Foeniculum vulgare

Scientific name: Foeniculum vulgare Mill.

Synonym: Anethum foeniculum L.

Botanical family: APIACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Haiti:

anni

Dominican Republic:

hinojo

Other vernacular names

Haiti:

Anni

Cuba:

Hinojo

Dominican Republic:

Hinojo

Geographical distribution

Native to the Mediterranean region, cultivated and often naturalised in the world’s temperate and subtropical regions.

Botanical description

Herbaceous erect perennial, glabrous, commonly highly ramified. Alternate leaves, ovate to deltoid, up to 30 cm, pinnate compound, with filiform divisions; petiole pods 3-10 cm in length. Inflorescence in umbels with many flowers, up to 12 cm in diameter; yellow petals. Fruit oblong, glabrous, slightly compressed, with acute and equal ribs.

This species is confused with Anethum graveolens, which has a shorter petiolar sheath and narrowly winged fruit ribs, the 2 lateral ones being wider.

Voucher(s)

Jiménez,688,JBSD

Martínez,4623,ROIG

abdominal pain

seed and/or leaf, decoction, orally²

stomach pain

seed and/or leaf, decoction, orally²

flatulence

seed and/or leaf, decoction, orally²

earache

leaf, juice, drops (instillation) in the ear¹

The leaves of Foeniculum vulgare are a food of relatively widespread human consumption and an industrial source of essential oil.

For stomach pain, abdominal pain or flatulence:

prepare a decoction with 0.3-0.6 dried seeds or 3-5 grams of fresh leaves in 1 cup (250 millilitres) of water, boil for 10 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day^26-27.

For earaches:

Wash the leaves adequately, crush them and place 2 drops of the juice obtained in the affected ear 2 or 3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for stomach pain, abdominal pain and flatulence is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the validation and toxicity studies and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if the stomach pain persists for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

The use for earaches is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in TRAMIL surveys and toxicity studies.

Due to the risk that an earache may be due to otitis media or interna, an initial medical assessment is recommended. Its use is contraindicated in the presence of secretions from the ear and/or possible perforation of the eardrum.

All application in ears must follow the strictest hygiene measures in order to prevent contamination or additional infection.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if the earache persists for more than 2 days, seek medical attention.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 3 years.

The seed can produce hypersensitivity reactions.

TRAMIL Work²⁰

The freeze-dried leaf juice (500 g, 0.5 ml and 0.75 ml), applied topically to hairless skin in 16 white Hartley guinea pigs, divided into two equivalent groups of both sexes (450 and 500 g), did not cause skin irritation (primary irritation index less than 5) 24 and 72 hours after application. Histopathological tests showed no alterations.

TRAMIL Work²¹

The juice of the fresh leaves crushed and pressed with a gauze (patch with 0.6 ml/6 cm² of healthy skin/4 hours) was applied topically in New Zealand albino rabbits (3 males), Draize model of acute dermal irritability, the patch was removed after 4 hours and the area was washed. Erythema and oedema readings were taken at 1, 24, 48 and 72 hours, showing an index of 0.00, which is classified as non-irritant.

TRAMIL Work¹³

The aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves (15-25 g/l) and the dry seed infusion (5-10 g/l), administered up to 500 ml/day/person, presented an aromatic aniseed flavour and did not produce objective or subjective manifestations of undesirable effects in patients.

TRAMIL Work²²

The aqueous extract (30% decoction) from fresh leaves (yield: 0.97 mg/ml), single dose (maximum volume of 2 ml/100 g; equivalent to 6 g plant material/kg or 194 mg total solids/kg), orally in rats, acute toxicity class model, did not cause death or evident signs of toxicity in the first 24 hours or during the 14 days of observation, nor did it show changes in the histopathological studies.

The ethanolic extract (95%) of aerial parts (100 mg/day), orally in female mice, produced death; in males this dose was non- toxic. The alcoholic extract of the plant, up to 3 g/kg, was not spermicidal²³.

