[Chemical composition of essential oil obtained from Romanian fennel fruits].

For therapeutical purposes, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), an important aromatic plant, is used for its expectorant, antispasmodic, carminative and diuretic properties. The chemical composition, especially of the volatile fraction, depends on the origin of the plant, and the ecological and environmental conditions in which it grows. To determine the chemical composition of the volatile fractions obtained from fennel fruits (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) available on the Romanian market. The essential oils obtained from dried fruits by hydrodistillation have been characterized by using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). In all oils, the main components were: trans-anethole (9.72-56.57%), fenchone (7.72-34.66%) and estragole (4.69-49.04%). The essential oil from fennel samples showed an inadequate chemical profile for aromatherapy purposes.