BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FENNEL (Ferula communis L. DIFFERENT PARTS THROUGH THEIR ESSENTIAL OILS, FATTY ACIDS AND PHENOLICS

The intention of this study was to compare the different parts of Tunisian Ferula communis via their fatty acids, essential oils and phenolic compounds. Results showed that the lipid fraction of fruits and leaves was characterized by the predominance of oleic acid. Erucic and linoleic acids were the most abundant in stems while linoleic and palmitic acids in flowers. F. communis essential oils were defined by four chemotypes, namely isoshyobunone/6-tert-butyl-4-methylcoumarin in stems; alpha-eudesmol/caryophyllene oxide in leaves; caryophyllene/myrcene in flowers and alpha-gurjunene/hexadecanoic acid in fruits. So, oxygenated sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons represented the major classes of stem essential oil. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were the predominant classes of leaves and flowers. Fruit essential oil was predominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Resorcinol and ferulic acid were the main phenolic compounds in flowers but chlorogenic and ferulic acides in leaves. Stems were rich in ferulic acid and quercetin while leaves in coumarin and tannic acid. Besides to the high variability among F. communis parts, this plant contained high amounts of bioactive compounds with various health benefits attributed to their antioxidant potential.

Automated summary

The study aimed to compare the composition of fatty acids, essential oils, and phenolic compounds in different parts of Tunisian Ferula communis. Results showed a high variability in the content of bioactive compounds among the plant parts, with leaves and fruits rich in fatty acids while flowers and stems containing different types of compounds.