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Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop

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Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual forage legume and a traditional spice and aromatic crop that has been grown for centuries across the Indian subcontinent. In addition to South Asia, the crop is also grown in some parts of North Africa, Middle East, Mediterranean Europe, China, South East (SE) Asia, Australia, the USA, Argentina and Canada. The plant has been used traditionally in Indian Ayurvedic medicines as well as in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medication for several centuries. Modern research has also demonstrated that fenugreek seed and leaves are useful in the treatment of a number of diseases including successfully reducing blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels in both animals and humans. The plant has recently attracted great interest in the pharmaceutical , nutraceutical and functional food industries due to its rich medicinal properties.
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Chapter 12
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An
Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
Peiman Zandi, Saikat Kumar Basu, William Cetzal-Ix,
Mojtaba Kordrostami,
Shahram Khademi Chalaras and
Leila Bazrkar Khatibai
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
Provisional chapter
© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An
Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
Peiman Zandi, Saikat Kumar Basu, William
Cetzal-Ix, Mojtaba Kordrostami, Shahram
Khademi Chalaras and Leila Bazrkar Khatibai
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
Abstract
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual forage legume and a traditional
spice and aromatic crop that has been grown for centuries across the Indian subcontinent.
In addition to South Asia, the crop is also grown in some parts of North Africa, Middle
East, Mediterranean Europe, China, South East (SE) Asia, Australia, the USA, Argentina
and Canada. The plant has been used traditionally in Indian Ayurvedic medicines as well
as in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medication for several centuries. Modern research
has also demonstrated that fenugreek seed and leaves are useful in the treatment of a num-
ber of diseases including successfully reducing blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels
in both animals and humans. The plant has recently aracted great interest in the pharma-
ceutical, nutraceutical and functional food industries due to its rich medicinal properties.
Keywords: fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, spice, medicinal, aromatic, legume, crop
1. Introduction
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual forage legume and a traditional spice
crop that has been grown for centuries across the Indian subcontinent [13]. In addition to
South Asia the crop is also grown in some parts of North Africa, Middle East, Mediterranean
Europe, China, South East (SE) Asia, Australia, the USA, Argentina and Canada. India is the
largest fenugreek producer in the world but due to high internal consumption do not have a
major share of the global fenugreek trade [13]. The crop has been recommended for the dry
and semiarid regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America [4]. The plant has been used tradition-
ally in Indian Ayurvedic medicines as well as in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medication
© 2017 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
for several centuries. Modern research has also demonstrated that fenugreek seed and leaves
are useful in the treatment of a number of diseases including successfully reducing blood sugar
and blood cholesterol levels in both animals and human subjects in experimental trials [5]. The
crop has the potential to act as a panacea in treatment of diabetic, microbial and cancer disease.
The reason behind the rich medicinal properties of fenugreek is due to the presence of a wide
diversity of important phytochemicals (diosgenin, trigonelline, fenugreekine, galactomannan
and 4-hydroxy isoleucine [4]. Hence, the crop has huge international demand in the associated
pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and functional food industries. Being known as a chemurgic
crop, fenugreek has a widespread adoption in industrial sectors. Its seeds contain a reliable
source of steroid diosgenin, which acts as a supplement in pharmaceutical industry [6].
Furthermore, being a forage legume and a natural nitrogen xer, it could be easily incor-
porated in the local crop cycles (short-term rotation) for natural replenishment of soil, for
xation of nitrogen and for feeding the livestock as hay or silage (Figure 1). The crop grows
well under rainfed conditions and hence cost of production is lower compared to other com-
mercial crops suitable for semiarid regions.
Fenugreek is also well known as a global spice crop grown in all the major continents
(depending on soil and climatic conditions) across the globe including parts of North Africa,
Mediterranean Europe, Russia, Middle East, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, parts
of Far East and SE Asia, Australia, the USA, Canada and Argentina [7, 8]. India once main-
tained and still holds the largest fenugreek harvested area in the world [5].
Figure 1. Fenugreek crop in dierent growth stages (fenugreek seed, seed germination, seedling growth, vegetative-
immature and reproductive growth stages of stem formation, podding and physiological ripeness-mature (Image credit:
S.K. Basu).