The methanolic extract (80%) from fresh aerial parts (2 g/kg), orally in mice, did not cause death or obvious signs of toxicity²⁴.

It has been reported that plant preparations in high doses orally can produce seizures¹⁶.

Repeated exposure of the skin to the seed can cause allergic dermatitis in predisposed individuals²⁵.

There is no information available documenting the safety of medicinal use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The fruit and the aerial parts have been widely studied and contain, among other components, essential oil, constituted mainly by: trans and cis-anethole (68%), limonene, fenchone³. The fruit contains flavonoids: foeniculin, juglanin, kaempferol, quercetin and derivatives, isoquercitrin, rutin⁴; alkaloids: acetylcholine (74 nmol/g), choline (2674 nmol/g)⁵; coumarins: psoralen, xanthotoxin⁶, methoxypsoralen, isopimpinellin⁷, scoparone and seselin⁸.

The leaves contain flavonoids: kaempferol, quercetin, isoquercitrin⁹, cynaroside¹⁰ and guaijaverin¹¹.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of leaves¹²: calories: 28; water: 90%; protein: 2.8%; fat: 0.4%; carbohydrates: 5.1%; fibre: 0.5%;

ash: 1.7%; calcium: 100 mg; phosphorus: 51 mg; iron: 2.7 mg; potassium: 397 mg; carotene: 2100 mg; ascorbic acid: 31 mg.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of the seed¹²: calories: 345; water: 8.8%; protein: 15.8%; fat: 14.9%; carbohydrates: 52.3%; fibre:

15.7%; ash: 8.2%; calcium: 1196 mg; phosphorus: 487 mg; iron:

18.5 mg; sodium: 8.8 mg; potassium: 1694 mg; carotene: 81 µg;

thiamine: 0.41 mg; riboflavin: 0.35 mg; niacin: 6.05 mg.

TRAMIL Work¹³

The aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves (15-25 g/l) and the dried seed infusion (5-10 g/l) used in clinical phytotherapy in adults (120-240 ml) showed positive results in the control of minor spasmodic symptoms of the digestive tract.

The aqueous extract (10%) from dried seeds, in vitro, was a stimulant of smooth muscle of the jejunum in rats and of the striated muscle of the rectus abdominis in frogs⁵.

The acetone seed extract, orally in rats for 10-15 days, caused oestrogenic effects¹⁴.

The ethanolic extract (80%) of dried fruit (100 mg/kg) orally in rats, carrageenan-induced leg inflammation model, inhibited experimental oedema by 36%¹⁵.

The nut is attributed with carminative, aromatic, anti- inflammatory, antimicrobial, diuretic and appetite-stimulating action¹⁶.

The essential oil is attributed with eupeptic, carminative and antiseptic properties^16-17.

Anethole and its two polymers, dianethole and photoanethole, are considered active oestrogenic agents¹⁸.

According to the Soviet pharmacopoeia, it was used as a digestive stimulant and expectorant¹⁹.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984

Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986

Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d’Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.

HAGINIWA J, HARADA M, MORISHITA I, 1963

Pharmacological studies on crude drugs. VII. Properties of essential oil components of aromatics & their pharmacological effect on mouse intestine. Yakugaku Zasshi 83:624.

AKUNZEMANN J, HERRMANN K, 1977

Isolation and identification of flavon(ol)-O-glycosides in caraway (Carum carvi L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), and of flavone-C-glycosides in anise. I. Phenolics of spices. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 164:194-200.

HARANATH P, AKTHER M, SHARIF S, 1987

Acetylcholine and choline in common spices. Phytother Res 1(2):91-92.

ZOBEL A, BROWN S, 1991

Psoralens on the surface of seeds of Rutaceae and fruits of Umbelliferae and Leguminosae. Can J Bot 69(3):485-488.

