A review of chemistry and bioactivities of a medicinal spice: Foeniculum vulgare. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 2011;5(16):3595–3600.

10. Rahimi R., Ardekani M. R. S. Medicinal properties of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. in traditional Iranian medicine and modern phytotherapy. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2013;19:73–79. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1327-0.

11. Miraj S., Kiani S. Study of antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities of Foeniculum vulgare: A review. Der Pharmacia Lettre. 2016;8(9):200–205.

12. Rather M. A., Dar B. A., Sofi S. N., Bhat B. A., Qurishi M. A. Foeniculum vulgare: A comprehensive review of its traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety. Arabian Journal of Chemistry. 2016;9:S1574–S1583. DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2012.04.011.

13. Parejo I., Viladomat F., Bastida J., Schmeda-Hirschmann G., Burillo J., Codina C. Bioguided isolation and identification of the nonvolatile antioxidant compounds from fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) waste. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2004;52(7):1890–1897. DOI: 10.1021/jf030717g.

14. Badgujar S. B., Patel V. V., Bandivdekar A. H. Foeniculum vulgare Mill: a review of its botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, contemporary application, and toxicology. BioMed research international. 2014;2014:842674. DOI: 10.1155/2014/842674.

15. Senatore F. Oliviero F., Scandolera E., Taglialatela-Scafati O., Roscigno G., Zaccardelli M., De Falco E. Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of anethole-rich oil from leaves of selected varieties of fennel [Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ssp. vulgare var. azoricum (Mill.) Thell]. Fitoterapia. 2013;90:214–219. DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2013.07.021.

16. Križman M., Baričevič D., Prošek M. Determination of phenolic compounds in fennel by HPLC and HPLC–MS using a monolithic reversed-phase column. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2007;43(2):481–485. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2006.07.029.

17. Mahmoudi Z., Soleimani M., Saidi A., Khamisipour G., Azizsoltani A. Effects of Foeniculum vulgare ethanol extract on osteogenesis in human mecenchymal stem cells. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine. 2013;3(2):135–142.

18. Iserin P. et al. Larousse des plantes médicinales identification, préparation, soins. Paris: Editions Larousse; 2001. 15 p.

19. Arnal-Schnebelen B. Algomenorrhea (dysmenorrhea) and herbal medicine. De La Recherche A La Pratique. 2004.

20. Barros L., Heleno S. A., Carvalho A. M., Ferreira I. C. F. R. Systematic evaluation of the antioxidant potential of different parts of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. from Portugal. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2009;47(10):2458–2464. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2009.07.003.

21. Qiu S., Sun H., Zhang A.-H., Xu H.-Y., Yan G.-L., Han Y., Wang X.-J. Natural alkaloids: basic aspects, biological roles, and future perspectives. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines. 2014;12(6):401–406. DOI: 10.1016/S1875-5364(14)60063-7.

22. Roby M.H.H. Sarhan M. A., Selim K. A.-H., Khalel K. I. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil and extracts of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.). Industrial Crops and Products. 2013;44:437–445. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.10.012.

23. Moghaddam M., Mehdizadeh L. Chemistry of Essential Oils and Factors Influencing Their Constituents. In: Soft Chemistry and Food Fermentation. New York: Academic Press; 2017. P. 379–419. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-811412-4.00013-8.

24. Paduch R., Kandefer-Szerszeń M., Trytek M., Fiedurek J. Terpenes: substances useful in human healthcare. Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis. 2007;55:315–327. DOI: 10.1007/s00005-007-0039-1.

25. Mahady G. B., Pendland S. L., Stoia A., Hamill F. A., Fabricant D., Dietz B. M., Chadwick L. R. In Vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to botanical extracts used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Phytotherapy Research. 2005;19(11):988–991. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1776.

26. Kwon Y. S., Choi W. G., Kim W. J., Kim W. K., Kim M. J., Kang W. H., Kim C. M. Antimicrobial constituents of foeniculum vulgare. Archives of Pharmacal Research. 2002;25(2):154–157. DOI: 10.1007/BF02976556.

27. Chen F., Guo Y., Kang J., Yang X., Zhao Z., Liu S., Ma Y., Gao W., Luo D. Insight into the essential oil isolation from Foeniculum vulgare Mill. fruits using double-condensed microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and evaluation of its antioxidant, antifungal and cytotoxic activity. Industrial Crops and Products. 2020;144:112052. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.112052.