Active Ingredients from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants208
The crop has been recommended for agricultural production in the dry and semiarid localities
of the continents of Asia, Africa and Latin America [3 4, 9, 10]. The plant has been used exten-
sively for centuries as a traditional forage crop in several ancient civilizations across Eurasia.
Fenugreek has been reported to be used as an important medicinal herb in Indian Ayurvedic
medicinal practices as well in traditional Chinese medication and Tibetan medicines for the
treatment of several diseases in humans and also in animals. Ancient Islamic scholars and
physicians have also recorded the use of fenugreek in traditional Islamic medicinal practices
in ancient texts and scriptures [9]. Modern clinical trials have also established without doubt
the ecacy of this medicinal herb in the treatment of several human and animal diseases
[5, 8, 11]. Relative frequencies of the major well-known accessions of fenugreek which are
produced all over the world are listed out in Table 1 [1].
Origin Number of reported
fenugreek accessions
Relative
frequency (%)
Average forage production 1961–2013
(tone/acre) per country
Afghanistan 27 2.48 >550,682
Algeria 2 0.18 3,835,860
Australia 7 0.64 2,868,759
Austria 1 0.09 1,539,297
Azerbaijan 1 0.09 624,045
Canada 54 4.95 >550,682
China 44 4.04 51,489,483
Egypt 16 1.47 >550,682
England 17 1.56 >550,682
Eritrea 1 0.09 >550,682
Ethiopia 152 13.94 >550,682
France 3 0.28 >550,682
Germany 4 0.37 7,445,345
Greece 6 0.55 >550,682
Hungary 3 0.28 >550,682
India 401 36.79 91,881,132
Iran 46 4.22 2,653,431
Iraq 7 0.64 230,685
Israel 3 0.28 >550,682
Italy 4 0.37 9,906,660
Jordan 5 0.46 30,439
Kenya 1 0.09 >550,682
Libya 5 0.46 573,678
Morocco 5 0.46 1,694,057
Nepal 2 0.18 >550,682
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
209
2. Medicinal properties and chemical constituents
Fenugreek leaves and seed are known to have major medicinal properties and have been
reported to signicantly reduce both blood glucose and cholesterol levels in human and ani-
mal subjects in clinical trials around the world [1]. Fenugreek is therefore highly sought after
as a chemurgic crop in the local, regional and international pharmaceutical, nutraceutical
and functional food industries and markets as a medicinal herb [12]. Fenugreek seed and
leaves are a rich source of a wide diversity of medicinally rich phytochemicals like steroi-
dal saponins (diosgenin), fenugreekine (alkaloid), galactomannan (carbohydrate), 4-hydroxy
isoleucine (amino acid) among several others [4, 7, 11, 12]. More specically, fenugreek seed
itself contain carbohydrates (45–60%) as in mucilaginous ber (galactomannans), proteins
(20–30%) enriched in tryptophan and lysine, lipids (5–10%) or xed oil, alkaloids of pyri-
dine type (0.2–0.38%) as in trigonelline; choline (0.5%), and other materials including carpa-
ine and gentianine, avonoids (apigenin, luteolin, orientin, quercetin, vitexin and isovitexin)
and 4-hydroxyisoleucine (0.09%), lysine and histidine, arginine, calcium and iron, saponins
Origin Number of reported
fenugreek accessions
Relative
frequency (%)
Average forage production 1961–2013
(tone/acre) per country
Oman 77 7.06 >550,682
Pakistan 41 3.76 13,819
Poland 2 0.18 7,142,332
Portugal 1 0.09 6,894,828
Romania 15 1.38 694,961
Russia 3 0.28 10,701,727
Slovenia 4 0.37 86,966
South Africa 1 0.09 >550,682
Spain 8 0.73 163,784
Sudan 10 0.92 1,187,407
Sweden 3 0.28 >550,682
Swierland 2 0.18 3,218,208
Syria 15 1.38 33,113
Taiwan 1 0.09 >550,682
Tunisia 42 3.85 >550,682
Turkey 40 3.67 >550,682
Turkmenistan 1 0.09 >550,682
U.S.A. 3 0.28 >550,682
Ukraine 1 0.09 475,316
Yemen 3 0.28 92,026
Table 1. Origin, number of registered and relative frequency of fenugreek crop distributed across the given countries.
