Herbal and Aromatic Plants: Fenugreek: Trigonella Foenum-Graecum: Cultivation, Processing Utilizations and Applications

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) plant is widely distributed throughout the world and which belongs to the family Fabacecae. The yields can be significant increase in quantity and quality through the suitable management of cultivation, irrigation and harvesting. The plant contains active constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, Saponins etc. It is an old medicinal plant. It has been commonly used as a traditional food and medicine. Fenugreek is known to have hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolaemic effects, Anti-inflammatory effects. Recent research has identified fenugreek as a valuable medicinal plant with potential for curing diseases and also as a source for preparing raw materials of pharmaceutical industry, like in steroidal hormones. Since fenugreek is a self-pollinated crop, a mutation breeding method can be used to generate mutants with a determinate growth habit. Irradiation and chemical mutagens can be used to produce point mutations in fenugreek. The published data on Fenugreek are scattered in different languages. It is very difficult to get any particular information in a simple way. So we have compiled these technical informations and publish in a single volume. This book gives view mainly on the biological activities of some of the fenugreek compounds isolated, pharmacological actions of the fenugreek extracts, clinical studies and genetic, bredding and biotechnological studies. This manuscript will be very useful to Botanist, Agriculture Scientists, Post Graduate Research Scholars.