title: Anthelmintic effects of the essential oil of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Apiaceae) against Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Apiaceae), known as fennel, is a widespread aromatic herbaceous plant, and its essential oil is used as additive in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and perfume industries. The in vitro antischistosomal activity and cytotoxic effects against V79 cells of the essential oil of F. vulgare cultivated in southeastern Brazil (FV-EO) was investigated. The FV-EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. (E)-Anethole (69.8%) and limonene (22.5%) were identified as the major constituents. Its anthelmintic activity against Schistosoma mansoni was evaluated at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 μg/ml, and it was found to be active against adult S. mansoni worms, although it was less effective than the positive control praziquantel (PZQ) in terms of separation of the coupled pairs, mortality, and decreased motor activity. However, FV-EO elicited an interesting dose-dependent reduction in the number of S. mansoni eggs. On their own, (E)-anethole and the limonene enantiomers were much less effective than FV-EO and PZQ. An XTT-cytotoxicity-based assay evidenced no FV-EO cytotoxicity against V79 cells. In summary, FV-EO displayed moderate in vitro schistosomicidal activity against adult S. mansoni worms, exerted remarkable inhibitory effects on the egg development, and was of low toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kamila A L
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathalya I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pollyanna F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Milton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Groppo
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ademar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: da Silva Filho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanderlei
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wilson R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lizandra G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil. millercrotti@ffclrp.usp.br.|Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil (fax: +55-16-36023868). millercrotti@ffclrp.usp.br.
authors.forename: Antônio E M
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Crotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D030001:Foeniculum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anethole; Cytotoxic activity; Essential oils; Foeniculum vulgare; Limonene; Praziquantel; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomicidal activity; V79 Cells