The Effect Foeniculum vulgare Mill (Fennel) Essential Oil on Blood Glucose in Rats

Foeniculum vulgare Mill belongs to the Umbelliferae family and is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses. The medicinal parts of the plant are the oil, the dried ripe fruit and the seeds. The objective of the study is to comparison the water-distilled essential oil of Iranian Foeniculum vulgare Mill seeds (Fennel) and Estradiol valerate for hypoglycaemic activities in rats. After oil analysis by GC, 5 components were identified in the oil. Among them, trans-anethole (72.67%) was the major component. Healthy female albino rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals each including sham operated (control), animals receiving Foeniculum vulgare Mill essential oil (FEO 250, 500 mg kg-1) and estradiol valerate (5 mg kg-1) for 28 days. The findings showed that Foeniculum vulgare Mill essential oil (250 mg kg-1) reduce blood glucose even more than essential oil 500 mg kg-1 and Estradiol. Therefore, Foeniculum vulgare Mill has estrogenic activity on blood glucose level and this effect is dependent to dose. Also, can suggest that effect of essential oil on blood glucose level is due to trans-anethole.