7 CESKA O, CHAUDHARY S, WARRINGTON P, ASHWOOD-SMITH M, 1987

Photoactive furocoumarins in fruits of some Umbellifers. Phytochemistry 26(1):165- 169.

MENDEZ J, CASTRO-POCEIRO J, 1981

Coumarins in Foeniculum vulgare fruits. Rev Latinoamer Quim 12(2):91-92.

SALEH N, EL-NEGOUMY S, EL-HADIDI M, HOSNI H, 1983

Comparative study of the flavonoids of some local members of the Umbelliferae. Phytochemistry 22(6):1417-1420.

LATTANZIO V, MARCHESINI A, 1981

Determination of plant phenols by gel filtration. J Food Sci 46(6):1907-1909.

HARBONE J, BOARDLEY M, 1984

Use of high-performance liquid chromatography in the separation of flavonol glycosides and flavonol sulphates. J Chromatogr 299(2):377-385.

DUKE JA, ATCHLEY AA, 1986

Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. Boca Ratón, USA: CRC Press. p75.

CARBALLO A, 1995

Plantas medicinales del Escambray cubano. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio provincial de producción de medicamentos, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

MALINI T, VANITHAKUMARI G, MEGALA N, ANUSYA S, DEVI K, ELANGO V, 1985

Effect of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seed extract on the genital organs of male and female rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 29(1):21-26.

MASCOLO N, AUTORE G, CAPASSO F, MENGHINI A, FASULO MP, 1987

Biological screening of Italian medicinal plants for anti-inflammatory activity. Phytother Res 1(1):28-31.

DUKE JA, 1988

Handbook of medicinal herbs. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press.

PINKAS M, BEZANGER-BEAUQUESNE L, 1986

Les plantes dans la thérapeutique moderne. Paris, France : 2 éd. Ed. Maloine.

ALBERT PULEO M, 1980

Fennel and anise as estrogenic agents. J Ethnopharmacol 2(4):337-344.

HURTADO M, CARBALLO A, 1990

Las plantas medicinales TRAMIL en la farmacopea soviética. Centro de Investigaciones de Fitoterapia y Medicina Tradicional, Topes de Collantes, Cuba.

ALFONSO H, 1992

Evaluación de la toxicidad dérmica de Momordica charantia L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill y Cassia occidentalis L. en cobayos. Informe TRAMIL. Centro Nacional de Salud Animal CENSA, La Habana, Cuba.

MARTINEZ MJ, LOPEZ M, MOREJON Z, BOUCOURT E, FUENTES V, MORON F, 2007

Irritabilidad dérmica primaria del zumo de hojas frescas machacadas y exprimidas mediante gasa de Foeniculum vulgaris Mill. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, BOUCOURT E, FUENTES V, MORON F, 2005

Clases tóxicas agudas (CTA) de una decocción de hoja fresca de Foeniculum vulgare Miller. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

SHAH A, QURESHI S, AGEEL A, 1991

Toxicity studies in mice of ethanol extracts of Foeniculum vulgare fruit and Ruta chalepensis aerial parts. J Ethnopharmacol 34(2/3):167-172.

HUSSAIN RA, POVEDA LJ, PEZZUTO JM, SOEJARTO DD, KINGHORN AD,

1990

Sweetening agents of plant origin: phenylpropanoid constituents of seven sweettasting plants. Econ Bot 44(2):174-182.

SEETHARAM K, PASRICHA J, 1987

Condiments and contact dermatitis of the finger-tips. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 53(6):325-328.

ASSOCIATION SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, 1983

British herbal pharmacopœia. Bournemouth, England: British Herbal Medicine Association.

CARBALLO A, 1995

Cálculo de concentración y dosis de las drogas vegetales TRAMIL: Mensuraciones farmacognósticas y aproximaciones técnico-clínicas. Laboratorio provincial de producción de medicamentos, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Foeniculum vulgare

Vernacular names

Haiti:

Dominican Republic:

Haiti:

Cuba:

Dominican Republic:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Disclaimer