Active Ingredients from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants210
(0.6–1.7%), glycosides such as, yamogenin, tigogenin, neotigogenin and diosgenin (generating
steroidal sapogenins on hydrolysis); and sitosterol and cholesterol, vitamins (A, B1, C) and
nicotinic acid; n-alkanes and sesquiterpenes (0.015%) known as volatile oils [6]. Fenugreek has
been also reported to be rich in antioxidant [13] and antimicrobial properties [14].
3. Agronomy
Agronomic production of fenugreek crop has been well studied and reported in arid and
semiarid regions of the world and has been well documented in primary literature [1517].
Climatic and edaphic environmental (external condition) factors as well as genetic makeup
(internal condition) are greatly accounted for metabolic processes in fenugreek crop [18]. It
is also believed that the regulation of yield potential in fenugreek is feasible through either
breeding programs or modication of cultural treatments [18, 19]. Fenugreek crop growth has
been found to be signicantly increased by the application of phosphate fertilizer [20]. The
plant has indeterminate growth habit and hence mutant population generated through physi-
cal and chemical mutating agents have been reported to be successful in generating plants
with determinate and fast growing habits [11, 21]. The crop has been found to be aacked by
several biological agents like insects, fungi, bacteria and non-biological diseases like micronu-
trient deciency, ooding, salinity, stagnant water [2224].
4. Species, names, origin and distribution
There are noticeable discrepancies in the range of reported species of fenugreek (around 70–97)
in the literature [2529]; however, older taxonomies like Linnaeus have explicitly accentuated
on the existence of 260 species [1]. Across the mentioned species of fenugreek, the follow-
ing are mostly celebrated as for their medicinal and pharmaceutical properties [1]: T. foenum-
graecum, T. balansae, T. corniculata, T. maritima, T. spicata, T. occulta, T. polycerata, T. calliceras, T.
cretica, T. caerulea, T. lilacina, T. radiata, T. spinosa. Among which T. foenum-graecum is widely
cultivated throughout the world [30]. The genus name, Trigonella meaning ‘lile triangle’
resemble the triangular shape of its small yellowish-white owers. The species name foenum-
graecum meaning ‘Greek hay’ in reference to its initial introgression from Greece [1]. To date
dierent indigenous names have been ascribing to the plant depending on the nations, local
language and culture on which the crop is grown and/or consumed. For instance, fenugreek in
Arabic is called Hulba; in Persian called Shanbalilae; in Greek called Tili, Tipilina, Trigoniskos,
Tintelis, Tsimeni and Moschositaro; in Uzbekistani called Boidana, Ul’ba and Khul’ba; in
Armenian called Shambala; in Chinese called K’u-Tou; in Ethiopian called Abish; in Japanese
called Koroba; in England called fenugreek or Fenigrec; in Pakistani and Indian called Methi;
in Italian called Fieno Greco; in Russian called Pazhitnik; and in French called Senegre [30, 31].
Fenugreek is an ancient and multipurpose crop in various geographical latitudes. Species of
fenugreek have been identied in the ve continents of Asia, Africa, Europa and Australia;
being cultivated mostly in North America, West and South Asia, Australia, Russia, Meddle
East, North West of Africa. Potential areas for fenugreek production are parts of South East
Asia, Japan, Central Asia (Mongolia), wide parts of Africa and South America (Figure 2).
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
211
Figure 2. Illustrative map of word (A, B) showing currently grown and potential areas of fenugreek production.
Active Ingredients from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants212
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
213
example, some T. corniculata species do not contain B chromosome, while the other species
have this chromosome. For instance, Singh [47] and Singh and Singh [42] examined T. cornicu-
lata in some regions of India and did not observe B chromosomes in it, while Lakshmi et al.
[48] reported that T. corniculata contained two types of pollen mother cells: one with 2n = 16
and the other with 2n = 16+ B chromosomes.
