Abstract
Foeniculum vulgare is a medicinal plant used in Moroccan folk medicine to treat several diseases such as diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic bioactive compounds and to evaluate the antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of Foeniculum vulgare leaf and rootstock extracts. Phenolic compounds of F. vulgare rootstock and leaf extracts were determined using HPLC-DAD-QTOFMS analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radicals. Moreover, the in vitro antihyperglycemic effects were tested by measuring the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. HPLC-DAD-QTOFMS analysis identified thirty-two phenolic components in both leaf and rootstock extracts. Caffeic acid, quinic acid, and chlorogenic acid were the major compounds of F. vulgare leaf extract (FVLE), while the main compound of F. vulgare rootstock extracts (FVRE) was quinic acid. In the DPPH assay, F. vulgare leaf extract showed important antioxidant activity (IC50 = 12.16 ± 0.02 μg/mL) than F. vulgare rootstock extract (IC50 = 34.36 ± 0.09 μg/mL). Moreover, fennel leaf extracts revealed also the most powerful antioxidant activity (IC50 = 22.95 ± 0.4 μg/mL) in the ABTS assay. The in vitro antihyperglycemic activity showed that F. vulgare rootstock extract exhibited a remarkable inhibitory capacity (IC50 = 194.30 ± 4.8 μg/mL) of α-amylase compared with F. vulgare leaf extract (IC50 = 1026.50 ± 6.5 μg/mL). Furthermore, the inhibition of α-glucosidase was more importantly with F. vulgare rootstock (IC50 of 165.90 ± 1.2 μg/mL) than F. vulgare leaf extracts (203.80 ± 1.3 μg/mL). The funding of this study showed that F. vulgare rootstock and leaf extracts presented several phenolic compounds and showed important antioxidant and antidiabetic effects. We suggest that the identified molecules are responsible for the obtained activities. However, further studies focusing on the isolation and the determination of antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of F. vulgare rootstock and leaf main compounds are required.
Highlights
Recourse to the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has been common since antiquity [1, 2]. e low risk of side effects allows them to be considered a good alternative to synthesized products [3, 4]
It is used in traditional medicine to cure a variety of diseases, and its fruits were used as culinary spices [16]. e objective of the present study is to identify the phenolic composition of aqueous extracts prepared from F. vulgare leaves and rootstocks and to evaluate their in vitro antihyperglycemic and antioxidant properties
Malic acid was more elevated in F. vulgare rootstock extracts (FVRE) extract (4273.43 ± 213.67 μg/mg extract) compared with F. vulgare leaf extract (FVLE) extracts
Summary
Recourse to the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has been common since antiquity [1, 2]. e low risk of side effects allows them to be considered a good alternative to synthesized products [3, 4]. Recourse to the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has been common since antiquity [1, 2]. E antidiabetic properties of these plants are attributed to the presence of certain chemical compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids [10]. This activity may depend on several mechanisms aimed at stimulating the secretion of insulin by β-cells, the reduction of insulin resistance, the prevention against oxidative stress, and the inhibition of sugar digestive enzymes especially α-glucosidase and α-amylase [11,12,13]. It is used in traditional medicine to cure a variety of diseases, and its fruits were used as culinary spices [16]. e objective of the present study is to identify the phenolic composition of aqueous extracts prepared from F. vulgare leaves and rootstocks and to evaluate their in vitro antihyperglycemic and antioxidant properties
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