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Botanical Name: Trigonella foenum-graecum
Plant Family: Leguminosae
Common Names: Bird's Foot, Bockshornklee, Greek Hayseed, Mayti (Indian)
Origin: Indigenous to countries on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean and cultivated in India, Egypt and Morocco in Africa.
History: The name comes from the Greek Trigonella, 'three-angled' (leaves) and Foenum-graecum, 'Greek Hay'.
Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal plants, dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans who used it as a culinary and medicinal herb. It was also used by the famous herbalist, Rev. Kneipp for sore throat.
Gerard states: 'It is good to wash the head with a decoction of the seeds for it taketh away the scurfe, scales, nits......'.
Tradition:
- It was thought that if you added a few Fenugreek seeds to the water used to clean your household floors it would bring money into the household
Contains:
- anti-inflammatory steroid-like substance
- betain
- bitter fixed oil
- Calcium
- Choline, an alkaloid
- Diosgenin (similar to estrogen)
- lecithin
- mucilage
- neurin
- nucleoalbumin
- organic iron
- phosphates
- proteids
- Trigonelline, an alkaloid
- trimethylamine
- volatile oil
- yellow coloring substance
Medicinal Plants Used: Seeds
Fenugreek is used for:
Blood Conditions
- anemia
Brain and Nervous System Conditions
- neurasthenia
Female Conditions
- relaxes the uterus
- stimulates breast development
- stimulates milk production in nursing mothers
Gastrointestinal Conditions
- comforts the stomach
- enteritis
- faulty digestion (soothes the intestinal canal)
- gastritis
- increases the appetite
- inflamed conditions of the stomach and intestines
- softens and expels mucous
- tonic effect on the digestion, particularly for convalescents
Liver Conditions
- counters cholesterol
- used by the liver for cholesterol metabolism
Metabolic Conditions
- helps aid diabetes
Respiratory Tract Conditions
- bronchitis
- dissolves mucous congestion
- kills infections in the lungs
- tuberculosis
- throat and chest disorders
Other
- debility after illness
- for weight gain
- prevents fevers (similar to quinine)
- reduces symptoms of fever (used with lemon and honey)
- rickets
- scrofula
- soothes and nourishes the body during illness
It is used as a gargle for:
- sore throat
Externally it is used as a poultice, ointment, plaster for:
- abscesses
- boils
- carbuncles
- fistulas
- gout pain
- inflamed or infected skin
- inflammations
- neuralgia
- sciatica
- skin irritations
- sores
- swollen glands
- tumors
- drawing out ulcers and swellings
- wounds
Other Uses:
- flavoring in confectionery
- spice in curry powder
- used to condition horses and cattle
Action:
- anti-inflammatory [an agent to ease inflammation]
- antiseptic [an agent for inhibiting the growth of microorganism on living tissue or destroying pathogenic or putrefactive bacteria]
- aphrodisiac [an agent for arousing or increasing sexual desire or potency]
- emollient [an agent used externally to soften and soothe]
- expectorant [an agent that promotes the discharge of mucous and secretions from the respiratory passages]
- febrifuge [an agent that reduces or eliminates fevers]
- galactagogue [an agent that encourages or increases the secretion of milk]
- mucilaginous [characterized by a gummy or gelatinous consistency]
- nutritive [gives nourishment]
- restorative [an agent that restores consciousness or normal physiological activity]
- soothing
- stimulant [an agent that excites or quickens the functional activity of the tissues giving more energy] (acts on the nervous system to stimulate the appetite)
- tonic [an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates organs or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being]
Caution:
- Fenugreek should not be taken by pregnant women because of its uterine properties.
Global Herbal Supplies has Fenugreek available in the following forms:
Articles
Information given by our website is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by a physician or other medical professionals. You should not use the information given for diagnosing a health problem or disease. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. The above information is just a guide to general circumstances and in no way should it contradict the advice that you have been given by your naturopath, medical doctor or specialist.
More Herb Information:
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B: Baical Skullcap || Barberry || Basil || Bay Laurel || Bayberry || Bergamot || Bilberry || Bistort || Black Cohosh || Blackberry || Bladderwrack || Blessed Thistle || Blue Cohosh || Boneset || Borage || Brahmi || Buchu || Bupleurum || Burdock || Butcher's Broom ||
C: Calendula || Californian Poppy || Caraway || Cascara || Catnip || Cats claw || Cayenne || Cedar || Celery seed || Chamomile german || Chamomile roman || Charparral || Chickweed || Cinnamon || Cloves || Coleus forskohlii || Coltsfoot || Comfrey || Commiphora mukul || Cornflower || Cornsilk || Corydalis ambigua || Crampbark || Crataeva nurvala ||
D: Damiana || Dandelion || Devil's claw || Dill || Dong quai || Dragon blood ||
E: Echinacea || Elder tree || Elecampane || Ephedra || Eucalyptus || Evening primrose || Eyebright ||
F: False unicorn || Fennel || Fenugreek || Feverfew || Flax || Frankincense ||
G: Garlic || Gentian || Ginger || Ginkgo biloba || Ginseng american || Ginseng korean || Ginseng siberian || Ginseng tienchi || Goat's rue || Goldenrod || Goldenseal || Gotu kola || Gravel root || Green tea || Guaiacum resin || Gymnema ||
H: Hawthorn || Hemidesmus indicus || Hops || Horehound white || Horseradish || Horsetail || Hyssop ||
I-J-K-L: || Inula || Juniper || Kava kava || Lavender || Lemon balm || Licorice ||
M-N-O: Marshmallow || Meadowsweet || Mistletoe || Mugwort || Myrrh || Neem || Nettles || Oats || Olive tree ||
P-Q: Paeonia lactiflora || Passionflower || Pau_D Arco || Peppermint || Phyllanthus amarus || Picrorhiza kurroa || Plantain || Polygala tenuifolia || Polygonum multiflorum || Queens delight ||
R: Raspberry leaves || Red clover || Rehmannia glutinosa || Rheum palmatum || Ribwort || Rosehips || Rosemary || Rue ||
S: Sage || Salvia militiorrhiza || Sarsaparilla || Saw palmetto || Senna || Shepherd's purse || Skullcap || Slippery elm || Squaw vine || St john's wort || St mary's thistle ||
T-U-V: Thyme || Thyme wild || Uva ursi || Valerian || Vervain || Violet || Vitex agnes castus ||
W: Walnut || Wild cherry || Wild yam || Willow bark || Willow herb || Witch hazel || Withania || Wormwood ||
Y-Z: Yarrow || Yellow dock || Zizyphus ||