6. Molecular genetic diversity
Knowledge of genetic diversity among plants can help to provide benecial information in
the selection of breeding materials for hybridization programs and mapping quantitative trait
loci [49]. Review of literatures show that using DNA markers for investigating the genetic
diversity of fenugreek does not have a long history in the world. Dangi et al. [50] studied
the genetic diversity of two dierent species of fenugreek (T. caerulea and T. foenum-graecum)
using Random Amplication of Polymorphic DNA’ (RAPD) and Inter Simple -Sequence
Repeats (ISSR) markers and showed that the genetic diversity in T. caerulea was much more
than the other species. They also recommended the using of these two methods for grouping
the genotypes and determine the genetic relationship among them.
Sundaram and Purwar [51] evaluated genetic diversity and species relation among two taxo-
nomically Trigonella species and 61 accession using 18 RAPD primers. These primers made
a total of 141 bands of which 74 were polymorphic. Genetic similarity of the genotypes
ranged between 0.66 and 0.90, indicating a moderate to high genetic diversity among the
populations. The dendrogram obtained from RAPD primers revealed two main clusters.
Each cluster had two separate subgroups. This investigation showed that RAPD marker
is a useful tool for the evaluation of genetic diversity and relationship among dierent
Trigonella species.
Kumar et al. [52] investigated the genetic diversity of ve common fenugreek varieties of India
using nine RAPD and seven uorescently labeled amplied fragment length polymorphism
(AFLP) primers. These RAPD primers produced a total of 47 bands in the size range of 200–
5000 bp with an average polymorphism of 62.4%. AFLP marker produced a total of 669 bands
in the size range of 50–538 bp. The results revealed that RAPD markers were more polymorphic
than AFLP markers where the reproducibility of AFLP markers was more than RAPD markers.
Ahari et al. [53] assessed the genetic diversity among and within 20 Iranian fenugreek landra-
ces using AFLP markers. Five AFLP primers combinations used in this study produced a total
of 147 bands within the molecular weights ranging from 50 to 500 base pairs of which 87%
were polymorphic. The results of polymorphism information content (PIC) showed that there
was a high polymorphism existed among Kashan (0.79), Broojerd and Kashan (to 0.93) land-
races, which shows the moderate and high genetic diversity among these populations. These
results demonstrated high eciency of AFLP markers for investigation the genetic diversity
among Iranian fenugreek populations.
Haliem and Al-Huqail [54] investigated the correlation between biochemical characteris-
tics such as acid phosphatase, and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase isozymes, and
amino acid composition and molecular variations of seven wild T. foenum-graecum L.
Active Ingredients from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants214
accessions using RAPD markers. The molecular analysis revealed that RAPD markers
were highly polymorphic (94.12%) and can be used in the differentiation of the genotypes
effectively.
Al-Maamari et al. [55] investigated the genetic relationship of 20 Omani fenugreek accessions
and compare their relationship with four accessions from Iraq and Pakistan using 6 AFLP
primer combinations. A total of 1852 polymorphic loci were produced from these combina-
tions. A high level of genetic diversity (H) was found in Omani populations (0.2146) compared
to Pakistani (0.0844) and Iraqi (0.1620) populations. They concluded that the average level of
genetic variation among fenugreek populations shows their long history of cultivation and
frequent exchange of fenugreek genetic material among regions in Oman.
Hora et al. [56] studied the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of dierent varieties of
fenugreek (eight varieties and six populations) collected from northern India using RAPD
and ISSR markers. The high similarity coecient values suggested a diverse genetic diver-
sity in fenugreek populations in India. They concluded that these two molecular markers
(RAPD and ISSR) can be used eectively to evaluate genetic diversity and assess genetic
relationship.
7. Mutation breeding
Fenugreek becomes more important economically, agronomically and environmentally, day-
to-day all over the world. In recent years, revealing the nutritional and medicinal value of
fenugreek, its low soil expectations, and a relatively broad adaptation to the dierent regions,
the scope of its cultivation spread from America to India [7, 30, 57]. For example, this plant has
been called as a new species in Canada. There are few fenugreek genotypes that are adapted
to the climatic conditions of western Canada. In such cases, mutation breeding can be used to
generate new genetic variation in an existing gene pool for a certain trait [58]. Such a mutation
breeding can be used for a large number of alleles at the same time to correct a particular
trait [59]. Colloquially, mutations called every change in the DNA sequence which ultimately
leads to a change in the individual’s genotype. Gene mutation is a good aair in plant breed-
ing, because it facilitates the selection [60]. Up to now, mutation breeding has created dra-
matic changes in the species of legume crops [6163]. For instance, Mahna et al. [64] used
mutation breeding to increase the diosgenin content in T. corniculata (a close relative of fenu-
greek). There are a variety of mutagens (chemicals or irradiation) to make mutations in plants.
