Fenugreek or methi dana and its benefits

Fenugreek (Trigonella feonum-graecum L.) is an annual, forage, dicotyledon leguminous crop that is commonly used as spice and herb. It is native of a region extending from Iran to Northern India, but now grown in China, North and East Africa, Ukraine and Greece. Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal plants recognized in recorded history; hence it is called “an old world” crop for the “new world”. It has bitter taste due to presence of alkaloids and oil component which are non toxic on consumption; however, defatted fenugreek seed are not bitter. Fenugreek genotypes differ in morphology, growth habit, biomass and seed production capability. The seed and to a lesser extent the leaves contain three very important component of significant medicinal importance namely, complex carbohydrates (Galactomannan), steroidal sapogenins (Diosgenin) and amino acid (Isoleucine), It also contain other components like lecithin and choline that help to dissolve cholesterol and fatty substance, mineral, B-complex, iron, phosphate, para-benzoic acid, vitamins A and D. The seed is also rich in dietary fiber.

                                The chemical constituents of this unique crop have therefore made it valuable as food and medicine. Aside the organoleptic properties, fenugreek is highly nutritious and could greatly impact health when used as forage crops as well as for human consumption. Fenugreek is known to have anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-neoplastic, gastroprotective ,hepatoprotective, hypercholesterolemic  and hypoglycemic properties due to its rich composition of phytochemicals.

Here are the few health benefits of FENUGREEK

1. Fenugreek seeds are rich in vitamin E and is one of the earliest spices known to man.as preservative and addes to pickles.

2. Fresh fenugreek leaves are beneficial in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence and a sluggish liver.

3. The dried leaves of the fenugreek is used as a quality flavour for meat, fish and vegetable dishes.

4. An infusion of the leaves is used as a gargle for recurrent mouth ulcers. A gargle made from the seeds is best for ordinary sore throat.

5. Fresh Fenugreek leaves paste applied over the scalp regularly before bath helps hair grow, preserves natural color, keeps hair silky and also cures dandruff.

6. Fenugreek seeds made in gruel, given to nursing mothers increase the flow of milk.

7. Topically, the gelatinous texture of fenugreek seed may have some benefit for soothing skin that is irritated by eczema or other conditions. It has also been applied as a warm poultice to relieve muscle aches and gout pain.

8. Fenugreek seeds reduces the amounts of calcium oxalate in the kidneys which often contributes to kidney stones. In animal studies, fenugreek appeared to lessen the chance of developing colon cancer by blocking the action of certain enzymes.

9. Traditional Chinese herbalists used it for kidney problems and conditions affecting the male reproductive tract.

10. Fenugreek is currently used as a source of the steroid diosgenin , one of its active constituents from which other steroids can be synthesized.

PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS OF FENUGREEK

Antidiabetic activity

Preliminary animal and human trials suggest possible hypoglycaemic and anti-hyperlipedemic properties of fenugreek seed powder taken orally. Fenugreek has been well known to be used as antidiabetic remedy for both type I and II diabetes and has been extensively used as a source of antidiabetic compounds, from its seeds, leaves and extracts in different model systems About 25-50 g fenugreek seeds were given to diabetic patients daily in diet to prevent and manage long term complications of diabetes and studies have been made about the glycemic index of fenugreek recipes which showed that the soluble fenugreek fiber has significantly reduced the glycemic index . 

                     On the other hand, water extract of fenugreek seeds has higher hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic potential and for this reason it may be used as a supplementary medicine to treat the diabetic population by significantly reducing the dose of standard drugs. Since fenugreek seeds are a source of protein, they can replace pulses in the diets of diabetics. 25-50 g fenugreek in the diet of diabetic patients (taken daily) can be an effective supportive therapy in the management of diabetes . The bioactive compounds with respect to diabetic conditions include the galactomannan-rich soluble fiber fraction of fenugreek which may be responsible for the antidiabetic activity of the seeds.

Antilipidemic activity

Fenugreek seeds have been shown to exhibit hypocholesterolemic effects, lowered serum cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein in hypercholesterolemia suffering patients and experimental models .In obesity suffering rats fenugreek consumption in diet reduced triglyceride accumulation in the liver while fecal bile acid and cholesterol excretion were increased by fenugreek administration. This may be secondary to a reaction between the bile acids and fenugreek-derived saponins causing the formation of micelles too large for the digestive tract to absorb.

