Greek Hay Seed

This genus of 80 species of annuals extends from the Mediterranean to southern Africa and Australia. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) is grown as a fodder crop in S and C Europe, and as a spice in most Mediterranean countries, the Middle East, Russia, the Balkans, W Asia, and China. Fenugreek has been used since the Early Bronze Age; it was cultivated in Assyria (7th century BCE) and remains found in Iraq have been reliably dated to 4000BCE. In the Ebers Papyrus (c.1500BCE) it is mentioned as an herb to induce childbirth. Dried plants are sold as hilba in Egypt as a remedy for painful menstruation. It was first mentioned in Chinese medicine in the 11th century and has a long tradition as a tonic herb in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Western interest in the herb centers on one of its constituent alkaloids, trigonelline, which has potential in treating cervical and liver cancer, and its saponins, which are extracted for use in oral contraceptives and other pharmaceutical products. Trigonella is from trigonus, "triangular", referring to the flower-shape. Foenum-graecum means "Greek hay", because the plant was grown as a fodder crop in Greece.

Fenugreek, a popular spice and cousin to the pea that is grown in the Mediterranean area of Europe and western Asia, was used by the ancient Egyptians for incense and embalming. The Romans preferred it as an aid in childbirth, while the Chinese employed it in cases of weakness and swelling of the legs. Today fenugreek is used to treat a number of ailments, including diabetes. In studies, an extract of fenugreek seeds was shown to lower blood sugar in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Erect aromatic annual with trifoliate leaves, divided into obovate to oblong, toothed leaflets, to 5cm (2in) long. Solitary or paired yellow-white flowers, about 1cm (½in) long, tinged violet at the base, appear in spring and summer, followed by beaked pods, to 11cm (4½in) long, containing 10-20 yellow-brown, rectangular seeds.