According to the researches, it can be concluded that most of the mutations are recessive,
can be observed to segregate in a 3:1 ratio in diploid crops like fenugreek [35, 42, 65], and for
observation of such mutations, we should wait until the second generations [66]. Vice versa,
dominant mutations are rare and can be observed in the rst generations [65]. Since fenu-
greek is self-pollinated and the determinate trait is governed by recessive genes [67], mutation
breeding can be used to generate mutant plants with a determinate growth habit without los-
ing benecial adaptations and other agronomic traits in the base population [68].
Application of mutation breeding in fenugreek is expressed in several studies. There are two
major types of mutation: spontaneous and induced. Some varieties of fenugreek have been
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
215
created through spontaneous mutations [35, 42, 6970]. RH 3129 variety is produced from
spontaneous mutation in a Moroccan cultivar and had high level of diosgenin content and
twin pods [35, 69, 71]. In creating new varieties of fenugreek, the eect of induced mutations
should not be ignored. RH 3112 cultivar with higher diosgenin content and seed yield and RH
3118 cultivar with higher protein content are two main cultivars which are made by induced
mutations [35, 42, 69, 70]. Chemical mutation is also important in the production of new
varieties of fenugreek. Basu [1] by inducing the seed of Tristar variety using Ethyl Methane
Sulfonate (EMS), produced new population with higher height, seed yield, seed number per
pod, biomass yield, total number of pods and number of twin pods.
Also, the results show that the impact of chemical mutation is much more than physical one
[18, 6870, 7274]. Among chemical mutagens, it is observed that EMS can induce mutation
successfully in the fenugreek [35, 69, 71]. Basu [1] studied the eect of dierent levels of EMS
on fenugreek (Tristar variety). He found that EMS by alkylating guanine base and mispair-
ing or mismatch pairing in the genome, eectively induced variation in the fenugreek popu-
lations and the mutants which were generated by 300 μM EMS had the best characters.
Also the results of various studies show that more than one genotype should be used in muta-
tion breeding program [60, 74]. This is because dierent genotypes respond dierently to a
mutagen.
8. Fenugreek tissue culture
One way of producing variation is tissue culture. Several techniques such as somatic embryo-
genesis, callus regeneration and micropropagation have been reported in fenugreek [7577].
Malhotra [78] reviewed various studies on in vitro regeneration and callus induction on fenu-
greek. Aasim et al. [77] performed a successful in vitro shoot regeneration of fenugreek plants
on Murashige Skoog medium (MS) medium containing Thidiazuron (TDZ). The reports show
that T. foenum-graecum L. hypocotyl explants are most responsive to callus induction and pro-
liferation in tissue culture [79]. El-Nour et al. [80] performed a protocol of callus induction
in fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum L.) on MS and B5 media supplemented with dierent types
and concentrations of growth regulators were tested in order to obtain the best callus forma-
tion. The maximum value of callusing index (2.8) was obtained from MS medium containing
1.5 mg/l, 2,4-D using hypocotyls and cotyledons explants. The maximum callus formation
observed in the MS media containing 2.0 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) was 3.9 ± 0.08
in hypocotyls segment. The callus was compact in cotyledons and variable in hypocotyls seg-
ments and the color was creamy.
Shekhawat and Galston [81] examined dierent culture media and concluded that medium
containing 0.1 mg/L of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), zeatin, glutamine and asparagines was
suitable for callus induction and dierentiation, rapid cell division and growth. Azam and
Biswas [75] believed that callus induction and growth were more successful on MS medium
supplemented with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 2,4-D, kinetin and coconut water. El-Bahr
[82] had a dierent view; he believes that fenugreek callus had its best growth on MS medium
containing 3% sucrose and 2 mg 2,4-D.
