Medicinal properties of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Komorač (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) je ljekovita aromatična, višegodišnja, zeljasta biljka svrstana u porodicu štitarki Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). Predstavlja jednu od najstarijih poznatih ljekovitih biljaka, čije blagodati su u tradicionalnoj narodnoj medicini koristili Egipćani, Grci i Rimljani još u Antičko doba, pri prevenciji i liječenju raznih zdravstvenih tegoba i oboljenja, bilo u svježem stanju kao namirnicu ili osušenom za spravljanje čajeva. Po svom kemijskom sastavu predstavlja biljku bogatu ugljikohidratima, šećerima, masnim kiselinama, vitaminima A, C, kompleksom vitamina B, te mineralnim sastavom među kojima se ističu kalij, kalcij, magnezij, željezo, fosfor i cink. Suvremena farmakopeja priznaje kultivare Foeniculum vulgare ssp. capillaceum var. vulgare i Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce, zbog ugodnog slatkastog okusa ploda i povoljnog sadržaja trans- anetola, estragola i fenhona, koji su najzastupljenije sastavnice eteričnog ulja komorača. Posebnost ljekovitosti komorača očituje se u njegovom visokom ukupnom sadržaju fitotvari flavonoida, fenola, masnih kiselina i hlapljivih sastojaka, čija koncentracija je najviše izražena u eteričnim uljima i ekstraktima. Komorač je izvrstan diuretik, posjeduje antioksidativna, analgetska, protuupalna, hepatoprotektivna i antitumorska svojstva, te povoljno djeluje na rad gastro intestinalnog i dišnog sustava ljudi.Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is a medical aromatic, perennial, herbaceous plant classified in family of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). It represents one of the oldest known medical plants. In people's medicine, fennel's benefits were used by Egyptians, Greeks and Romans even in Ancient time, in prevention and treatment of various medical problems and diseases, whether as a fresh grocery or dried for making tea. By its chemical characteristic it represents plant full of carbohydrates, sugar, fat acids, vitamin A, C, complex of vitamin B and mineral structure, where potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphor and zinc stand out. Modern pharmacopoeia acknowledges cultivars Foeniculum vulgare ssp. capillaceum var. vulgare and Foeniculum vulgare var. Dulce because of its pleasant and sweet flavour of fruit and its favourable substance trans- anethol, estragol and fenchon, which are most represented elements of fennel essential oils. Speciality of curative properties of fennel manifests in its high overall composition in phytosubstances such as flavonoids, phenols, fatty acids and volatile compounds, whose content is mostly expressed in essential oils and extracts. Fennel is an excellent diuretic, possesses antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and antitumor properties and it also favourably affects gastro intestinal and respiratory system functioning