Foeniculum vulgare: A comprehensive review of its traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety

Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae) commonly known as fennel is a well known and important medicinal and aromatic plant widely used as carminative, digestive, lactogogue and diuretic and in treating respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. Its seeds are used as flavourings in baked goods, meat and fish dishes, ice cream, alcoholic beverages and herb mixtures. Phenols, phenolic glycosides and volatile aroma compounds such as trans-anethole, estragole and fenchone have been reported as the major phytoconstituents of this species. Different pharmacological experiments in a number of in vitro and in vivo models have convincingly demonstrated the ability of F. vulgare to exhibit antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, antithrombotic and hepatoprotective activities, lending support to the rationale behind several of its therapeutic uses. Phenolic compounds isolated from F. vulgare are considered to be responsible for its antioxidant activity while the volatile aroma compounds make it an excellent flavouring agent. The present review is an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the chemistry, pharmacology, traditional uses and safety of F. vulgare

Irigenin – an isoflavone: a brief study on structural and optical properties

Irigenin, an isoflavone (mol. formula = C18H16O8), was isolated from the plant Iris hookeriana using dichloromethane as solvent. The compound was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy measurements. Structural analysis of XRD data confirmed the orthorhombic structure for the compound. The microstructure of the compound is an aggregate of microcrystals with an irregular morphology. From the UV-visible spectroscopy, the present compound shows indirect allowed transition with an optical band gap (Eg) of around 3.25 eV. The present optical properties of the compound can be utilized in flexible organic electronics applications

Immunomodulatory effect of bergenin and norbergenin against adjuvant-induced arthritis—A flow cytometric study

Bergenin (1), a C-glycoside of 4-O-methyl gallic acid, isolated from rhizomes of Bergenia stracheyi (Saxifragaceae) and its O-demethylated derivative norbergenin (2), prepared from 1, are reported to show anti-arthritic activity through possible modulation of Th1/Th2 cytokine balance.Flow cytometric study showed that the oral administration of 1 and 2 at doses of 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg per oral dose inhibit the production of proinflammatory Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-� and TNF-�) while as potentiate anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) in the peripheral blood of adjuvant-induced arthritic balb/c mice. This shows the potential Th1/Th2 cytokine balancing activity of 1 and 2 which is strongly correlated with their anti-arthritic activity. At similar dose levels, the effect of 2 was found to be more than that of 1. The oral LD0 for 1 and 2 was more than 2000 mg/kg body weight of the mice

Irigenin – an isoflavone: a brief study on structural and optical properties

Irigenin, an isoflavone (mol. formula = C18H16O8), was isolated from the plant Iris hookeriana using dichloromethane as solvent. The compound was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy measurements. Structural analysis of XRD data confirmed the orthorhombic structure for the compound. The microstructure of the compound is an aggregate of microcrystals with an irregular morphology. From the UV-visible spectroscopy, the present compound shows indirect allowed transition with an optical band gap (Eg) of around 3.25 eV. The present optical properties of the compound can be utilized in flexible organic electronics applications