All what you want to know about fenugreek.

This type of seeds is very important to our health we should use it to make our health more healthy  .
The fenugreek seeds are very common  and everyone knows that is very important to our health .
We will know its origin, benefits,  activit constituents, its special chemical tests and all what you want to know about this seed ?
Fenugreek seeds have three special tests we will know them in this essay .

First of all we must know the seed origin so our weed's origin today must be written.
• Origin: 
• The dried ripe seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum, the Family: Leguminoseae.

Every seed has a special description of the shape , its color, its odour and its taste. 
• Description: 
• Its Shape: irregularly rhomboidal 
• its Colour: yellowish brown. 
•its Odour: characteristic odour. 
• its Taste: mucilaginous oily and bitter. 
• It isAlbuminous seed (presence of endosperm)

The active constituents of any thing are the mainly reason of its actions,  benefits and uses 
Active constituents: 
• 1- The Mucilage (28%) found as stratified layers in the endosperm. 
• 2- There are Protein and fixed oil. 
• 3- There is Alkaloids as Choline and Trigonelline. 
• 4- The Steroidal sapogenin (Diosgenin) which occurs mainly in the embryo.
• 5- The Flavonoid glycosides as Vitexin. 
• 6- The Volatile constituents i.e. The  furanone (stolone) revealed to be important volatile constituent responsible for the characteristic odour of Fenugreek seeds . 
• 7- The  Free amino acids (4-hydroxyisoleucine, Arginine and Lysine). 

The action and uses are caused by it active constituents. 
Actions and uses: 
• 1- It is used as a laxative (mucilage). 
• 2- It  reduces cholesterol level (saponins increase biliary cholesterol excretion). 
• 3- The fixed oil is lactogaogue, skin softener and emollient. 
• 4- The seeds are used as nutritive, spice and preservative. 
• 5- Hypoglaecemic effect by stimulating glucose dependant insulin secretion from pancreatic cells (4- hydroxyisoleucine). 
• 6- Diosgenin is suitable precursor for the manufacture of steroid drugs such as cortisone and sex hormones.

Although fenugreek has benefits to has side effects too
• Side effects: 
- Undesirable skin reactions. 
- Minor gastro-intestinal symptoms. 

• Contraindications: 
-1- Hypoglaecemic therapy. 
-2- showed oxytoxic and uterine stimulant activity 
thus should be used with caution in pregnancy.

Special chemical tests: 
• 1- The  Test for Saponins is (Froth test). 
• 2- The Test for fixed oil is (Sudan III). 
• 3- The Test for mucilage is done (with ruthenium red or methylene blue).

As we saw fenugreek seeds have many benefits and side effects too
We must balance in using this special seed to have only its benefits. 
Fenugreek occurs in Egypt and other countries. It is cheap in its price .