Fenugreek

lat. Trigonella foenum-graecum

Group: Spices

Odor profile: the essence from the yellowish-golden seeds of Trigonella Foenum Graecum are used as a spice. It renders a maple-syrup note in fragrance, common also to helichrysum/immortelle blossom. The note is recognizable (via immortelle essence) in Sables by A.Goutal and (via fenugreek spice) in Santal Blush by Tom Ford.

BOTANICAL NAME - Trigonella foenum-gracecum
FAMILY – Leguminosae / Papilionaceae/ Fabaceae
COMMON NAME – Methi, Fenugreek, Alhova, Bird's Foot, Greek Clover, Greek Hay
AYUVERDIC NAME - Methikaa, Methi, Vastikaa, Selu, Methini, Dipani, Bahupatrikaa, Bodhaini, Gandhaphala.
PARTS USED – Leaves and Seeds

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT

Fenugreek is an annual legume native to the Mediterranean region. From ancient days, it has been grown in India, Argentina, Egypt and Mediterranean countries (Southern France, Morocco and Lebanon).

In India it is grown extensively in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab. It is a cold season crop and is fairly tolerant to frost and very low temperature. It is best suited to tracts of moderate to low rainfall and is sown in all types of soil, but performs better in loam and clay loam with proper drainage. It can also be grown on black cotton soils.

BOTANY

Fenugreek plant is a quick growing leguminous aromatic annual, 30-60 cm tall and widely cultivated in many parts of country. Fenugreek leaves are tripartite, toothed, grey-green obovate leaves, 20-25 mm long. The flowers become white or yellowish white in color. Fenugreek seedpods contain ten to twenty small, flat, yellow-brown, pungent, aromatic seeds. Seeds are small and stony; about 1/8 inch long, oblong, rhomboidal, with a deep furrow dividing them into two unequal lobes. Fenugreek seeds have a strong aroma and bitter taste.

COMPOSITION OF FENUGREEK SEED

The fenugreek seeds contains protein (26%), Water Soluble Polysaccharide i.e. galactamannan (20%), Hemi cellulose and cellulose (24.5%), Fat/fenugreek oil (7%), Lignin (2.5%), Saponin (8-10%) and Water (9%). The seeds contain various vitamins like carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid. The seeds also contain folic acid. The seeds contain 6-8% fatty oil with a fetid odor and bitter taste. The component fatty acids of the oil are palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic and linolenic acid.

FENUGREEK ESSENTIAL OIL and FENUGREEK OLEORESIN

Fenugreek essential oil and fenugreek oleoresin contain about 17 kinds of fragrances. They consist of fatty acid, fatty acid decomposition, alkyl methoxy pyrazones and furanones. Among them, sotolone (3-Hydrocy-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone) has the strongest fragrance. The mixture of these fragrances gives the smell of curry. Terpenes also are contained, but have no fragrance.

USES

The seeds of fenugreek are used as both spice and medicine, while the fresh plant is consumed as a vegetable.

Fenugreek is grown as fodder in several parts of North India, and considered as superior to, and more drought- resistant than, several other fodder legumes. It is much relished by cattle but it may adversely affect the milk yield, if given in large quantity.

Fenugreek is included in a number of Ayurvedic compound preparations for its carminative, galactagogue and antidiabetic properties.

The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia reported its actions as demulcent and hypoglycaemic.

German Commission E monograph reported secretolytic, hyperemic and mild antiseptic activity of fenugreek seed.

Saponin rich extracts of fenugreek seeds reduce blood levels of the cholesterol. The fibrous fraction of seeds also causes a reduction in blood lipids.

The aqueous extract is demulcent, promoted healing of gastric ulcers produced experimentally in rats and exhibited a smooth muscle-relaxing effect in rabbits without affecting either the heart or blood pressure.

Fenugreek extract containing Trigonelline and trigonellic acid may be used as a hair growth stimulant. ESCOP and WHO monographs indicate the use of seeds in adjuvant therapy for diabetes mellitus, anorexia, also in hypercholesterolaemia.

In India and the Near and Middle East, women in the lactation period eat fenugreek because fenugreek is thought to increase their milk. Recently, in Europe and America, many women eat them as a health food to enlarge their breasts. It is said that the steroid saponin contained in fenugreek testa is a precursor of a female hormone, and it is turned into female hormone in the body that enlarges breasts and increases milk. Fenugreek is eaten in various ways in Africa, the Middle East and China such as sprouts, vegetable, mixed in bread and spice of curry. Fenugreek is harvested as feed in USA and Canada because fenugreek has protein similar to soybeans. Fenugreek was used as folk medicine such as tonic, nutritious supplement, aperients, and antifbrile.

Author: Dr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta (cshekhar)