Common Name:
Greek Hay Seed
Other Names:
Bird's Foot, Fenugreek, Trigonella
Botanical Name:
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Genus:
Trigonella
Family:
Papilionaceae
Native Location:
S Europe and W Asia; widely naturalized.
Cultivation:
Well-drained, fertile soil in sun.
Propagation:
By seed sown in spring.
Harvest:
Leaves are picked in summer and used fresh or dried in infusions, or as a vegetable. Seeds are collected when ripe and dried for decoctions, pastes, and powders, or commercially processed for extracts.
Height:
60cm (24in)
Width:
30cm-45cm (12-18in)
Hardiness:
Frost Hardy
History:
One of the oldest medicinal and culinary herbs—used by the ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, Indians, Greeks, and Romans—fenugreek is mentioned as a uterine stimulant in the 3,500-year-old Egyptian Ebers papyri. The Egyptians also used fenugreek as a food, a medicine, and an embalming herb. In traditional Chinese herbal medicine and in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, fenugreek is used as a restorative tonic and aphrodisiac. And it is a staple spice in Indian curry and chutney dishes. The ancient Greeks gave fenugreek its name: Trigonella is derived from the Greek trigonus ("triangle"), for the plant's triangular-shaped yellow-white flowers; foenum-graecum literally means "Greek Hay" and is a reference to the plant's longtime use as animal fodder.
Parts Used:
Leaves, seeds (hu lu ba)
Medicinal Parts:
Leaves and seeds. The leaves may be eaten raw, added to salads, or cooked as a vegetable. The whole seeds are used before sprouting as a spice, and after sprouting as an addition to salads. Crushed seeds are used medicinally in teas and poultices.
Properties:
A bitter, pungent, warming herb that increases milk flow, stimulates the uterus, soothes irritated tissues, lowers fever, reduces blood sugar, improves digestion, promotes healing, and has laxative, expectorant, diuretic, anti-parasitic, and anti-tumor effects.
Vitamin Content:
Thiamin
Medicinal Uses:
Internally for late-onset diabetes, poor digestion, gastric inflammation, digestive disorders, tuberculosis, painful menstruation, labor pains, and insufficient lactation. Externally for skin inflammations and cellulitis. In Chinese medicine mainly for kidney-related disorders, such as back pain, premature ejaculation, loss of libido, edema of the legs, or hernia; also for painful menstruation and as a pessary for cervical cancer. Regarded as a rejuvenative and aphrodisiac in Ayurvedic medicine, and used to treat digestive and bronchial complaints, debility, allergies, neurasthenia, gout, and arthritis.
To treat constipation, diabetes, eczema, upper respiratory catarrh, skin ulcers, and inflammation; to stimulate the production of milk. Germany's Commission E has approved the use of fenugreek to treat inflammation of the skin and loss of appetite.
Fenugreek has antidiarrheal, decongestant, digestive, expectorant, gas-relieving, and restorative properties. Traditionally, a tea made from the crushed seeds of the plant has been prescribed to treat anemia, bronchitis, diabetes, fevers, flatulence, gastritis, indigestion, and menstrual pain. A tonic made from the tea is used as an aphrodisiac. Externally, the crushed seeds are used in poultices or compresses to treat boils, gout, sciatica, sores, swollen glands, and minor skin infections. Fenugreek is currently the focus of medical interest because it contains diosgenin, a hormone precursor used in a variety of ways: to stimulate the uterus; to increase milk production in nursing mothers; to make oral contraceptives and other hormonal treatments; and to treat baldness and diminished libido in men.
Preparations:
Fenugreek is available as fresh and dried herb and in teas. To make a tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of crushed seeds, cover cup or container and steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, and drink warm, up to 3 cups a day.
Typical Dose:
A typical daily dose of fenugreek seed is approximately 6 gm.
Possible Side Effects:
Fenugreeks side effects include bruising and bleeding. It may also cause premature labor.
Caution:
Because fenugreek is a uterine stimulant, do not use it medicinally if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.
Culinary Uses:
Dried leaves (methi) are used to flavor root vegetables in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes; fresh leaves are cooked as a vegetable curry (India). Seeds are lightly roasted to reduce bitterness, and ground as an ingredient of curry powder, pickles, and Ethiopian spice mixes; also as a flavoring for bread (Egypt, Ethiopia), stews, and fried foods. Seeds are sprouted as a salad vegetable, which is also eaten as a tonic for the liver, kidneys and male sexual organs. Helba, a dish of N Yemen, is made from boiled seeds, serves as a purée with a garnish of fried onion and meat.
Economic Uses:
Seed extracts are used in synthetic maple syrup, or maple, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch flavors for the food industry.
Warning:
Contraindicated during pregnancy and in hypoglycemic therapy.
Drug Interactions:
Taking fenugreek with these drugs may increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar):
Acarbose, (Prandase, Precose)
Acetohexamide, (Acetohexamide)
Chlorpropamide, (Diabinese, Novo-Propamide)
Gliclazide, (Diamicron, Novo-Gliclazide)
Glimepiride, (Amaryl)
Glipizide, (Glucotrol)
Glipizide and Metformin, (Metaglip)
Gliquidone, (Beglynor, Glurenorm)
Glyburide, (DiaBeta, Micronase)
Glyburide and Metformin, (Glucovance)
Insulin, (Humulin, Novolin R)
Metformin, (Glucophage, Riomet)
Miglitol, (Glyset)
Nateglinide, (Starlix)
Pioglitazone, (Actos)
Repaglinide, (GlucoNorm, Prandin)
Rosiglitazone, (Avandia)
Rosiglitazone and Metformin, (Avandamet)
Tolazamide, (Tolinase)
Tolbutamide, (Apo-Tolbutamide, Tol-Tab)
Taking fenugreek with these drugs may cause or increase liver damage:
Abacavir, (Ziagen)
Acarbose, (Prandase, Precose)
Acetaminophen, (Genepap, Tylenol)
Allopurinol, (Aloprim, Zyloprim)
Atorvastatin, (Lipitor)
Celcoxib, (Celebrex)
Cidofovir, (Vistide)
Cyclosporine, (Neoral, Sandimmune)
Meloxicam, (MOBIC, Mobicox)
Methotrexate, (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
Methyldopa, (Apo-Methyldopa, Medopa)
Modafinil, (Alertec, Provigil)
Morphine Hydrochloride, (Morphine Hydrochloride)
Morphine Sulfate, (Kadian, MS Contin)
Naproxen, (Aleve, Naprosyn)
Nelfinavir, (Viracept)
Nevirapine, (Viramune)
Nitrofurantoin, (Furadantin, Macrobid)
Ondansetron, (Zofran)
Paclitaxel, (Onxol, Taxol)
Pantoprazole, (Pantoloc, Protonix)
Phenytoin, (Dilantin, Phenytek)
Pioglitazone, (Actos)
Piroxicam, (Feldene, Nu-Pirox)
Pravastatin, (Novo-Pravastatin, Pravachol)
Prochlorperazine, (Compazine, Compro)
Propoxyphene, (Darvon, Darvon-N)
Repaglinide, (GlucoNorm, Prandin)
Rifampin, (Rifadin, Rimactane)
Rifapentine, (Priftin)
Ritonavir, (Norvir)
Rofecoxib, (Vioxx)
Rosiglitazone, (Avandia)
Saquinavir, (Fortovase, Invirase)
Simvastatin, (Apo-Simvastatin, Zocor)
Stavudine, (Zerit)
Tamoxifen, (Nolvadex, Tamofen)
Tramadol, (Ultram)
Zidovudine, (Novo-AZT, Retrovir)
Taking fenugreek with these drugs may increase the risk of bleeding or bruising:
Abciximab, (ReoPro)
Aspirin, (Bufferin, Ecotrin)
Celecoxib, (Celebrex)
Enoxaparin, (Lovenox)
Etodolac, (Lodine, Utradol)
Fondaparinux, (Arixtra)
Heparin, (Hepalean, Hep-Lock)
Ibuprofen, (Advil, Motrin)
Indomethacin, (Indocin, Novo-Methacin)
Ketoprofen, (Orudis, Rhodis)
Ketorolac, (Acular, Toradol)
Taking fenugreek with these drugs may be harmful:
Digitalis, (Digitek, Lanoxin)—:may interfere with absorption of the drug and decrease drug effects.
Prazosin, (Minipress, Nu-Prazo)—may increase the risk of hypotension (excessively low blood pressure).
Lab Test Alterations:
  • May decrease total cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol.
  • May decrease blood glucose.
  • May cause urine to develop a maple syrup odor (not to be confused with Maple Syrup Urine Disease).
Disease Effects:
May interfere with blood sugar control in diabetes.
Food Interactions:
Those allergic to fenugreek may be more likely to develop an allergy to foods from the Fabaceae family such as Chickpeas, Green Peas, Peanuts, and Soybeans.
Supplement Interactions:
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited Pg 393
The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide by Geo. T. Grossberg,MD and Barry Fox,PhD, Copyright©2007 Barry Fox,PhD. Pp.217-219
The Modern Herbal Primer by Nancy Burke Copyright©2000 Yankee Publishing, Inc. pp. 31-32