FENUGREEK

A MULTIPURPOSE CROP

Dell | [Course Title] | [Date]
ABSTRACT
Trigonella frenum graecum is the scientific name for
fenugreek. It is an annual herb with white flowers and hard,
angular seeds. Fenugreek seeds are rich source of gum,
fiber, alkaloid, saponin, and volatile agent to change food
texture. It can also be used as food stabilizer, adhesive, and
emulsifying agent. Fenugreek may also be regarded as
antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic agent, gastric stimulant, and
anti-anorexia agent. Fenugreek is identified as the one of the
oldest cultivated crops and its leaves are known to have
antioxidant properties.

INTRODUCTION
Fenugreek is a plant from the family of Leguminosae that
grows annually and is mostly cultivated in Mediterranean
countries and Asia. This herb is widely used as
galactogouge, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, insulinotropic
and rejuvenating effects. Fenugreek is slightly bitter and
slightly sweet which is used as flavoring agent in the form of
seeds and powders. This herb is one of the oldest cultivated
medicinal plants and the leaves of this plant have antioxidant
properties. About 260 species of are present in this herb.
India is one of the major producers of this herb all over the

PAGE 1
world with a production of approximately 45,000-55,000
tones per annum.
It is best known for its
presence of aromatic
compounds that gives
color, flavor and
aroma to the food
apart from this it is
being used as a
medicine since more
than 4000 years in
various parts of world
i.e., why it is regarded
as oldest medicinal
plant in the world. It is also known as Methi. It is also used
as an Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of diabetes,
chronic appendicitis, promote milk production and debility
after delivery. The health benefits of fenugreek seeds are
due to the presence of various polyphenolic compounds
such as alkaloids, flavonoids, salicylate, and nicotine acid.
Approximately 28 phenolic compounds are identified in
fenugreek seeds that are grouped into flavones di c-
glycosides, flavanol o-diglycosidic, flavone tri- and tetra o-
c-glycosides .
Although fenugreek plants are consumed locally for health
benefits and disease prevention, very little is known about
fenugreek shoots compared to fenugreek seeds from a
scientific perspective. Hence, in an attempt to explore new
food to improve human nutrition the anti-bacterial,
antioxidant and DNA properties of fenugreek were tested
using solvent and extraction method.

PAGE 2
 CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF FENUGREEK
 PROTEIN
 VITAMINS AND MINERALS
 FIBRES AND GUMS ALKALOID, FLAVONOIDS AND SAPONINS
 VOLATILE COMPOUNDS

 PROTEIN
It was found that 100 g endosperm contains protein of 43.8
gm. However, 100g of fenugreek seed contains 25.4 g
protein and amino acids in fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek
protein). Fenugreek protein fraction is rich of lysine and can
be compared with soybean protein Youssef et al. (2009)
indicated that residual proteins show a significant effect in
decreasing the tension at the oil-water interface. The
molecular weight of fenugreek gum is increased by removing
the attached proteins and the more increase in gum
concentration or decrease in residual protein attached, the
more increase in viscosity is resulted. El Nasir and El Tinay
(2007) reported that emulsion and foaming properties of
fenugreek proteins are greatly affected by pH levels and salt
(NaCl) concentration. Both emulsion and foam properties
were low at pH 4.5 which is the isoelectric point of the
proteins. Moreover, they reported that fenugreek protein
concentrate showed high oil absorption capacity (1.56 ml oil
per g protein), water absorption capacity (1.68 ml H2O per g
protein) and bulk density (0.66 g per ml). It was found that
protein of fenugreek seeds was more soluble in acidic (4.5)
and alkaline conditions than at nearly neutral ph. Srinivasan

PAGE 3
(2006) demonstrated that the quality of fenugreek seed
proteins was not affected by cooking.
 VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Although fenugreek is relatively low in mineral content,
some are present in good concentrations such as
phosphorus and sulphur and it has also been reported
that curry made from fenugreek has a high amount of
calcium, iron and zinc. From the other point of view ,
germinating seeds have pyridoxine, cyanocobalamine,
calcium pantothenate, biotin, and vitamin C.
Srinivasan (2006) reported that Fenugreek leaves00 g),
thiamine (40 μg per 100 g), riboflavin (310 μg per 100 g),
nicotinic acid (800 μg per 100 g) and folic acid (0 μm per 100
g), whereas the ones for seed were 43 mg, 96 μg, 340 μg,
290 μg, 1.1 mg and 84 μg, respectively. There are nearly
10.8 and 7.4% loss of the vitamin vegetables by boiling in
water, or steaming and frying respectively, and exposure of
the germinating seeds to β- and γ-radiation reduces the
vitamin C content.
 FIBER AND GUMS
Fenugreek seeds are rich source of soluble dietary fiber. The
100 g of seeds provides more than 65% of dietary and
contains saponins, hemicelluloses, mucilage, tannins and
pectin, which help to decrease the level of low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in blood by decreasing bile salts
reabsorption in the colon. Also, it has been reported that

