Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed was highly valued in ancient Egypt and Greece as both a vegetable and a medicine, as it still is in India, Asia, Eastern Europe and The Middle East. It can be used much like cod liver oil as a nutritious supplement for supporting treatment during illness, for children with bone disorders, or simply to nourish the constitution.¹ A flour made from the seeds contains good amounts of fibre, fatty acids, amino acids, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, lecithin and iron, and if added to wheat flour improves its nutritional value significantly. When sprouted, the seeds are a good addition to salads just like other seeds or legumes.^2,3

The herbalist Maurice Messegue recommends fenugreek for ailments associated with weakness, debility and apathy. He considers it both stimulating and fortifying, having an excellent effect on all bodily functions, something we call a tonic. He says that you can mix the powder with honey or chocolate in order to treat emaciated patients, an excellent formula for putting on weight. This is a proven strategy from the time of the Byzantine Empire, when women with a fuller figure were considered appealing.⁴

Gaining excess weight today has been stigmatised due to the fact that it is a risk factor for several degenerative diseases gathered under the term metabolic syndrome. It might be surprising then that constituents in fenugreek can regulate blood lipids through their action on the liver, and are protective of both the liver and pancreas when exposed to oxidative stress.^5,6 In addition, a flour made of the whole seed can improve glucose tolerance as well as satiety in obese patients, while an ethanol extract has improved insulin sensitivity comparable to metformin in laboratory rats.^7–9

The mucilage is soothing and demulcent when taken internally, forming a protective coating over irritated membranes in the oesophagus and stomach, allowing them to heal. It will also help heal sore gums and ulcers in the mouth and digestive tract, and can be combined with slippery elm, liquorice and antimicrobial herbs such as garlic, thyme and golden seal. The fibre content also makes it a gentle laxative.

Other constituents make it a carminative herb, that is a type of herb for treating bloating and gas. Extracts also have antifungal and antibacterial activity against a range of organisms including Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli, making it broadly protective against dysbiosis when other dietary and lifestyle changes are made to support intestinal health.²

The physician Pedanius Dioscorides mentions in his materia medica an oil made from fenugreek by steeping the seeds in olive oil. This oil can be used to ripen abscesses or to soften hard lumps, and also for the treatment of burns and chilblains. Because it is anti-inflammatory, he recommends a fenugreek poultice mixed with such ingredients as honey, barley and flaxseed for treating gout, and he says that you can combine it with goose grease to make a pessary for women, but we can use other natural organic oils, waxes or creams today as a carrier instead.¹¹

Fenugreek is also a galactagogue, an old-fashioned word meaning that it will encourage milk production in mothers. For this purpose it can be combined with fennel, milk thistle or nettle. Fenugreek will also cause the breast to grow; however, it is oestrogenic and will encourage oestrogen-sensitive tumours. Furthermore, it stimulates the uterus and is therefore considered unsuitable for use during pregnancy.²

Men and women can also use this herb to treat the kind of debility that leads to low libido. In fact, a trial of a fenugreek extract combined with minerals helped a group of sixty healthy men improve energy, muscle strength, libido and well-being.¹⁰ In the case of a group of 80 women, aged 20-49 years, fenugreek helped improved testosterone and oestrogen, as well as libido. This hormone modulatory activity also makes it useful for treating menopausal symptoms.^12,13

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. London: Tiger Books International; 1994.

2.         Yadav UCS, Baquer NZ. Pharmacological effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. in health and disease. Pharm Biol 2014;52:243–54.

3.         Hooda S, Jood S. Nutritional evaluation of wheat-fenugreek blends for product making. Plant Foods Hum Nutr Dordr Neth 2004;59:149–54.

4.         Messegue M. Health Secrets Of Plants And Herbs. Collins; 1976.

5.         Chen Z, Lei Y-L, Wang W-P, et al. Effects of Saponin from Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seeds on Dyslipidemia. Iran J Med Sci 2017;42:577–85.

6.         Gong J, Dong H, Jiang S-J, et al. Fenugreek lactone attenuates palmitate-induced apoptosis and dysfunction in pancreatic β-cells. World J Gastroenterol 2015;21:13457–65.

7.         Robert SD, Ismail AA-S, Wan Rosli WI. Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds lowers postprandial blood glucose in overweight and obese individuals. J Nutr Metab 2014;2014:964873.

8.         Kiss R, Szabó K, Gesztelyi R, et al. Insulin-Sensitizer Effects of Fenugreek Seeds in Parallel with Changes in Plasma MCH Levels in Healthy Volunteers. Int J Mol Sci 2018;19.

9.         Kannappan S, Anuradha CV. Insulin sensitizing actions of fenugreek seed polyphenols, quercetin & metformin in a rat model. Indian J Med Res 2009;129:401–8.

10.       Steels E, Rao A, Vitetta L. Physiological aspects of male libido enhanced by standardized Trigonella foenum-graecum extract and mineral formulation. Phytother Res PTR 2011;25:1294–300.

11.       Dioscorides P. De Materia Medica. South Africa: Ibidis; 2000.

12.       Rao A, Steels E, Beccaria G, Inder WJ, Vitetta L. Influence of a Specialized Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract (Libifem), on Testosterone, Estradiol and Sexual Function in Healthy Menstruating Women, a Randomised Placebo Controlled Study. Phytother Res PTR 2015;29:1123–30.

13.       Steels E, Steele ML, Harold M, Coulson S. Efficacy of a Proprietary Trigonella foenum-graecum L. De-Husked Seed Extract in Reducing Menopausal Symptoms in Otherwise Healthy Women: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Phytother Res PTR 2017;31:1316–22.