28. Soylu S., Yigitbas H., Soylu E. M., Kurt Ş. Antifungal effects of essential oils from oregano and fennel on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 2007;103(4):1021–1030. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03310.x.

29. Singh B., Kale R. K. Chemomodulatory action of Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) on skin and forestomach papillomagenesis, enzymes associated with xenobiotic metabolism and antioxidant status in murine model system. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2008;46(12):3842–3850. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2008.10.008.

30. Taie H. A. A., Helal M. M., Helmy W., Amer H. Chemical composition and biological potentials of aqueous extracts of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.). Journal of Applied Sciences Research. 2013;9:1759–1767. DOI: 10.5555/20133281545.

31. Maqsood S., Benjakul S., Shahidi F. Emerging Role of Phenolic Compounds as Natural Food Additives in Fish and Fish Products. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2013;53(2):162–179. DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2010.518775.

32. Ruberto G., Baratta M. T., Deans S. G., Dorman H. J. D. Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Foeniculum vulgare and Crithmum maritimum Essential Oils. Planta Medica. 2000;66(8):687–693. DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-9773.

33. Boudjouref M. Etude de l’activité antioxydante et antimicrobienne d’extraits d’Artemisia compestris L. Setif: Université Ferhat Abbes; 2011. 287 p.

34. Daas Amiour S. Etude Quantitative des Composes Phenoliques des Extraits De Trois Varietes De Dattes (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) Et Evaluation In Vitro De Leur Activite Biologique. Batna: Université El-Hadj Lakhdar; 2009. 159 p.

35. Škerget M., Kotnik P., Hadolin M., Hraš A. R., Simonič M., Knez Ž. Phenols, proanthocyanidins, flavones and flavonols in some plant materials and their antioxidant activities. Food Chemistry. 2005;89(2):191–198. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.02.025.

36. Panche A. N., Diwan A. D., Chandra S. R. Flavonoids: an overview. Journal of Nutritional Science. 2016;5:e47. DOI: 10.1017/jns.2016.41.

37. Oktay M., Gülçin İ., Küfrevioğlu Ö. İ. Determination of in vitro antioxidant activity of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed extracts. LWT – Food Science and Technology. 2003;36(2):263–271. DOI: 10.1016/S0023-6438(02)00226-8.

38. Shahat A., Ibrahim A., Hendawy S., Omer E., Hammouda F., Abdel-Rahman F., Saleh M. Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Organically Cultivated Fennel Cultivars. Molecules. 2011;16(2):1366–1377. DOI: 10.3390/molecules16021366.

39. Faudale M., Viladomat F., Bastida J., Poli F., Codina C. Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Composition of Wild, Edible, and Medicinal Fennel from Different Mediterranean Countries. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2008;56(6):1912–1920. DOI: 10.1021/jf073083c.

40. Lim T. K. Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9. Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands; 2015. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-9511-1.

41. Albert-Puleo M. Fennel and anise as estrogenic agents. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1980;2(4):337–344. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-8741(80)81015-4.

42. Rather M. A., Dar B. A., Sofi S. N., Bhat B. A., Qurishi M. A. Foeniculum vulgare: A comprehensive review of its traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety. Arabian Journal of Chemistry. 2016;9(2):S1574–S1583. DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2012.04.011.

43. Özbek H., Uğraş S., Dülger H., Bayram I., Tuncer I., Oztürk G., Oztürk A. Hepatoprotective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil. Fitoterapia. 2003;74(3):317–319. DOI: 10.1016/s0367-326x(03)00028-5.

44. Abdul-Ghani A.-S., Amin R. The vascular action of aqueous extracts of Foeniculum vulgare leaves. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1988;24(2–3):213–218. DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(88)90154-7.

45. Berrington D., Lall N. Anticancer Activity of Certain Herbs and Spices on the Cervical Epithelial Carcinoma (HeLa) Cell Line. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012;2012:564927. DOI: 10.1155/2012/564927.

46. Koppula S., Kumar H. Foeniculum vulgare Mill (Umbelliferae) Attenuates Stress and Improves Memory in Wister Rats. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2013;12(4):553–558. DOI: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i4.17.