AN OVERVIEW OF FENUGREEK: BACKGROUND, TRADITIONAL USES, PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES, AND MODERN PERSPECTIVES

Fenugreek, or Trigonella foenum-graecum, is an ancient medicinal herb that is used in many different cultures as a culinary spice and therapeutic agent. Fenugreek has a rich phytochemical profile that includes alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and special amino acids like 4-hydroxyisoleucine. It has long been used in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Mediterranean medical systems. Its wide pharmacological potential, which includes antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and reproductive-modulating properties, is attributed to these bioactive substances. Fenugreek's role in glycemic regulation through improved peripheral insulin sensitivity, increased insulin secretion, and delayed carbohydrate absorption is supported by both experimental and clinical data. Polyphenols, saponins, and steroidal sapogenins like diosgenin are responsible for its anticancer and antioxidant properties. Its development, genomic enhancement of cultivars, investigation of gut microbiome interactions, and integration into functional foods are further examples.