Abstract

The potential health benefits of Foeniculum vulgare (FV), commonly known as fennel, is related to the treatment of cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, carminative, diuretic, etc. The present study was carried out to evaluate F. vulgare plant as new source of natural bioactive molecules having antioxidant potential and DNA damage protection activity caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Among ethanol, methanol, hexane, chloroform, butanol, acetone and aqueous extracts, ethanol extract of mature F. vulgare plant leaf showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC; 44.11 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g) and the lowest inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) (1.95 mg/ml), superoxide anion radical scavenging activity (SARSA) (7.02 mg/ml) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (23.53 mg/ml). Methanol and hexane extracts had the lowest IC₅₀ for lipid peroxidation (LPO) (9.68 mg/ml) and ferric thiocyanate assay (FTC) (0.92 mg/ml), respectively. Ethanol extracts showed the highest reducing power (RP, 1.22 ascorbic acid equivalent (ASE)/ml) proving itself to be the best solvent. In further studies, the antioxidant activity at early and mature stages of plant was compared. Ethanol extract of mature F. vulgare leaf had the highest TPC and maximum percentage inhibition for FRSA, SARSA, RP, LPO, FTC, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and had maximum protection against  DNA damage in pBR322 plasmid. Results showed that F. vulgare is a rich source of many biomolecules having antioxidant activities and showed potential utility of mature plant for use in herbal drug system or as nutritional supplement.

Key words: Total phenolic content, antioxidant, reducing power, herbal drug.