Antioxidant activity

Fenugreek contains phenolic and flavonoid compounds which help to enhance its antioxidant capacity . It has been suggested that fenugreek has powerful antioxidant property that has beneficial effect on liver and pancreas; since antioxidant properties have been linked to health benefits of natural products; such properties are studied with germinated fenugreek seeds which are observed to be more beneficial than dried seeds because of the fact that germinated seed increases the bioavailability of different constituents of fenugreek. An aqueous fraction of fenugreek exhibits the highest antioxidant 

activity compared to other fractions and the quantity of phenolic and flavonoid compounds are related to antioxidant activity. Studies have revealed significant antioxidant activity in germinated fenugreek seeds which may be due to the presence of flavonoids and polyphenols. Furthermore, mustard and fenugreek seeds showed hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activity in diabetic mice and this may be due to the presence of antioxidant carotenoids in those spices.

Anticarcinogenic activity

Fenugreek is a promising protective medicinal herb for complementary therapy in cancer patients under chemotherapeutic interventions because fenugreek extract shows a protective effect by modifying the cyclophosphamide induced apoptosis and free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation in the urinary bladder of mice. Diosgenin is a crystalline steroid sapogenin found in fenugreek and used as a starting material for the synthesis of steroid hormones such as cortisone and progesterone. It has been found to be potentially important in treatment of cancer. It has the ability to prevent invasion, suppress proliferation and osteoclastogenesis through inhibition of necrosis factor.The seed powder in the diet due to the presence of fiber, flavonoids and saponins decreased the activity of β-glucuronidase significantly and prevented the free carcinogens from acting on colonocytes whereas mucinase helped in hydrolysing the protective mucin.

Anthelmintic Activity

Seeds of Trigonella Foenum-graecum showed mark and potent anthelmintic activity. Alcoholic extract had shown promising result as anthelmintic activity and water extracts has also shown activity up to lesser extent. There-fore an attempt has been made to evaluate anthelmin-tic activity of seeds on adult earthworm Pheritimapostuma.

Antibacterial activity

The seed extracts of Fenugreek were found more effective against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococus aureus.seeds were boiled in water to produce aqueous extracts.

Analgesic activity

The analgesic potential of Trigonella foenum –graecum (TFG) seeds in rats by using tail flick method in comparison to established analgesic drug diclofenac potassium (DIP, 10 mg/kg, p.o.). Successively extracted (aqueous and ethanol) extracts of TFG seeds were administered 1 h prior to pain induction in dose range of 50, 100 and 200mg/kg orally.

Immunomodulatory effect 

An agent that intensifies or diminishes the immune responses is known as immunomodulator and such effect is called as immunomodulatory effect. Immunomodulatory substance interferes with three basic areas of the immune responses directly or indirectly; the mucosal barrier function, the cellular defense function and the local or systemic inflammatory response. Research work in this effect of fenugreek is scanty but stimulatory immunomodulatory effect has been shown (as evidenced from body weight, relative thymus weight, cellularity of lymphoid organs, delayed type of hypersensitivity response, plaque formingcell assay, haemagglutination titre, quantitative haemolysis assay, phagocytosis, lymph proliferation and a significant increase in phagocytic index and phagocytic capacity of macrophages) of aqueous extract of fenugreek at three doses 50, 100 and 200 mg per kg of body weight for 10 days on the immune system of Swiss albino mice.

                       So fenugreek ( T.FOENUM GRAECUM) seeds are found easily in our kitchen we can take it easily in our daily diet and cure our diseases.T. foenum-graecum was found topossesses different activities such as Anticancer, Anti-Inflammatory, Antiseptic, Aphrodisiac, Astringent, Bitter, Demulcent, Emollient, Expectorant, Anthelmintic, Wound healing and Gastro protective. 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. flavonoids and amino acid,alkaloids, Other bioactive constituents of fenugreek include mucilage, volatile oils,some side effect also found in fenugreek seeds like as Fenugreek may increase the risk of bleeding, Fenugreek may reduce potassium levels in the blood, Numbness, facial swelling, breathing difficulty and fainting are likely a cause of an allergic reaction,Dizziness, diarrhea and gas when fenugreek is used at recommended doses Fenugreek may cause loose stools in some women, can produce uterine contractions , hypoglycemia in some mothers.

( Click to know about home remedies with fenugreek)