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Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 10: 280. 2006. Note
on Trigonella
cornicualta (L.) L. Dr. Amrit Pal Singh, BAMS;
PGDMB; MD (Alternative Medicine) Herbal Address for correspondence: Dr Amrit Pal Singh
House No: 2101 Phase-7 Mohali-160062 Issued Syn: Trigonella esculenta Willd. Āyurvedic synonyms: Granthiparna, nīlapuspa, śukaspuspa
and
śukacchada. Family:
Fabaceae. Hindi
name: Kasur methi. English name: Cultivated fenugreek. Location: Botany:
Annual herb. Leaf pinnately
trifoliolate, leaflets usually dentate; stipules adnate to petiole. Inflorescence solitary axillary or a head, or spike or short raceme. Bracts
minute, bracteoles absent. Calyx teeth equal or unequal. Corolla yellow, blue
or purplish, free from the staminal tube,
deciduous. Stamens diadelphous, 9+1 or monadelphous, anthers uniform. Ovary sessile or stipitate, ovules numerous, style glabrous, stigma
terminal. Fruit linear or oblong, straight or arcuate,
dehiscing along one suture or indehiscent, continuous within, 1-many seeded. Chemical
composition: Ethyl galactoside
has been isolated from seeds (Varshney, et al., 1974) and diosgenin
(Mahna, Raisinghani, et al.,1994). Actions: Astringent,
bitter and styptic. As per Āyurevda it is appetizer and pacifies Vāta and Kapha. It is
hot in potency. Therapeutics: Applied externally in swelling and bruises. Parts used: Whole plant and seeds. References:
Atal, C.K.;
Sood, S.P. 1964 J Pharm Pharmacol.
16:627-9. Varshney, I.P. et al.,
1974 Planta Med. 26(1):26-32. Mahna, S. K., G. Raisinghani, et al. (1994). Fitoterapia 65(6): 515-516. |