Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Trigonella foenum-graecum L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Trigonella
foenum-graecum L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia
Introduction
Based on Ethnobotanical
surveys since year 1990 in different parts of India Pankaj Oudhia has
documented vital information about Medicinal Plants mentioned in the famous
publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918). Through this research document Pankaj
Oudhia has tried to present original document with additional notes. For
complete paper with pictures, Interactive Tables, Video and Audio clips please
visit pankajoudhia.com
For original publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918) please visit https://archive.org/details/indianmedicinalp01kirt
346. T.
Foenum-graecum, Linn, h.f.b.i,, ii. 87,
Roxb; 588
Sans. :— Methi.
Arab. : —
Hulbah.
Vers. : —
Shamlit.
N. 0.
LEGUMIN0S.E. 405
Vern. :—
Methi(B. and H.) ; Vendayam (Tarn.); Mentulu
(Tel.);
Menthya(Kan.j.
Habitat :
—Cultivated in many parts of India, but is wild in
Kashmir and the
Punjab.
Annual, robust,
erect, sub-glabrous herbs. Stipules not la-
ciniate.
Leaflets toothed, f-1 in. long, oblanceolate oblong.
Flowers 1-2,
sessile in the axils of the leaves. Calyx \-\ in.,
teeth linear.
Corolla much exserted. Pod 2-3in. long, turgid,
10-20-seeded,
with a long, persistent beak, often falcate.
Use : —
Fenugreek seeds are considered carminative, tonic,
and aphrodisiac.
Several confections made with this article
are recommended
for use in dyspepsia with loss of appetite,
in the diarrhoea
of puerperal women, and in rheumatism
{Hindu Mat.
Med.) An infusion of the seeds is given by the
Natives to
small-pox patients as a cooling drink. Mahomedan
writers describe
the plant and seeds as hot and dry, suppurative,
aperient,
diuretic, emmenagogue, useful in dropsy, chronic
cough, and
enlargements of the spleen and liver. A poultice
of the leaves is
said to be of use in external and internal
swellings and
burns, and to prevent the hair falling off. The
flour of the
seeds is used as a poultice, and is applied to the
skin in cosmetic
(Dymock). The use of fenugreek as a medi-
cinal agent is
now obsolete in Europe and the United States.
Formerly the
seeds were employed in the preparation of emol-
lient
cataplasms, fomentations and enemata, but were never
given
internally. The powdered seeds are still used in veteri-
nary practice
(Bentley and Trimeri).
[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Methi
is popular Traditional Medicine in India. Through Ethnobotancial surveys
conducted in different parts of India I have documented information about 15
Lacs Traditional Herbal Formulations in which different parts of Methi are used
as primary, secondary, tertiary, senary etc. ingredients. The Traditional
Healers of young generation are still experiemnting with Methi and they are not
only improving the old Formulations but also developing new Formulations in order
to fight modern diseases. They are experimenting with new herbs including
exotic species and preparing new Formulations. I have documented 200 days Methi
based treatment of 10,000 cases of Type 2 Diabetes. The work is still in
prgress with the expert Healers. In India the Traditional Healers practice
Traditional Allelopathic Knowledge in order to enrich Methi with desired
medicinal properties. I have documnted this unique Traditional Knowledge and
developed Vedic Farming methods for Methi farming with the help of innovative
farmers and herb growers.
The Ethnobotanical surveys
conducted in Odisha revelaed that the Healers are aware of use of Methi roots
in the state. There are 10,000 Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Methi
roots are used as nonary ingredient. Please see Tables Meth-1 to Methi-1500 for
exhaustive information about Methi based Formulations documented, so far.]
The seeds being
toasted and afterwards infused are used
by Native
practitioners in Southern India for dysentery
(Ainslie.) In
the Concan, the leaves are used both externally
and internally,
on account of their cooling properties (Dymock).
Fenugreek.
Analysis of 2
samples gave the following results :—
Nitrogenous
matter ... ... 13*74 and 1302 p. c.
Fat ... ... ...
... 3*31 and 3-54 „
Crude fibre .,.
... ... 3175 and 29*36 „
Nitrogen-free
extract ... ... 45*79 and 48*14 . „
Ash ... ... ...
... 5*42 and 5*94 „ in the
dry matter.
406 INDIAN
MEDICINAL PLANTS.
The pure ash
contained (per cent.)
K 2
Na 2 CaO
MgO
Fe 2 3
PA
1. 19-37
7-60 3073
119
4*71
8-24
2. 18'85
7*55 28-92
0-96
5-08
7-87
S0 3
Si0 2
CI.
1. 4*35
21'97
123
2. 3-91
25-19
0-99.
In composition,
fenugreek
resembles
Trifolium
incamatm
LXXVIII. pt. II.
1900, p. 364.
Tr'igonella
Foenumgrcecum.
The crushed
seeds yield only 0-14 per cent, of a light brown, neutral,
volatile oil,
possessing the distinct odour of the seeds. It has the sp.gr. 0'870
at 13-5° and
[a]o =4-8°. It is readily soluble in absolute and 90 per cent,
alcohol , but
its solubility in 80 per cent, alcohol is only 1 : 460.— J. S. Ch. I.,
April 15, 1903,
p. 439.
E-documents on
Trigonella
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Trigonella foenum-graecum L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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