Methi — Fenugreek

Ayurvedic herb Methi (Trigonella foenum-graecum) — Fenugreek. Pharmacological properties: Rasa Tikta, Katu, Virya Ushna, Vipaka Katu. Balances Vata, Kapha.

Ayurvedic Herbs A–Z 1 min read
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional.

Fenugreek seeds are used to balance blood sugar, improve digestion, and support lactation.

ⓘ Information
PropertyValueDescription
RasaTikta, KatuTikta (Bitter) — detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic; Katu (Pungent) — stimulates digestion, circulation, expectorant
GunaLaghu, SnigdhaLaghu (Light) — easy to digest, promotes lightness; Snigdha (Oily/Unctuous) — moistening, nourishing
ViryaUshnaUshna (Hot) — heating, increases metabolism and Pitta
VipakaKatuKatu (Pungent) — post-digestive pungent, lightening
PrabhavaDeepana, Vatanulomana, BalyaDeepana — kindles digestive fire without digesting ama; Vatanulomana — regulates Vata downward movement; Balya — strengthens, increases strength and stamina

Sanskrit Synonyms

In the classical Ayurvedic texts, Methi is known by the following Sanskrit names:

Methika, Peetabeeja, Bahuputrika, Dipani

Parts Used

The medicinal parts of Methi are: bija, patra.

Main Indications

Methi is indicated in Ayurveda for the following conditions:

Vata Vyadhi, Prameha, Aruchi, Ajeerna, Grahani.

Dosha Effects

Methi pacifies Vata, Kapha.

It may aggravate Pitta when used in excess or in sensitive individuals.

Usage

Methi is used in classical Ayurvedic formulations. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner for appropriate dosage and preparation based on your constitution (Prakriti) and current imbalance (Vikriti).

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API)

Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH

Rasa (Taste)Tikta
Guna (Quality)Snigdha
Virya (Potency)Uṣḍa
Vipaka (Post-digestive effect)Kauu
Karma (Action)V¡tahara, Kaphahara, Dipana, Rucya 163
Dose3-6 g of the drug in powder form.
Therapeutic Uses: Aruci, Jvara, Grahaḍi, Prameha
Important Formulations: Mustak¡riṣua, Mrtasaṃjivani Sur¡
Botanical Name: Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. (Fabaceae)
Part Used: Sd.

Therapeutic Uses (IMPPAT Database)

Source: Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry And Therapeutics (IMPPAT) v1.0 — CC BY 4.0

