Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

Description

Native to North Africa and countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean, fenugreek is a strongly aromatic annual, growing to about thirty-two inches, producing trifolate leaves that look like clover, small, yellowish-white, pealike flowers, and sickle-shaped pods. It grows wild in open areas; but it is also widely cultivated, especially in India, Africa, and parts of the US. The seeds are collected during the autumn.

 The Egyptian Ebers papyrus (c. 1500 BCE) records a prescription for burns that included fenugreek seeds. They were also used to induce childbirth.

In the 5th century BCE, the Greek physician, Hippocrates, considered fenugreek a valuable soothing herb. His fellow countryman in the 1st century CE, Dioscorides, recommended fenugreek as a remedy for all types of gynecological problems, including infection of the uterus and inflammation of the genitals.

Through history, fenugreek has been prized not only as a spice but also for its medicinal flowers and as cattle feed. In the past, fenugreek was considered a cure for many ailments and was the major ingredient in Lydia Pinkham s Vegetable Compound, a popular 19th century patent medicine used for menstrual problems.

Key Actions

• anti-inflammatory
• antispasmodic (aerial parts)
• demulcent
• digestive tonic
• hypoglycemic
• lowers blood cholesterol
• promotes milk flow
• uterine stimulant

Key Components

• steroids (diosgenin and progesterone)
• alkaloids(including trigonelline and gentianine)
• volatile oil
• saponins (based on diosgenin)
• flavonoids
• mucilage (about 27%)
• protein (about 25%)
• fixed oil (about 8%)
• vitamins A, B1, C
• minerals