PAGE 4
fenugreek fiber bound to toxins in the food and helped to
protect the colon mucus membrane from cancer toxins as
well as lowering the rate of glucose absorption in the
intestines controlling blood sugar levels. Furthermore, the
fibers can exhibit prebiotic effects via beneficial health
effects on the health of the host through modulation of the
intestinal flora. One of the major soluble fibers of the
fenugreek seeds is galactomannan which decreases the bile
salts uptake in the intestine and also reduces the digestion
and absorption of starch in body. It has been reported that
fenugreek husk is a remarkable source of dietary fiber and
phenolic acids which could be an effective source of natural
antioxidants and natural ingredients in functional food
 ALKALOID FLAVONOID AND SAPONIN:

PAGE 5
 Fenugreek contains
different alkaloids,
flavonoids and saponins
that the latter one is in
the highest
concentration. Alkaloid
and volatile constituents
of fenugreek seeds are
the two major components which cause bitter taste and bad odor.
The level of flavonoid in fenugreek is more than 100 mg per g of
seed. Benayad et al (2014) investigated the phenolic compounds of
fenugreek crude seeds from Morocco by HPLC– DAD–ESI/MS.
Analysis most of the identified compounds were acylated and non-
acylated flavonoids with apigenin, luteolin and kaempferol as
aglycons. The quantitative analysis of the identified compounds
showed that the phenolic composition of the studied crude fenugreek
seeds was predominantly acylated and non-acylated flavone
derivatives with apigenin as the main aglycon. The alkaloids,
flavonoids and saponins of fenugreek showed pharmacological effect.

 VOLATILE COMPOUNDS
Volatile oils in fenugreek are in small quantities. There were 39
different compounds that were identified by Girardon et al. (1985),
including n-alkanes, sesquiterpenes and some oxygenated
compounds, in the volatile oil of fenugreek seeds. The main
components are n-hexanol, heptanoic acid, dihydroactiniolide,
dihydrobenzo furan, tetradecane, a-murolene, b-element and
pentadecane. The dominant aroma component is a hemiterpenoid-γ-
lactone, stolon (3-hydroxy-4,5- dimethyl- 2(5H)-furanone), which is
present in concentrations up to 25 ppm. Blank et al. (1997) also

PAGE 6
 detected some odorous compounds in
fenugreek.

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS
OF FENUGREEK PLANT
AND SEED
Role in controlling rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a joint disease in which chronic inflammation

occurs, which is characterized by the injury of tissue and synovial
proliferation. Elevated energy expenditures and pro-inflammatory
cytokines such as interleukin (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
(TNF-α) perform a major role to increase joint soreness and
painfulness. In a study, to check the fenugreek mucilage role to
prevent the arthritis in adjuvant tempted rats with arthritis. On the
seventh, fourteenth and 21st day, the paw volume was measured.
Rats were given anesthesia, samples of blood and tissues were
taken to examine the enzymes which cause inflammation such as
cyclo-oxygenase, lipo-oxygenase; assessed the readings of cytokines
such as inter leucine-6, TNF-α, arthritic ratio and rheumatoid aspect.
At the 21st day of adjuvant arthritis, fenugreek mucilage at the dose
level of 75 mg/kg showed the maximum results to stop the oedema in
rats. These results were compared with the results of standard drug

PAGE 7
used against oedema ‘indomethacin’, and fenugreek showed the
better effect against oedema. The actions of enzymes which induce
inflammation and the number of mediators were becoming less after
the treatment with mucilage of fenugreek. The study of synovial fluid’s
function and structure, exhibits slight inflammation with usual
synoviocytes (mesothelial cells), supplements of fenugreek were
given to normalize the characters of these

PAGE 8
Role to ameliorate VLDL overproduction and insulin resistance

The different part of fenugreek to improve the conditions of

hyperlipidemia, liver malfunctioning and insulin resistance.  Role of
fenugreek leaves and seeds against hyperlipidemia, liver
malfunctioning and insulin resistance.

PAGE 9
  The study concluded
that fenugreek mucilage supplementation resulted in oedema
inhibition by decreasing the activities of inflammatory enzymes due to
its anti-arthritic potential.

Anticancer perspectives

One of the primary causes of death nowadays is cancer in the world.

Serious side effects occur with generally used therapeutic medicines
which only increase the life span of patient from few months or some
years. Plant-based active components have shown their potential to
be used as suitable and safe alternatives having significantly
explored anticancer effects. In this regard, active ingredients of
vegetables and fruits are being utilized to prevent the chances of

PAGE 10
cancer. Efforts are ongoing to use the other approaches and ideas
which can be effective in the prevention of cancer. In these attempts,
studies are available in which animals and cell lines were used as the
investigational models of cancer proved the effect of seeds of
fenugreek against cancer.