Part UsedTherapeutic UseIdentifiersReferences
leafAbscessMESH:D000038,UMLS:C0000833, SYMP:0000672, ICD-11:1B75.3ISBN:9788171360536
leafAnorexiaMESH:D000855,UMLS:C1971624, DOID:8689, ICD-11:MG43.7ISBN:9788171360536
leafBronchitisMESH:D001991,UMLS:C0006277, DOID:6132, ICD-11:CA20ISBN:9788171360536
leafBurnsMESH:D002056,UMLS:C0006434, ICD-11:NE2ZISBN:9788172363178, ISBN:9788173717062
leafConstipationMESH:D003248,UMLS:C0009806, DOID:2089, ICD-11:ME05.0ISBN:9788172363178
leafDiabetes mellitusMESH:D003920,UMLS:C0011849, DOID:9351, ICD-11:5A14ISBN:9788171360536
leafEdemaMESH:D004487,UMLS:C0013604, ICD-11:MG29.1ISBN:9788172363178, ISBN:9788173717062
leafCooling effect on bodyUMLS:C0678568ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788172363178
seedAbortifacient agentsMESH:D000019,UMLS:C0000782, ICD-11:JA00.1ISBN:9788172363093
seedHair lossMESH:D000505,UMLS:C0002170, DOID:987, ICD-11:ED70ISBN:9788172363093
seedAndrogen antagonistsMESH:D000726,UMLS:C0570239, ICD-11:XM7JF4ISBN:9788172363093
seedAnorexiaMESH:D000855,UMLS:C1971624, DOID:8689, ICD-11:MG43.7ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788173717062
seedAnti-infective agents, localMESH:D000891,UMLS:C0003205, ICD-11:XM4VG4ISBN:9780387706375
seedAntineoplastic agentsMESH:D000970,UMLS:C0003392ISBN:9788172363093
seedAphrodisiacsMESH:D001046,UMLS:C0003567ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788173717062
seedAppetite stimulantsMESH:D019167,UMLS:C0376447ISBN:9789327275590, Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedAstringentsMESH:D001252,UMLS:C0004110, ICD-11:XM0VK6ISBN:9788172363178
seedBronchitisMESH:D001991,UMLS:C0006277, DOID:6132, ICD-11:CA20ISBN:9788173717062
seedColicMESH:D003085,UMLS:C0232488, ICD-11:MD81.4ISBN:9788171360536, ISBN:9789327275590
seedColitisMESH:D003092,UMLS:C0009319, DOID:0060180, ICD-11:1A40.0ISBN:9788173717062
seedContraceptive agentsMESH:D003270,UMLS:C0009871ISBN:9788172363093
seedCoughMESH:D003371,UMLS:C0010200, ICD-11:MD12ISBN:9788173717062
seedDemulcentsMESH:D065106,UMLS:C0302232ISBN:9788172363178
seedDiabetes mellitusMESH:D003920,UMLS:C0011849, DOID:9351, ICD-11:5A14ISBN:9788172363093, Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedDiarrheaMESH:D003967,UMLS:C0011991, DOID:13250, ICD-11:ME05.1ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788171360536, ISBN:9789327275590
seedDiureticsMESH:D004232,UMLS:C0012798, ICD-11:XM4D06ISBN:9788172363178
seedDysenteryMESH:D004403,UMLS:C0277526, DOID:12384, ICD-11:1A40.ZISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788171360536, ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9789327275590
seedDyspepsiaMESH:D004415,UMLS:C0013395, ICD-11:DD90.3ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788171360536, ISBN:9789327275590
seedEmollientsMESH:D004643,UMLS:C0013983, ICD-11:XM1C59ISBN:9788173717062
seedFeverMESH:D005334,UMLS:C0015967, ICD-11:MG26ISBN:9788173717062, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
seedFlatulenceMESH:D005414,UMLS:C0016204, ICD-11:ME08ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788172363178, ISBN:9788173717062, ISBN:9789327275590, Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedFurunculosisMESH:D005667,UMLS:C0016867, ICD-11:1B75.0Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedGalactogoguesMESH:D056669,UMLS:C2717873ISBN:9788173717062, ISBN:9789327275590, Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedHepatomegalyMESH:D006529,UMLS:C0019209, ICD-11:ME10.00ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9789327275590
seedHypercholesterolemiaMESH:D006937,UMLS:C0020443, ICD-11:5C80.0ISBN:9788172363093
seedHypoglycemic agentsMESH:D007004,UMLS:C0020616ISBN:9788172363093, ISBN:9789327275590
seedMenstruation-inducing agentsMESH:D008600,UMLS:C0025346ISBN:9788172363178
seedPostnatal careMESH:D011181,UMLS:C0032782ISBN:9789327275590
seedGeneral tonic for rejuvenationMESH:D012060,UMLS:C0035016ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788172363178, Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedSmallpoxMESH:D012899,UMLS:C0037354, DOID:8736, ICD-11:1E70ISBN:9788171360536, ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788173717062
seedSpermatocidal agentsMESH:D013089,UMLS:C0037862ISBN:9788172363093
seedSplenic diseasesMESH:D013158,UMLS:C0037997, DOID:2529, ICD-11:3B8ZISBN:9789327275590
seedSplenomegalyMESH:D013163,UMLS:C0038002, ICD-11:ME10.01ISBN:9780387706375
seedTaste disordersMESH:D013651,UMLS:C0039338, ICD-11:MB41.2The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
seedUrination disordersMESH:D014555,UMLS:C0042035, ICD-11:GB0YThe Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
seedVomitingMESH:D014839,UMLS:C0042963, ICD-11:MD90.1ISBN:9788173717062
seedWounds and injuriesMESH:D014947,UMLS:C0043251Medicinal Plants Of Nagpur And Wardha Forest Divisions (Maharashtra)
seedMalabsorption syndromesMESH:D008286,UMLS:C0024523, ICD-11:DA96.0ZThe Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
seedCooling effect on bodyUMLS:C0678568ISBN:9788172361266
AnemiaMESH:D000740,UMLS:C0002871, DOID:2355, ICD-11:3A9ZISBN:9788172363178
AnorexiaMESH:D000855,UMLS:C1971624, DOID:8689, ICD-11:MG43.7ISBN:9788172363178
Antirheumatic agentsMESH:D018501,UMLS:C0003191, ICD-11:XM95N2ISBN:9788172363178
ColicMESH:D003085,UMLS:C0232488, ICD-11:MD81.4ISBN:9788172363178
CoughMESH:D003371,UMLS:C0010200, ICD-11:MD12ISBN:9788172363178
Diabetes mellitusMESH:D003920,UMLS:C0011849, DOID:9351, ICD-11:5A14ISBN:9788172363178
DiarrheaMESH:D003967,UMLS:C0011991, DOID:13250, ICD-11:ME05.1ISBN:9788172363178
DysenteryMESH:D004403,UMLS:C0277526, DOID:12384, ICD-11:1A40.ZISBN:9788172363178
EdemaMESH:D004487,UMLS:C0013604, ICD-11:MG29.1ISBN:9788172363178
EmollientsMESH:D004643,UMLS:C0013983, ICD-11:XM1C59ISBN:9788172363178
FlatulenceMESH:D005414,UMLS:C0016204, ICD-11:ME08ISBN:9788172363178
HepatomegalyMESH:D006529,UMLS:C0019209, ICD-11:ME10.00ISBN:9788172363178
LymphedemaMESH:D008209,UMLS:C0024236, DOID:4977, ICD-11:BD93.ZISBN:9788172363178
RicketsMESH:D012279,UMLS:C0035579, DOID:10609ISBN:9788172363178
Splenic diseasesMESH:D013158,UMLS:C0037997, DOID:2529, ICD-11:3B8ZISBN:9788172363178