Active Ingredients from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants216
9. Conclusion
Fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum L.) is an annual forage legume and a traditional spice crop that
has been grown for centuries across the Indian subcontinent. In addition to South Asia, the
crop is also grown in some parts of North Africa, Middle East, Mediterranean Europe, China,
SE Asia, Australia and the USA, Canada and Argentina. India is the largest fenugreek producer
in the world, but due to high internal consumption, do not have a major share of the global
fenugreek trade. The crop has been recommended for the dry and semiarid regions of Asia,
Africa and Latin America. The plant has been used traditionally in Indian Ayurvedic medi-
cines as well as in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medication for several centuries. Modern
research has also demonstrated that fenugreek seed and leaves are useful in the treatment
of a number of diseases including successfully reducing blood sugar and blood cholesterol
levels in both animals and human subjects in experimental trials. The reason behind the rich
medicinal properties of fenugreek is due to the presence of a wide diversity of important phy-
tochemicals (diosgenin, trigonelline, fenugreekine, galactomannan and 4-hydroxy isoleucine).
Hence, the crop has huge international demand in the associated pharmaceutical, nutraceutical
and functional food industries. Our globe represents a wide range of agro-ecosystems on the
earth with suitable dry, arid and semiarid climatic regimes suitable for the cultivation of fenu-
greek. Although the crop is crown to a limited amount in potential regions of fenugreek produc-
tion, namely Africa, Central and South America and Southeast of Asia, but it has the potential
to be grown under larger areas as a chemurgic crop with signicant economic and commercial
potential for the nation. Furthermore, being a forage legume and a natural nitrogen xer; it could
be easily incorporated in the local crop cycles of dierent geological regions for replenishing the
soil naturally. The crop grows well under rainfed conditions and hence cost of production is
lower compared to other commercial crops suitable for Iranian agroclimatic regimes.
Author details
Peiman Zandi1*, Saikat Kumar Basu2, William Ceal-Ix3, Mojtaba Kordrostami4, Shahram
Khademi Chalaras5 and Leila Bazrkar Khatibai6
*Address all correspondence to: z_rice_b@yahoo.com
1 Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
3 Instituto Tecnológico de Chiná, Colonia Centro Chiná, Campeche, México
4 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht,
Iran
5 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Rasht branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht,
Iran
6 Department of Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Zabol University, Zabol, Iran
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.): An Important Medicinal and Aromatic Crop
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66506
217
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... Fenugreek cultivation spans regions worldwide, including India, North Africa, Mediterranean Europe, Russia, the Middle East, China, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Argentina, and the USA, with growth being influenced by specific soil and climate conditions. Despite India's status as the largest producer of fenugreek (201 metric tons) globally, its significant domestic consumption limits its contribution to the international fenugreek trade (Mandal and DebMandal 2016;Zandi et al. 2017;NHB 2019NHB -2020Singh et al. 2022;Dhull et al. 2023). ...
... Fenugreek has been widely documented in ancient texts and scriptures from the Middle East and Southeastern Europe as a remedy for menstrual cramps, labour, hormonal imbalances, and diarrhoea and as a means to enhance lactation. In addition, traditional Islamic herbal formulations and practices that include the use of fenugreek have been extensively documented (Zandi et al. 2017). The various folkloric benefits of fenugreek, such as its use as a hair tonic and conditioner, are well documented (Snehlata and Payal 2012;Singh et al. 2022). ...
Chapter
Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fabaceae), also known as fenugreek, is an important nutritional and medicinal herb that is widely used in Asia and Africa. It is renowned for its distinct flavour and is commonly used in curry powders and dishes. It has applications in teas and as a preservative in sauces and pickles. In Indian cuisine, the leaves are utilised to add flavour to dishes or are consumed as green, while the seeds are employed for seasoning or crushed to create curry powders and pastes. Fenugreek is traditionally used to treat various ailments, including metabolic disorders, digestive problems, and gynaecological issues. Fenugreek is valued for its aphrodisiac, diuretic, emmenagogue, hair tonic, and conditioner properties. The seeds possess a fibrous, adhesive texture, owing to the presence of polysaccharide galactomannans. Fenugreek seeds are rich in alkaloids (trigonelline), saponins (furostanol class), and flavonoids. The extracts and isolated compounds of fenugreek exhibit a wide array of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic, anti-arthritic, anticancer, immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-dyslipidaemic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antidepressant, cardioprotective, nephroprotective, anti-osteopenic, wound-healing, and antimicrobial properties.
... Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), is a plant that completes its life cycle within a year. It falls under the Fabaceae family which is a leguminous herb cultivated in India [25]. Fenugreek has been employed both as a culinary spice and medicinal remedy such as fever, colic, flatulence, dysentery, coughs, tuberculosis, edema, rickets, ulcers, gout, diabetes, and even baldness in India since the early 20th century, drawing upon the rich tapestry of traditional Indian knowledge and experiences. ...
... Image showing traditional herbs and spices used as galactogogues in India dies for lactation support, providing valuable insights for both practitioners and researchers in the field of maternal health. All six herbs mentioned in this review exhibit a rich heritage of traditional medicinal usage in India, reflecting centuries of accumulated knowledge and practices in Ayurveda and other indigenous healing systems[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. ...
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Throughout history, herbalists and traditional healers have wielded the power of plant-based remedies, an ancient practice now embraced by modern science. Delving into the therapeutic properties of conventional herbs and spices is a recent pursuit. Galactogogues, compounds known for their ability to heighten prolactin levels by modulating dopamine receptors, stand as agents amplifying milk production—a vital function for lactation. This study endeavors to meticulously explore medicinal spices and herbs recognized for their remarkable capacity to augment breast milk production. Methodologically, information pertaining to medicinal herbs and spices recognized for promoting lactation was extracted from reputable literature. A meticulous exploration across multiple academic databases, encompassing PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, was undertaken to authenticate the impacts of these medicinal plants on lactation, considering their identified pharmacological properties. The findings underscored the potency of Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Asparagus racemosus W., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Moringa oleifera L., Cuminum cyminum L., and Trachyspermum ammi L., contribute to increased lactation. They achieve this through mechanisms such as phytoestrogenic effects, vasodilation, stimulation of mammary growth, and facilitation of breast milk production. In conclusion, the fusion of traditional wisdom with contemporary scientific inquiry offers a promising avenue for discovering potent phyto- pharmaceuticals that effectively boost breast milk production. Leveraging this amalgamation may yield impactful advancements in maternal health and lactation support.
... Cultivated in sandy, silty, and clay soils in the UAE, fenugreek seeds have long been valued for their medicinal properties across cultures [60,61]. Rich in bioactive compounds such as saponins, galactomannans, and trigonelline, fenugreek seeds are recognized for their antidiabetic, hypocholesterolemic, and antibacterial activities [62,63]. Germinated seeds in particular have shown efficacy in treating E. coli infections, highlighting the plant's therapeutic potential [62]. ...
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to diverse indigenous medicinal plants traditionally used for centuries. This study systematically evaluates the pharmacological and nutritional potential of key medicinal plants, including Lawsonia inermis, Nigella sativa, Ziziphus spina-christi, Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Matricaria aurea, Phoenix dactylifera, Portulaca oleracea, Reichardia tingitana, Salvadora persica, Solanum lycopersicum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Withania somnifera, and Ziziphus lotus. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies relevant to their nutritional and pharmacological uses. The findings highlight the therapeutic roles of these plants in managing global health challenges such as gastrointestinal diseases, and antimicrobial resistance through bioactive compounds like flavonoids, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Additionally, their contributions to nutrition, including essential vitamins and minerals, are emphasized for disease prevention and health promotion. While this research focuses on the UAE, the implications are globally relevant, as many of these plants are also found in traditional medicine across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Integrating these findings into global nutritional and healthcare systems offers potential solutions for pressing public health concerns, reduces reliance on synthetic pharmaceuticals, and promotes sustainable healthcare practices. This work is a valuable reference for researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, bridging traditional knowledge and modern scientific applications globally.
