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Fructus Foeniculi
respiratory and urinary tract infections (14). As an aphrodisiac, anthelminthic,
emmenagogue, galactagogue and vermicide (14, 27, 28).
Pharmacology
Experimental pharmacology
Analgesic and antipyretic activities
Intragastric administration of 500 mg/kg body weight (bw) of a 95% ethanol
extract of Fructus Foeniculi to mice reduced the perception of pain
as measured in the hot-plate test, and decreased yeast-induced pyrexia
(29). Intragastric administration of 500.0 mg/kg bw of a 95% ethanol extract
of the fruits to rats had significant (P < 0.05) analgesic activity in the
hot-plate reaction test (30). In mice with yeast-induced pyrexia, treatment
with 500.0 mg/kg bw of the same extract reduced rectal temperature from
36.5 ºC to 34.7 ºC 90 minutes after administration (30).
Antimicrobial activity
An essential oil from the fruits inhibited the growth of Alternaria species,
Aspergillus flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger, Cladosporium herbarum, Cunninghamella
echinulata, Helminthosporium saccharii, Microsporum gypseum,
Mucor mucedo, Penicillium digitatum, Rhizopus nigricans, Trichophyton
roseum and T. rubrum in vitro (31, 32). In another study, an
essential oil was not active against Aspergillus species in vitro but a methanol
extract of the fruits inhibited the growth of Helicobacter pylori (the
bacterium associated with gastritis and peptic ulcer disease) in vitro, minimum
inhibitory concentration 50.0 µg/ml (33). An essential oil from the
fruits inhibited the growth of Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Lentinus
lepideus, Lenzites trabea, Polyporus versicolor, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and Staphylococcus aureus (34), and Kloeckera apiculata, Rhodotorula
rubra and Torulopsis glabrata (35) in vitro. An ethyl acetate extract of the
seeds inhibited the growth of Shigella flexneri (36), and an 80% ethanol
extract of the seeds inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis and
Salmonella typhi at concentrations of 250.0 µg/ml in vitro (37).
Antispasmodic activity
An ethanol extract of the fruits, 2.5–10.0 ml/l, 1 part fruits:3.5 parts 31%
ethanol, inhibited acetylcholine- and histamine-induced guinea-pig ileal
contractions in vitro (23). An essential oil from the fruits reduced intestinal
spasms in mouse intestine, and was 26% as active as papaverine (38). Intragastric
administration of 2.0–3.0 g/kg bw of an infusion of the fruits to cats
inhibited acetylcholine- and histamine-induced ileum spasms by 50% (39).
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