Effect of furostanol glycosides from Trigonella foenum‐graecum on the reproductive system of male albino rats

Abstract

Trigonella foenum (TF) has long been used in the traditional Indian systems of medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The objective was to study the anabolic and androgenic activity of the furostanol glycosides fraction of Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenu-FG) in immature castrated male Wistar rats. It was also aimed to investigate the effect of Fenu-FG on testicular histology in non-castrated immature rats. The animals (55 ± 5 g) were castrated. The rats were treated with either vehicle, testosterone (10 mg/kg s.c. bi-weekly) or Fenu-FG (10 and 35 mg/kg p.o.) once daily for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, blood was withdrawn, serum testosterone and BUN were measured. Animals were killed and reproductive organs were excised and weighed.Fenu-FG (35 mg/kg p.o.) and testosterone (10 mg/kg, s.c. biweekly) increased the weight of the levator ani muscle as well as body weight. Fenu-FG (10 or 35 mg/kg p.o.) did not change the testosterone level in castrated rats. Histopathological examination of the testis of non-castrated rats treated with Fenu-FG (10, 35 mg/kg p.o.) showed normal architecture of the testis. Fenu-FG (35 mg/kg p.o.) showed anabolic activity without androgenic activity.

Effect of glycosides based standardized fenugreek seed extract in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats: Decisive role of Bax, Nrf2, NF-κB, Muc5ac, TNF-α and IL-1β

“…Chinese traditional medicine system has also reported the tonic property of fenugreek seed for the treatment of weakness and edema of the legs [17] as well as reproductive property [18]. Furostanol glycosides isolated from fenugreek seed possess anabolic and androgenic activity in laboratory rats [19]. The extraction, characterization and toxicological studies of glycosides based standardized fenugreek seed extract (SFSE-G) has been reported recently [20].…”

Efficacy and Safety of a Mixed Extract ofTrigonella foenum-graecumSeed andLespedeza cuneatain the Treatment of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

“…An animal study by Hamden et al [25] found that daily oral treatment of fenugreek steroids to diabetic rats over 30 days induced a considerable increase in testosterone in the plasma of the rats. However, a clinical study by Steels et al [8] and an animal study using male albino rats conducted by Aswar et al [26] did not reveal significant changes in testosterone levels.…”

“…However, Aswar et al [26] reported that Trigonella foenum-graecum increased the weight of the levator ani muscle, as well as the body weight of castrated rats. They suggested that Trigonella foenum-graecum has anabolic properties (increasing muscle mass), and that the probable mechanism for this action is increased availability of testosterone by dissociating it from the stored form, i.e.…”

Reproductive, cytological and biochemical toxicity of fenugreek in male Swiss albino mice

“…Another research group, Mozaffari et al (2010) highlighted that, fenugreek treatment (3.2 g/kg) to pregnant rats caused severe adverse alterations in rat fetus such as disorder in developing hind limb long bone. However, Aswar et al (2010) have reported that furostanol glycosides fraction of fenugreek did not change testosterone level and angrogenic activity in rats.…”