Fenugreek against neurological disorders

Neurological disorders such as neuropathic pain are one of the most

prevalent conditions and empirical evidence suggests that
inflammatory cytokines and microglialcells are critical factors
contributing in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Researchers
have demonstrated the potential applications of medicinal plants for
the treatment of neurological disorders using the animal models. In
this regard, fenugreek has also been explored as an effective
medicinal plant for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

The bioactive compounds present in the fenugreek extracts have also

shown the potential to reduce the risk of several neurological
disorders. Several studies support the effectiveness of fenugreek
compounds against various neurological diseases such as
depression, Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. For example,
Khalil and his coworkers applied fenugreek saponins (0.05–2.0%)
through diet on rats for 45 days and found that dietary administration
of fenugreek saponins resulted in the inhibition of apoptosis and
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity thus induced neuroprotective
effects.[] Similarly, Bin-Hafeez and his group induced dietary
administration of 5% fenugreek seed powder for 4 weeks to analyze
the neuroprotective effects against aluminium chloride-induced
neurotoxicity using mice model and reported significant
neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seed powder.

PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Effect of Trigonella against pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is one of the primary lungs disease in which

stiffening and damaging of lungs tissues take place as that ultimately
results in improper breathing. The study was designed to clarify the
oxidation reduction balance and mechanism of inflammation
relationship in pulmonic fibrosis. The pulmonic structure is
predominantly susceptible to reactive oxygen species prompted
damage due to its constant contact to poisonous contaminants. Rats
were treated with BLM firstly to make a tentative experimental unit of
pulmonic fibrosis, then the aqueous acetonic extract and powder
supplementation of the seeds of fenugreek to check its potential as
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The main outcome that was
observed is fenugreek has useful properties by constraining
inflammatory reaction and antioxidant. The main outcome that was
observed is fenugreek has useful properties by constraining
inflammatory reaction and peroxidation of lipid in fibrosis pulmonic.
Nonetheless additional studies on the seeds of fenugreek are needed
to be prepared to clarify its molecular mechanism. Therefore, the
different treatments that contain antioxidants could add to
forthcoming real remedies of pulmonic fibrosis. It is the need of time to
add the fenugreek in our daily diet, for its high nutritional profile as
well as it can help in avoidance of pulmonic fibrosis, even if it is of
unidentified a etiology.

Fenugreek against obesity

Several investigations report that hydroxyl isoleucine ameliorates

insulin resistance caused by obesity. Researchers proposed that
hydroxyl isoleucine down-regulated a tumour necrotic factor-
transforming catalyst which causes the change of mTNF to sTNF. The
studies also provide the information about the pathway of signal
transduction and upgraded the insulin confrontation, which is induced
by obesity in adipocytes (3T3-L1). Alike findings have been described in
Zucker rats, which were obese given the seeds of fenugreek.
Researcher experiments the livers of the rats which were obese, the

PAGE 13
decrease in tumour necrosis factor intensities, important rise in
receptors of membrane and TNF receptor 2. In additional research, it
was demonstrated that fibre present in fenugreek ominously
suppresses the hunger and amplifiedin obese experimental units.
Dietary supplementation of fenugreek is proved to have significant
effect on loss of weight for short period of time. When the fenugreek
powder was given to obese rats for 14 weeks, they noticed the change
in nutritional values, body measurements and decrease in the body
weight was detected. Galacto-mannan that is present in the seeds of
fenugreek capture and excrete the sugars from body before it moves
in the blood, this causes the loss of weight.

Fenugreek in asthma treatment

Asthma is one of the most prevailing lungs disorder in which the

bronchial tubes or airways become inflammed and tightened the
pathway for inhalation and exhalation of air. To treat the mild asthma,
the study was conducted to check the safety and efficiency of the
extract of the seeds of when used as supplement. TPM formula was
used by adding the syrup of fenugreek in honey solution. In

PAGE 14
comparison with the placebo and honey syrup, the aqueous extract of
the seeds of fenugreek amended the Quality of Life and the tests of
lung functioning in patients having mild asthma. Extract of the seed of
fenugreek when used, it headed to a ten percent (10%) rise in FEV1
(forced expiratory volume in one second) and FEV1/FVC heights, in
calculation of an imperative decline in serum cytokine IL-4 heights. By
the findings of study, it can be suggested that in the treatment of mild
asthma, use of the aqueous extract of fenugreek can prove beneficial
just with the few side effects. Fenugreek was nominated amongst
TPM treatments. During the study, once picking simple grouping to
perceive fenugreek special effects or side effects more closely,
agreeing to TPM, fenugreek works to better functioning of lung as
helps the lung secretions and as a lung tonic.

PAGE 15