Fenugreek is a name for a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It consists of the dried, mature seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum L., a plant in the genus Trigonella of the Fabaceae family. It has the effects of warming the kidneys and boosting yang, as well as dispelling cold and relieving pain. It is primarily used to treat kidney yang deficiency, deficiency-cold in the lower jiao, cold pain in the lower abdomen, abdominal pain caused by cold hernia, and cold-damp beriberi.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a name for a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It consists of the dried, mature seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum L., a plant in the genus Trigonella of the Fabaceae family. It has the effects of warming the kidneys and boosting yang, as well as dispelling cold and relieving pain. It is primarily used to treat kidney yang deficiency, deficiency-cold in the lower jiao, cold pain in the lower abdomen, abdominal pain caused by cold hernia, and cold-damp beriberi.
Chinese Name : 葫芦巴
Latin Name : Trigonellae Semen
Aliases : Fenugreek, Bitter Bean, Lu Ba, Hu Ba, Ji Dou, Fragrant Bean, Xiao Mu Xia, Bitter Bean, Xiuxiang Grass Seed, Lu Ba Seed
Authentic Producing Area : Henan, Gansu, Sichuan, Anhui
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Bitter in taste, warm in nature; enters the Kidney meridian
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Warms the Kidneys and supports Yang; dispels cold and relieves pain.
Indications
Deficiency of kidney yang, deficiency-cold in the lower jiao, cold pain in the lower abdomen, abdominal pain due to cold hernia, and cold-damp beriberi.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decocted as a soup, 5–10 g; or incorporated into pills or powders.
Precautions
Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with excessive fire.
Chemical Constituents
It primarily contains alkaloids (such as fenugreek alkaloids) and flavonoids (such as vitexin, isovitexin, isohupferin, and vitexin-7-glucoside).
Pharmacological Actions
This herb has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, anti-fertility, and antitumor effects.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Jiaoyu Bencao*: “Treats cold qi due to deficiency of the primordial organ. When combined with Aconite and sulfur, it treats kidney deficiency with cold, distension and fullness in the abdomen and flanks, and a bluish-black complexion; when combined with anise seeds and peach kernels, it is highly effective for treating bladder qi disorders.”
2. *Compendium of Materia Medica*: “Treats cold-induced hernias and masses, cold-damp beriberi, nourishes the right kidney, and warms the Dan Tian.” “Fenugreek is a herb for the right kidney and the Gate of Life. It is suitable for those with insufficient primordial yang, latent cold qi, and an inability to return to the source.”
3. *Seeking the Truth in Materia Medica*: “Fenugreek is bitter and warm, purely yang in nature, and can also enter the kidney to tonify the Gate of Life.” “Its effects are somewhat similar to those of Xianmao, Aconite, and sulfur; however, its potency is ultimately inferior to that of Aconite and sulfur. Therefore, to effectively tonify fire, it must be administered in combination with Aconite, sulfur, aniseed, and Evodia fruit.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. For treating cold hernia-induced abdominal pain radiating to the testicles, it is often combined with Evodia fruit, Melia toothed-leaf, and Morinda root, as in the Fenugreek Pills (Formulas of the Bureau of Harmonious Medicinal Preparations); or used with Aconite and sulfur to treat deficiency-cold in the lower jiao, flank distension, and abdominal pain, as in the Fenugreek Pills (Comprehensive Record of Divine Remedies);It may also be used in combination with Danggui and Wuyao to treat menstrual abdominal pain caused by cold.
2. To treat yang deficiency with impaired qi transformation, descent of cold and dampness, cold pain in the feet and knees, and cold-damp beriberi, it is often used in combination with Mugua and Buguzhi, as in the Huluba Pills (from *Yang’s Family Prescriptions*).
3. To treat symptoms of kidney yang deficiency and decline of the Gate of Life fire—such as impotence, premature ejaculation with cold semen, and dizziness—it is often combined with Aconite and Morinda officinalis, as in the Agarwood and Magnetite Pills (Selected and Commented Medical Formulas of Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu).
