Ethnobotanical Leaflets 10: 280. 2006.

Note on Trigonella cornicualta (L.) L.

Dr. Amrit Pal Singh, BAMS; PGDMB; MD (Alternative Medicine)

Herbal Consultant, India –Swift Ltd, Chandigarh

Address for correspondence:

Dr Amrit Pal Singh

House No: 2101 Phase-7

Mohali-160062

Issued 14 November 2006

Syn: Trigonella esculenta Willd.

Āyurvedic synonyms: Granthiparna, nīlapuspa, śukaspuspa and śukacchada.

Family: Fabaceae.

Hindi name: Kasur methi.

English name: Cultivated fenugreek.

Location: Europe - Mediterranean to W. Asia.

Botany: Annual herb. Leaf pinnately trifoliolate, leaflets usually dentate; stipules adnate to petiole. Inflorescence solitary axillary or a head, or spike or short raceme. Bracts minute, bracteoles absent. Calyx teeth equal or unequal. Corolla yellow, blue or purplish, free from the staminal tube, deciduous. Stamens diadelphous, 9+1 or monadelphous, anthers uniform. Ovary sessile or stipitate, ovules numerous, style glabrous, stigma terminal. Fruit linear or oblong, straight or arcuate, dehiscing along one suture or indehiscent, continuous within, 1-many seeded.

Chemical composition: Ethyl galactoside has been isolated from seeds (Varshney, et al., 1974) and diosgenin (Mahna, Raisinghani, et al.,1994).

Actions: Astringent, bitter and styptic. As per Āyurevda it is appetizer and pacifies Vāta and Kapha. It is hot in potency.

Therapeutics: Applied externally in swelling and bruises. 

Parts used: Whole plant and seeds.

References:

Atal, C.K.;  Sood, S.P. 1964 J Pharm Pharmacol. 16:627-9.

Varshney, I.P. et al., 1974 Planta Med. 26(1):26-32.

Mahna, S. K., G. Raisinghani, et al. (1994). Fitoterapia 65(6): 515-516.