**3. Nutraceutical properties of fenugreek**

Pharmacological activities have been studied by Mehrafarin et al. [29] to explain the medicinal properties of fenugreek and its main metabolites. Many studies were conducted to increase the secondary metabolites of fenugreek by different applications (**Table 1**).


#### **Table 1.**

*Variation of fenugreek secondary metabolites in different cultural applications.*

Fenugreek seeds contain the neuroprotective alkaloid trigonelline, which is one among the foremost alkaloids found in fenugreek seeds. Trigonelline consists of a methyl betaine derivative of nicotinic acid, aids in curing diabetes and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, alkaloids like trimethylamine, neurin, choline, gentianine, carpine and betain are found in fenugreek. These alkaloids exhibit antibacterial, antiviral and memory improving activities [43].

Fenugreek also represents an important source of diosgenin, a saponin used as a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones. Diosgenin is a very valuable phytochemical due to its biological activities and pharmaceutical applications. In fact, this phytochemical has anticancer, anti-aging, cardioprotective and contraceptive properties [44–49] and antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal and insecticidal activities [50, 51]. Anticancer effect of diosgenin has also been investigated in a number of preclinical studies, including growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in human colon cancer cells [27] and cell cycle in different cancer cell lines [52] has been documented.

So, fenugreek seeds have anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic effects, anti-diabetes, cardioprotective, anticancer, antimicrobial properties, antipyretic and analgesic properties [53, 54]. Therefore, breeding strategies should be re-validated to increase the amounts of important active substances such as diosgenin and trigonellin in fenugreek seeds. Genetic variation in fenugreek should be introduced and a combination of traditional and molecular approaches should be used. In addition, the advantage of applying mutants to tissue cultures should be used in fenugreek.
