Ayurveda and Chinese

Traditional Medicine

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WHAT

Botanical name : Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Family : Fabaceae

Common Name : Fenugreek

Part used : Seed

Fenusulin ® is 4-hydroxyisoleucine standardized extract of Fenugreek. It has a long history of medical uses in Ayurveda and Chinese Traditional Medicine. Most applicable part of Fenugreek is its seed.

Phyto constituents

T. foenum-graecum seed is good source of protein (20-30%), fat (6.53%) and crude fibre (6.28%).[1] It mainly contains 4-hydroxyisoleucine, trigonelline, galactomannan with flavonoids, carotenoids, coumarins, proteins, saponins, and lipids.

Clinical indication

Fenugreek is commonly consumed as a condiment and used medicinally as a galactagogue by nursing mothers to increase inadequate breast milk supply.[3] Seed extract decreases of diabetes symptoms such as polydipsia, polyuria, urine sugar, renal hypertrophy and glomerular filtration rate. T. foenum-graecum seeds showed hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic effects in type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients.[2] 4-hydroxyisoleucine proved to have antidepressant-like effects.

Safe to consume

Fenugreek spice, oleoresin, extract have been listed as GRAS (21 CFR part 182) by FDA. Fenugreek has been used for several centuries and no adverse side effects have been noted.

References

Atefeh Sheikhlar. 2013. Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek) as a medicinal herb in animals growth and health. Sci Int. 1(6): 194-198

Kulkarni et al. 2012. Antidiabetic activity of Trigonella Foenum-graecum L. seed extract (IND01) in neonatalstreptozotocin-induced (N-STZ) rats. Diabet Croatica 41(1): 29-40

Sreeja et al. 2010. In vitro estrogenic activities of fenugreek Trigonella foenum graecum seeds. Indian J Med Res 131: 814-819

Gaur et al. 2013. Antidepressant-like effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine from Trigonella foenum graecum L. seeds in mice. Biomed and Aging Path. 2(3): 121-125

FDA. 1996. http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/95s0316/rpt0006_01.pdf