Related Compatibility
1. Fenugreek combined with Aconite: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys and assisting yang, as well as dispelling cold and relieving pain; Aconite excels at replenishing fire and assisting yang, as well as dispelling cold and relieving pain. When used together, these two herbs enhance the effects of warming the kidneys, assisting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain. This combination is suitable for conditions such as kidney deficiency with cold, flank distension, and abdominal pain.
2. Fenugreek combined with Rubus fruit: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys, supporting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain; Rubus fruit excels at tonifying the kidneys, consolidating essence, reducing urination, and stopping seminal emission. When used together, these two herbs enhance the effects of tonifying the kidneys and consolidating essence. This combination is suitable for conditions such as seminal emission, lower back and shoulder pain, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation caused by kidney yang deficiency.
3. Fenugreek Combined with Cyperus: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys, assisting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain; Cyperus excels at regulating the liver, harmonizing qi, regulating menstruation, and relieving pain. When used together, these two herbs enhance the effects of dispelling cold, regulating qi, and alleviating menstrual pain. This combination is suitable for conditions such as deficiency-cold in the Chong and Ren meridians in women, as well as menstrual abdominal pain.
4. Fenugreek Combined with Dried Ginger: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys and supporting yang, as well as dispelling cold and relieving pain; dried ginger excels at warming the middle burner, dispelling cold, restoring yang, and unblocking the meridians. When used together, these two herbs enhance the effects of warming the middle burner, dispelling cold, and relieving pain. This combination is suitable for conditions such as abdominal pain and diarrhea caused by deficiency-cold in the middle burner.
5. Fenugreek combined with Morinda officinalis: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys, assisting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain; Morinda officinalis excels at tonifying the kidneys, strengthening yang, and fortifying tendons and bones. When used together, these two herbs enhance the effects of warming the kidneys, assisting yang, dispelling cold, relieving pain, and fortifying tendons and bones. This combination is suitable for conditions such as seminal emission and erectile dysfunction caused by kidney yang deficiency.
6.Fenugreek Combined with Psoralea: Fenugreek excels at warming the kidneys, supporting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain; Psoralea excels at tonifying the kidneys, supporting yang, warming the spleen, and stopping diarrhea. When used together, these two herbs enhance their effects in tonifying the kidneys, supporting yang, dispelling cold, relieving pain, warming the spleen, and stopping diarrhea. This combination is suitable for conditions such as diarrhea, cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen, and impotence or nocturnal emissions caused by spleen-kidney yang deficiency.
Medicinal Identification
1. Fenugreek and Salted Fenugreek: These are two different processed forms of fenugreek. Due to differences in processing methods, their therapeutic effects have distinct emphases. Raw fenugreek excels at dispelling cold and expelling dampness and is often used for cold-damp beriberi.Salt-processed fenugreek directs the herb’s action to the kidney and is particularly effective at warming and tonifying kidney yang; it is commonly used for hernia pain, lower back pain due to kidney deficiency, and impotence with seminal emission.
2. Fenugreek and Evodia: Both are effective at assisting yang, dispelling cold, and relieving pain. They are similarly used to treat hernia pain caused by yang deficiency and liver cold, dysmenorrhea, and swelling and pain from cold-damp beriberi or ascending cold invading the abdomen. However, fenugreek is bitter, warm, and drying; it specifically enters the Kidney meridian and excels at warming kidney yang, expelling cold and dampness, and relieving pain. It is particularly effective for treating various syndromes resulting from kidney yang deficiency complicated by cold and dampness.Evodia, on the other hand, is pungent and hot in nature, entering the Liver, Spleen, and Stomach meridians. With its intense, hot, and drying properties, it is a warming and drying herb that promotes descent; it also has the effect of regulating the Liver and descending Qi. It is particularly effective for treating cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen due to deficiency-cold in the middle jiao, vomiting and acid regurgitation caused by Liver-Stomach disharmony, and Jueyin headaches resulting from cold stagnation in the Liver meridian.
