Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-graecum)

The word Trigonella is derived from the old Greek name, ‘three-angled’, due to the form of the plant’s corolla (petals); foenum-graecum means ‘Greek Hay’, in reference to when the plant was used to scent degraded hay. 

Fenugreek is an erect annual herb, growing 2 ft high, similar in shape and habit to alfalfa.The seeds are brownish-yellow, 1/8 in long, oblong, rhomboidal, with a deep crease dividing the seed into two unequal lobes. The seeds are found in long, sickle-like pods akin to other pea family pods, with 10-20 seeds per pod. The flowers are white, pealike, 1/2 in. long with hairy calyxes, occurring singly or in pairs at the leaf axils. The leaves are compound, three leaflets, oblong, toothed, 3/4-2 in. long.
Flowers in mid-summer. 

Hypoglycaemic, anti-diabetic, hypotensive, galactogogue, bulk laxative, nutritive, expectorant, demulcent, anti-spasmodic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, anti-cancer, oxytocic, diuretic, carminative, emollient (vulnerary), aphrodisiac, febrifuge (mild)

Historical

• The seeds of Fenugreek have been used medically throughout the ages, and were held in high repute among Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for culinary and medicinal purposes. 
• In Cairo a preparation is made called Helba (Arabic for Fenugreek), made by soaking the seeds in water until they swell into a thick paste. It is said to be equal to quinine in preventing fevers, is comforting to the stomach, and has been utilised for diabetes. 
• Fenugreek is a fodder plant of very ancient cultivation in Mediterranean countries. It is widely grown in India and neighbouring countries as a flavouring and fodder, and in North Africa and Western Asia as a pot-herb, culinary spice and fodder plant.
• Benedictine monks brought the plant to Western Europe during the ninth century

Soothes irritated mucus membranes in gastritis and gastric ulcers
Sluggish, poor digestion, gas, dyspepsia
Diabetes mellitus / hypercholesterolaemia – shown to reduce cholesterol and blood glucose levels 
Relieves menstrual cramps, stimulates breast development
Anorexia (due to appetite stimulation) 
Erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low libido
Fevers 
Low breast milk production
Diabetes
Kidney stones
Skin problems (use as paste externally for abscesses, boils, ulcers, or burns).
Externally to relieve lower back pain, sciatica, myalgia, gout, and arthritis

 

Avoid high doses in hypothyroidism
Caution in combining with other hypoglycemic treatments (e.g. insulin therapy)

Excessive doses may cause diarrhoea
Pregnancy

 

Cultivation

USDA hardiness zone 6. Fenugreek is a nitrogen-fixer. Prefers rich soil and full sun. Broadcast seeds thickly in deeply plowed soil. Seeds can be sown when soil temp reaches 55°F; if the soil is cold or wet, root rot may occur. Harvest the pods when ripe, but before they begin to shatter. Remove the seeds and dry them in the sun.
Likely due to its beneficial impact on the soil (nitrogen-fixing) and its bountiful pods, fenugreek is in general a very inexpensive medicinal herb. 

Dosages 

Infusion: 0.6-8.3g TDS (3x/daily) 
Decoction: 4-8 ounces TDS
Tincture: 2-6.5ml/day, 15-45ml per week (1:3) (50-70% alcohol)

Fenugreek has a complicated medicinal portfolio, as it has a large multitude of actions. As an herbalist, the first things that pop into my mind when thinking of Fenugreek are: milk production (galactagogue); as an expectorant and demulcent in lung tea blends; and as a modulator of blood sugars in cases of diabetes. But it is also an excellent herb for treating fevers with accompanying digestive inflammation, and for digestive complaints in general. Remember also that Fenugreek is an herb which is high in mucilage, which gives it a slimy composition when soaked in water, and which is useful for remedying varying cases of inflammation, and as a bulk laxative. Fenugreek is an herb which can help one gain weight, partially due to its effect of increasing hunger, and partially by its effects on the thyroid. It is a pancreatic herb, modulating insulin; and also a male sexual herb, acting as a mild aphrodisiac and remedying erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, potentially due to its cardiovascular/diabetic-related actions (the devastation diabetes can enact upon the cardiovascular/nervous system is often underestimated), and potentially due also to its hormonal actions. 
Primarily, for a person who is struggling with milk production, or who is on the verge of diabetes type 2 (before any medication is prescribed (see caution)), there are few herbs superior to Fenugreek.