Secondary metabolites and pharmacology of Foeniculum vulgare Mill

ABSTRACT From hexane extract of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Subsp. piperitum the fatty acids, hydrocarbons and sterols were identified. The furocoumarins imperatorin, psoralen, bergapten, xanthotoxin and isopimpinellin were isolated from the methylene chloride extract. The flavonoids isorhamnetin 3-O-α-rhamnoside, quercetin and kaempferol were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract, whereas quercetin 3-Orutinoside, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and quercetin 3-O-β-glucoside were isolated from the methanol extract. The crude hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of this plant showed antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity