FENNEL: A JOURNEY THROUGH ITS ETHNOBOTANY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Abstract

Fennel is the ancient herb of India. It is known as Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae) and very significant medicinal plant with aromatic activity and widely used as carminative, digestive and diuretic. It is also used in treating various respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. Its seeds are used to ice cream, baked products, meat and fish dishes, alcoholic beverages and herb mixes as flavorings. It has been stated that the primary phytoconstituents of this species are phenols, phenolic glycosides, and volatile fragrance compounds like trans-anethole, estragole, and fenchone. The ability of F. vulgare to exhibit antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, antithrombotic and hepatoprotective activities has been convincingly demonstrated by various pharmacological experiments in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models, supporting the reasoning behind several of its therapeutic uses. F. vulgare’s volatile fragrance components make it a great flavoring agent, while phenolic chemicals that have been extracted from the plant are thought to be the cause of its antioxidant effect. This review provides a current and thorough examination of F. vulgare’s chemistry, pharmacology, conventional use and safety.