The (un)known herb – fennel

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) was one of the basic herbs used in traditional medicine. Nowadays, it is also a promising therapeutic factor in the treatment of many diseases. The plant is ascribed to have antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, diuretic, expectorant, antidepressant, antianxiety, anticancer, anti-inflammatory as well as antispasmodic effects. Due to the following properties, fennel potentially is able to play an important role in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, respiratory diseases (acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, adult respiratory distress syndrome ARDS), depression and anxiety disorder, cancer, functional bowel disorders, hematological disorders as well as autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis). The properties of the Foeniculum vulgare are ascribed to the phenolic acids, flavonoids, anethole and selenium nanoparticles implicit in the plant. The aim of the present review is to systematize a certain area of knowledge about the possible applications of fennel and the suggested medical potential of the herb. The article is an attempt to do research and confront information contained in available scientific publications.