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This Month's Plant and Phytochemical

Anethum graveolens / Dill

Anethum graveolens; syn: Peucedanum graveolens

Dill

Anethum graveolens (Dill) belongs to the family of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), an aromatic herb with fern-like leaves and small yellow flowers. Anethum graveolens contains numerous phytochemicals including myristicin, apiol, dillapiole, dillapional, dill ether, neocnidilide furanocoumarin, oxypeucedanin, scopoletin, esculetin, bergapten, umbelliferone, quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucuronide, isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-glucuronide, kaempferol, vicenin, dillanoside, p-cymene, p-menth-2-ene-1,6-diol, 8-hydroxygeraniol, trans- and cis-dihydrocarvone, trans- and cis-carveol, limonene, d-dihydrocarveol, l-dihydrocarveol, alpha-phellandrene, beta-terpineol, terpinene-4-ol p-cymene, thymol, carvacrol, (+)-4S-R-phellandrene, nonan-1-ol (C9), nonal-2-ol, decaldehyde, and others. In traditional medicines, Anethum graveolens has been used as antioxidant, carminative, digestive, anti-colic, stimulant, lactagogue, anti-bacterial, anti-hyperlipidaemic and anti-hypercholesterolaemic agents. Dill may have been also used either as a regulatory agent of the menstrual cycle for women with irregular cycles or as an anti-fertility agent. In Oriental medicines, Anethum graveolens may have been used as carminative, digestive anti-colic, and stimulant drugs. In America, Anethum graveolens is mostly used as a culinary spice due to its carminative, digestive and other properties. Also, the essential oils and leaves of Anethum graveolens are used as spice and others due to their slightly amusing oily and musky aroma, minor pepperish taste and purported biological activities.

Myristicin

192

C11H12O3

Myristicin (methoxysafrole, 4-methoxy-6-(2-propenyl)-1,3-benzodioxole) is a phenolic compound belonging to a class of phenylpropenes, found prevalently in plants. For examples, myristicin is a aromatic compound found in several members of the carrot (Umbelliferae) and other families such as Daucus species, Myristica fragrans, Asarum heterotropoides, Ferula communis, Cosmos pringlei, Ocimum species, Syzygium aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Perilla frutescens, Pimpinella anisum, Pastinaca sativa, Petroselinum sativum, Ligusticum mutellina, Sassafras albidum, and Malmea depressa. In fact, myristicin is well known as a principal aromatic constituent in the oil and dried ripe seed of Myristica fragrans. In biosynthesis, phenylpropenes are apparently produced from phenylpropenoic acids via reduction, hydride and other processes as described previously. The well-known compounds related to myristicin are anethole, estragole, eugenol, isoeugenol, safrole, sarisan and elemicin. In biological activities, myristicin is believed to have aromatic, anti-inflammatory, sedative and slight psychological activities. However, some adverse effects have been reported related to the consumption of myristicin and plants containing the chemical.

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