Systematic evaluation of the antioxidant potential of different parts of Foeniculumvulgare Mill. from Portugal.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is a widespread perennial umbeliferous (Apiaceae) herb, traditionally used for medicinal purposes and human consumption. It is highly recommended for diabetes, bronchitis and chronic coughs, and for the treatment of kidney stones; some of those chronic diseases are related to the production of radical species involved in the oxidative stress. Therefore, the antioxidant potential of this herb might explain some of their empirical uses in folk medicine. This is the first time that a systematic study on different parts of fennel is performed, in order to understand differences in the antioxidant potential of shoots, leaves, steams, and inflorescences, particularly related to their composition in antioxidant compounds such as vitamins (ascorbic acid and tocopherols) and phenolics. The shoots seems to have the highest radical-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (EC(50) values<1.4 mg/ml), which is in agreement with the highest content in phenolics (65.85+/-0.74 mg/g) and ascorbic acid (570.89+/-0.01 microg/g) found in this part. The shoots also revealed high concentration of tocopherols (34.54+/-1.28 microg/g) and were the only part with flavonoids.
Barros
Lillian
L
Centro de Investigação de Montanha, ESA, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
Heleno
Sandrina A
SA
Carvalho
Ana Maria
AM
Ferreira
Isabel C F R
IC
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D030001:Foeniculum / Q000737:chemistry*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011174:Portugal; D013552:Swine; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000032:analysis
D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D024505:Tocopherols