Abstract
Background: An annual plant, Fenugreek (Trigonellafoenum-graecum L.) has well-known
health care benefits in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Its leaves and seeds have alkaloids, amino
acids, caumarins, flavonoids, saponins, and other bioactive components. Various pharmacological
properties such as antioxidants, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic have been attributed to fenugreek.
Trigonelline, diosgenin, and 4- hydroxyisoleucine have shown neuroprotection against Alzheimer’s
disease, and the extract have also been reported to act as an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and also
regulate cognitive functions. This review highlights various studies carried out on animals as well as
on humans for the protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Methods: The data presented in this review is taken from popular search engines, viz, Google Scholar,
PubMed, and Scopus. This review highlights the studies and clinical trials performed to show the
protective effect of Fenugreek on neurodegenerative diseases with special reference to AD from 2005
to 2023.
Results: Fenugreek improves cognitive deficits by Nrf2-mediated antioxidative pathway and provides
neuroprotection against amyloid-beta-induced mitochondria dysfunction. It enhances SOD and catalase
activities and scavenges reactive oxygen species to protect the cellular organelle from oxidative
stress. It normalizes the tubulin protein and improved axonal growth by regulating nerve growth factors.
Fenugreek can also influence metabolism.
Discussion: Fenugreek significantly improves the pathological symptoms of neurodegenerative disease,
especially AD and can be used as a therapeutic agent to control disease conditions as evidenced
by the review of the literature.
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