Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to the family Fabaceae. Fenugreek is used both as an herb (the leaves)
and as a spice (the seed). It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop.
The rhombic yellow to amber colored fenugreek seed, commonly called Methi is frequently used in the preparation
of pickles, curry powders and pastes, and is often encountered in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. The young
leaves and sprouts of fenugreek are eaten as greens and the fresh or dried leaves are used to flavor other dishes.
The dried leaves (called kasuri methi) have a bitter taste and a strong characteristic smell.
Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of the polysaccharide galactomannan. They are also a source of saponins such as
diosgenin, yamogenin, gitogenin, tigogenin, and neotigogens. Other bioactive constituents of fenugreek include
mucilage, volatile oils, and alkaloids such as choline and trigonelline.
Fenugreek is mainly used as digestive aid. It is ideal for treating sinus, lung congestion, reduces inflammation
and fights infection. Fenugreek seed is widely used as a galactagogue (milk producing agent) by nursing mothers
to increase inadequate breast milk supply. It has also been used to increase breast size.
Supplements of fenugreek seeds were shown to lower serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein in
human patients and experimental models of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyecridemia (Basch et al., 2003). Several
human intervention trials demonstrated that the antidiabetic effects of fenugreek seeds ameliorate most metabolic
symptoms associated with type-1 and type-2 diabetes in both humans and relevant animal models (Basch et al., 2003;
Srinivas, 2005). Fen is currently available commercially in encapsulated forms and is being prescribed as dietary
supplements for the control of hypercholesterolemia and diabetes by practitioners of complementary and alternative
medicine.
In recent research, fenugreek seeds were shown to protect against experimental cancers of the breast
(Amin et al., 2005) and colon (Raju et al., 2006). The hepatoprotective properties of fenugreek seeds have also
been reported in experimental models (Raju and Bird, 2006; Kaviarasan et al., 2006; Thirunavukarrasu et al., 2003).