3. Fenugreek and Papaya: Both herbs dispel cold and remove dampness and are used to treat cold-damp beriberi. However, fenugreek is bitter, warm, and drying; it enters exclusively the Kidney meridian and excels at warming Kidney yang, expelling cold and dampness, and relieving pain. It is particularly effective for treating various syndromes resulting from Kidney yang deficiency complicated by cold and dampness.Papaya, with its sour taste, enters the Liver Meridian and has the effects of relaxing tendons and activating collaterals, as well as dispelling dampness and alleviating bi syndrome. It is a key herb for treating rheumatic bi pain, particularly suitable for cases of damp-bi with tight and contracted tendons and vessels. Papaya also enters the Spleen Meridian, where it transforms dampness in the middle jiao, invigorates the spleen, and harmonizes the middle jiao; it can relax tendons and activate collaterals to relieve spasms, and is used to treat vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle cramps.
4. Fenugreek and Fennel: Both herbs are pungent and warm in nature, entering the Liver and Kidney meridians, and both possess the ability to dispel cold and relieve pain, making them suitable for abdominal pain caused by cold hernia. The difference lies in the fact that fenugreek excels at warming the Kidney and assisting Yang, dispelling cold and dampness, warming the meridians, and relieving pain; it is often used for various types of pain resulting from Kidney Yang deficiency and the stagnation of cold and dampness.Fennel, pungent, warm, and aromatic, excels at warming the Kidneys and Liver, regulating Qi, and relieving pain; therefore, it is frequently used for various conditions involving cold stagnation and Qi stagnation in the lower jiao. Fenugreek has a stronger ability to warm Yang and dispel cold, while also expelling cold and dampness, and is used to treat cold-damp beriberi. Fennel also enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians, where it warms the middle burner, regulates Qi, harmonizes the middle burner to stop vomiting, and stimulates the appetite with its aromatic properties; it is used to treat various conditions involving deficiency-cold and Qi stagnation in the Spleen and Stomach.
Related Medicines
Yang-Strengthening and Kidney-Protecting Pills, Ginseng-Deer Antler-Black Tin Pills, and Kidney Treasure Compound.
Related Prescriptions
Fenugreek Pills (from *Formulas of the Bureau of Harmonious Medicines*), Fenugreek Pills (from *Comprehensive Record of Holy Remedies*), Fenugreek Pills (from *Yang Family’s Private Formulary*).
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest the plant when the fruits ripen in summer, sun-dry it, thresh out the seeds, and remove impurities.
Processing Methods
1. Fenugreek: Take the raw herb, remove impurities, wash thoroughly, and dry.
2. Roasted Fenugreek: Place the cleaned fenugreek in a roasting vessel, heat over low heat, and roast until popping sounds are heard, a fragrant aroma is released, the color darkens, and the cross-section turns pale yellow. Remove from heat and crush before use.
3. Salted Fenugreek: Take the cleaned fenugreek, mix thoroughly with salt water, and let it sit until the salt water is fully absorbed. Place it in a roasting container and heat over low heat until popping sounds are heard, the color deepens, and the cross-section turns light yellow. Remove, let cool, and crush before use. Use 2 kg of table salt per 100 kg of fenugreek.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry, airtight container in a well-ventilated, dry place. Protect from insect infestation.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
This product is slightly oblong or rectangular in shape, 3–4 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, and approximately 2 mm thick. The surface is yellowish-green or yellowish-brown and smooth, with one deep oblique groove on each side; at their intersection is a dot-like seed scar. It is hard in texture and not easily broken.The seed coat is thin; the endosperm is translucent and sticky; there are two cotyledons, pale yellow in color; the radicle is curved, thick, and long. It has a fragrant odor and a slightly bitter taste.
Properties of Processed Slices
1. Fenugreek: Slightly oblique-square in shape, with a yellow-green or yellow-brown, smooth surface; each side has one deep oblique groove, with a punctate seed scar at their intersection. It is hard and difficult to break. It has a fragrant aroma and a slightly bitter taste.
