Investigation on Chemical Constituents of Foeniculum vulgare Essential Oil and the Molecular Docking Studies of its Components for Possible Matrix Metalloproteinase-۱۳ Inhibition

Background: Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) has a wide range of applications. Previous studies revealed thepresence of different compounds in the essential oil (EO) of fennel fruit (FF). Matrix metalloproteinase-۱۳(MMP-۱۳) participates in several human biological processes including the degradation of extracellularmatrix proteins, activation or degradation of some significant regulatory proteins, and tumor cellinvasion. Furthermore, the up-regulation of MMP-۱۳ is associated with many disorders such as toothcaries and periodontitis, as well as the degradation of enamel and tissues around the implant andAlzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to investigate the compounds of theEO of FF (EOFF) from the Hamedan district, along with performing molecular docking analysis to assessthe binding affinity of four compounds originated from F. vulgare with the MMP-۱۳. Finally, the studyfocused on evaluating the pharmacokinetic and toxicity characteristics of the compounds.Methods: Hydrodistillation method was used for obtaining the EO from FF. Then, gas chromatographymassspectrometry was applied to identify the components of the EO. Molecular docking analysis wascarried out using AutoDock software. Eventually, the pharmacokinetic and toxicity features of compoundswere evaluated using bioinformatics webservers.Results: The results revealed the presence of fourteen compounds, among which e-anethole (۸۶.۸۶%),fenchone (۷۴۳%), estragole (۱۶۵%), and thymol (۱.۲۱%) were the main components. Based on theresults, thymol, fenchone, e-anethole, and estragole could potentially bind to the MMP-۱۳ active site,respectively.Conclusion: Regardless of several studies on the chemical constituents of EOFF, the subject has its ownpharmacognostical importance. According to computational studies, EOFF has the potential for study onseveral human disorders such as cancer, tooth decay, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Keywords:

Foeniculum vulgare , Essential oil , Alzheimer’s disease , Bioinformatics , Docking , Matrix metalloproteinase-۱۳