... The distinctive aroma and flavor of these leaves, due to compounds like anethol and sotolone, make them a popular culinary herb [5,6] . Fenugreek leaves, along with the stems, are commonly used as vegetables, similar to spinach [7] , while dried leaves are valued for their health benefits, such as reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels [9] , owing to active ingredients like ascorbic acid, potassium, niacin, saponins, alkaloids, lysine, diosgenin, trigonelline, fenugreekine, galactomannan, 4hydroxy isoleucine, and L-tryptophan [10,11] . However, the seasonal availability and perishable nature of fenugreek leaves hinder their broader application in the food industry. ...
... Additionally, proteins, including albumin, globulin, histidine, and lecithin, are abundant in the endosperm of seeds (Naidu et al. 2011). Despite having comparatively low mineral levels, there are enough macro and micronutrients such as zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, copper, sulphur, iron, and other elements (Jani et al. 2009), along with the high concentrations of vitamins C, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, tryptophan, lysine, volatile oils, flavonoids, mucilage, alkaloids, sitosterol, and sesquiterpenes (Zandi et al. 2017). Fenugreek's nutritional component differs from place to place due to different edaphoclimatic and harvesting circumstances. ...
Chapter
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Trigonella foenum-graecum, commonly known as fenugreek, occupies a pivotal role in human health, boasting a rich history entwined with traditional medicine and culinary practices. This chapter unfolds the layers of fenugreek’s medicinal and nutritional significance, offering a comprehensive exploration of its diverse attributes. The botanical and chemical composition section lays the foundation, unravelling the essential components that contribute to fenugreek’s therapeutic and nutritional properties. Delving into pharmacological studies, this chapter unveils its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial capacities, emphasising its role in preventing and managing health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Turning to the nutritional realm, a thorough examination of fenugreek’s macro and micronutrient content unfolds, accentuating its contribution to a balanced diet. With a focus on dietary fibre, this chapter elucidates fenugreek’s positive impact on digestive health, adding depth to its nutritional profile. As the exploration extends to culinary applications, fenugreek emerges as a versatile ingredient, enriching a myriad of dishes across global cuisines. However, this chapter maintains a balanced perspective, addressing potential challenges such as allergies and side effects, ensuring a nuanced understanding of fenugreek’s impact on human health. In conclusion, this chapter synthesises key findings presenting fenugreek as a botanical ally with holistic benefits for human well-being. Combining scientific insights with practical applications provides a compact yet comprehensive guide to the medicinal and nutritional importance of Trigonella foenum-graecum.
... Fenugreek contains many chemical compounds, including steroidal sapogenins. A diosgenin component was found in the oily germ of fenugreek [25]. Table 1 depicts the nutritional and pharmaceutical components of fenugreek. ...
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Trigonella foenum-graceum L., commonly known as Fenugreek, is a yearly plant from the Fabaceae family. It boasts a wide array of uses and economic importance in both domestic and global markets. In India, it is grown primarily as a winter crop across several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, and Uttaranchal. Historically, Fenugreek has played a significant role in Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medicinal tradition, for treating various ailments in both humans and animals. Its leaves are often eaten as a vegetable and are used to prepare dishes like "parathas" and various snacks such as Biscuits, Laddoo, Tadka, and Sprouts. In regions like Rajasthan and Punjab, Fenugreek is primarily grown for its use as green or dry fodder for livestock. As a plant in the Fabaceae family, Fenugreek's root nodules are responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrate, which enhances nitrogen fixation and improves soil health. Fenugreek seeds and leaves are known for their diverse health benefits, including anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-ulcer, anti-fertility, and immune-modulating properties. Presence of 4-hydroxyisoleucine and diosgenin in fenugreek seed has several beneficial effects and gaining popularity in ayurveda It contains high fiber, protein and several bioactive compounds which make fenugreek a natural and health-promoting herb.
... Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual species, popularly known as "methi" and is native to the countries bordering the Eastern shores of Mediterranean region extending up to Central Asia. The crop attracted the attention of the farmers and agricultural scientist due to high remunerative prices in international market (Zandi et al., 2017). In India, it is mainly cultivated in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana with total area of 169,000 ha and production of 252,000 MT (National Horticulture Board, DASD 2021-2022. ...
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