2. Roasted Fenugreek Seeds: Slightly swollen, with cracks; the surface is yellowish-brown; has a fragrant aroma.
3. Salted Fenugreek Seeds: Slightly swollen, with a darker color. Has a fragrant aroma and a slightly salty, bitter taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), a plant of the genus Trigonella in the legume family.
Morphological Characteristics
An annual herb, 30–80 cm tall. The taproot extends up to 80 cm into the soil, and the root system is well-developed. The stem is erect, cylindrical, highly branched, and sparsely pubescent. The leaves are pinnately trifoliate; the stipules are entire, membranous, connected to the petiole at the base, gradually tapering to a point at the apex, and pubescent; the petioles are spreading, 6–12 mm long;leaflets are oblong-ovate, ovate, to oblong-lanceolate, nearly equal in size, 15–40 mm long, 4–15 mm wide, with a blunt apex, a cuneate base, and triangular-acute teeth on the upper half of the margin; the upper surface is glabrous, while the lower surface is sparsely pubescent or glabrous; there are 5–6 pairs of lateral veins, which are inconspicuous; the terminal leaflet has a relatively long petiolule.Flowers are sessile, 1–2 per leaf axil, 13–18 mm long; the calyx is tubular, 7–8 mm long, covered with long soft hairs; the calyx teeth are lanceolate, conically pointed, and equal in length to the calyx;The corolla is yellowish-white or pale yellow, with the base slightly violet; the standard is long obovate, deeply notched at the apex, and noticeably longer than the wings and keel; the ovary is linear, sparsely pubescent, with a short style and a capitate stigma, bearing numerous ovules.The pod is cylindrical, 7–12 cm long and 4–5 mm in diameter, straight or slightly curved, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with a slender beak at the apex approximately 2 cm long (including the sterile upper portion of the ovary); the dorsal suture is thickened, and the surface bears distinct longitudinal reticulate veins; it contains 10–20 seeds.Seeds are oblong-ovate, 3–5 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, brownish-black, and with an uneven surface. Flowering occurs from April to July, and fruiting from July to September.
Distribution Area
Most specimens are cultivated or wild, distributed across Northeast and Southwest China, as well as Hebei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, and Guangxi.
Growth Habits
It prefers a warm climate and has strong drought tolerance. It thrives in elevated, dry, sunny locations with good drainage. It is not particular about soil type and can be cultivated throughout southern China. Generally, well-drained, fertile, and loose sandy loam is optimal.
Propagation Methods
Propagated by seed.
Cultivation Techniques
In the south, fall sowing (October–November) is common, while in the north, spring sowing (April–early May) is preferred. For hole sowing, space holes and rows 30 cm apart, with a hole depth of 6–9 cm; plant 6–10 seeds per hole, using 22.5–30 kg of seed per hectare.For row sowing, make transverse furrows across the ridges with a row spacing of 20–25 cm and a furrow depth of 10–15 cm. When seedlings reach a height of 3–10 cm, weed, thin, and replant as needed, leaving 3–5 vigorous seedlings per hole.For row planting, space plants approximately 10 cm apart, leaving one plant per hole. When seedlings reach 10–15 cm in height, lightly hoe the soil surface to remove all weeds and apply liquid manure to promote growth, using 30,000–75,000 kg per hectare. Before the flowering stage, clear the furrows and hill up the soil to prevent lodging.
Pest and Disease Control
1. Diseases
(1) Powdery Mildew: Common in southern regions from May to July. At the onset of infection, spray with a 500-fold dilution of Fenarimol or a 500-fold dilution of 50% Topsin-M. Alternatively, spray with a 0.3° Baumé lime-sulfur mixture.
(2) Sclerotinia Rot: Occurs from April to July, causing root rot. Treat by drenching with a 500-fold dilution of 50% Topsin-M or a 1,000-fold dilution of 50% Thiram; practice crop rotation.
2. Pests
Cutworms damage seedlings; they can be trapped and killed manually. Additionally, aphids may cause damage around the flowering period.