Fenugreek

(Trigonella foenum-graecum)

Other Names:

N/A

Range:

Family:
Fabacaea - Pea Family

Parts Used:

Seeds

Culinary Uses:

Used as a culinary flavoring.

Energetics:

Taste: Bitter
Thermal: Cooling
Humidity: Drying

Traditional Medicinal Uses:

Not Known

Indications:

Androgen Deficiency, Diabetes Mellitus, Hyperglycemia, Hyperlipidemia, Hypogonadism, Insulin Resistance, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Sexual Dysfunction, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease

Indications Citations

The fact that studies concerning all indications listed above have not yet been completed, does not mean said uses are invalid. The plants I have included have a long history of effective use, and most were part of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia prior to the advent of allopathic medicine.

Androgen Deficiency (Low Testosterone): Rao A, Steels E, Inder WJ, Abraham S, Vitetta L. Testofen, a specialised Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract reduces age-related symptoms of androgen decrease, increases testosterone levels and improves sexual function in healthy aging males in a double-blind randomised clinical study. Aging Male. 2016 Jun;19(2):134-42. doi: 10.3109/13685538.2015.1135323. Epub 2016 Jan 20. PMID: 26791805.

Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2): Hota D, Padhy BM, Maiti R, Bisoi D, Sahoo JP, Patro BK, Kumar P, Goel A, Banik SP, Chakraborty S, Rungta M, Bagchi M, Bagchi D. A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Investigation to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Patented Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract "Fenfuro®" in Type 2 Diabetics. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2024 Feb;43(2):147-156. doi: 10.1080/27697061.2023.2233008. Epub 2023 Jul 17. PMID: 37459747.

Hyperlipidemia (High Cholesterol): Geberemeskel GA, Debebe YG, Nguse NA. Antidiabetic Effect of Fenugreek Seed Powder Solution (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) on Hyperlipidemia in Diabetic Patients. J Diabetes Res. 2019 Sep 5;2019:8507453. doi: 10.1155/2019/8507453. PMID: 31583253; PMCID: PMC6748210.

Hypogonadism (Low Testosterone): Rao A, Steels E, Inder WJ, Abraham S, Vitetta L. Testofen, a specialised Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract reduces age-related symptoms of androgen decrease, increases testosterone levels and improves sexual function in healthy aging males in a double-blind randomised clinical study. Aging Male. 2016 Jun;19(2):134-42. doi: 10.3109/13685538.2015.1135323. Epub 2016 Jan 20. PMID: 26791805.

Menopause (Change of life): 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. 2017 Sep;31(9):1316-1322. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5856. Epub 2017 Jul 14. PMID: 28707431.

Sexual Dysfunction (common): 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. 2015 Aug;29(8):1123-30. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5355. Epub 2015 Apr 24. PMID: 25914334.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Swaroop A, Jaipuriar AS, Gupta SK, Bagchi M, Kumar P, Preuss HG, Bagchi D. Efficacy of a Novel Fenugreek Seed Extract (Trigonella foenum-graecum, Furocyst) in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Int J Med Sci. 2015 Oct 3;12(10):825-31. doi: 10.7150/ijms.13024. PMID: 26516311; PMCID: PMC4615243.

Parkinson's Disease: Nathan J, Panjwani S, Mohan V, Joshi V, Thakurdesai PA. Efficacy and safety of standardized extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum L seeds as an adjuvant to L-Dopa in the management of patients with Parkinson's disease. Phytother Res. 2014 Feb;28(2):172-8. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4969. Epub 2013 Mar 20. PMID: 23512705.

Medicinal Actions:
Anticatarrhal, Anticholinergic, Antidiabetic, Cholagogue, Emollient, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic, Tonic: Sexual Female, Tonic: Sexual Male