Dr. Weeks’ Comment: A dear old herbalist friend and wife of master apitherapist Charles Mraz – my dear friend Marge Mraz used to serve me FENUGREEK TEA and it was delicious! Now I know it helped me think well!

PLoS On 2016 Nov 28;11(11):e0165955. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165955. eCollection 2016.

Fenugreek Seed Powder Nullified Aluminium Chloride Induced Memory Loss, Biochemical Changes, Aβ Burden and Apoptosis via Regulating Akt/GSK3β Signaling Pathway

Asokan Prema ¹, Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi ¹, Thamilarasan Manivasagam ¹, Musthafa Mohamed Essa ^2 3 4, Mohammed D Akbar ⁵, Mohammed Akbar ⁵Affiliations expand

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that mainly affects the cognitive functions of the aged populations. Trigonella foenum-graecum (L.) (fenugreek), a traditionally well utilized medicinal plant ubiquitously used as one of the main food additive worldwide, is known to have numerous beneficial health effects. Fenugreek seed extract could be able to inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key enzyme involved in the pathogenesis of AD, and further shown to have anti-parkinsonic effect. The present study was aimed to explore the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seed powder (FSP) against aluminium chloride (AlCl3) induced experimental AD model. Administration of germinated FSP (2.5, 5 and 10% mixed with ground standard rat feed) protected AlCl3 induced memory and learning impairments, Al overload, AChE hyperactivity, amyloid β (Aβ) burden and apoptosis via activating Akt/GSK3β pathway. Our present data could confirm the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seeds. Further these results could lead a possible therapeutics for the management of neurodegenerative diseases including AD in future.

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Nutr Neurosci. 2013 Sep;16(5):218-24. doi: 10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000048.

A novel insight on chronic AlCl3 neurotoxicity through IL-6 and GFAP expressions: modulating effect of functional food fenugreek seeds

Yosra Belaïd-Nouira ¹, Hayfa Bakhta, Samar Samoud, Mounir Trimech, Zohra Haouas, Hassen Ben CheikhAffiliations expand

• PMID: 23928220
• DOI: 10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000048

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to review the effect of chronic aluminium exposure on interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion in the posterior brain and test the putative modulating effect of fenugreek seeds.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control; AlCl3 during 5 months (500 mg/kg body weight, intragastric for 1 month then 1600 ppm via the drinking water); AlCl3 plus fenugreek seed powder (FSP) (5%) during the last 2 months and FSP alone.

Results: Oral administration of aluminium chloride during 5 months caused hypoproduction of IL-6 together with a decrease in GFAP reactivity and an alteration of antioxidant status in the posterior brain. On the other hand, fenugreek seeds supplementation was able to enhance IL-6 expression, re-increase GFAP reactivity, and modulate the pro-oxidant-related effect.

Discussion: In the context of recent researches, IL-6 hypoproduction in the posterior brain could be a novel mechanism of Al chronic toxicity with a direct effect on glial cells. Using FSP as a diet supplement could offer a neuroprotective effect against Al toxicity. This could be mediated by astroglial cells protection, antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions.

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J Alzheimers Dis. 2017;60(s1):S209-S220. doi: 10.3233/JAD-161103.

Fenugreek Seed Powder Attenuated Aluminum Chloride-Induced Tau Pathology, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in a Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Asokan Prema ¹, Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi ¹, Thamilarasan Manivasagam ¹, Musthafa Mohamed Essa ^2 3 4, Gilles J Guillemin ⁵Affiliations expan

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects the aged population and is characterized by the progressive loss of the hippocampal and cortical neurons, which results in memory and cognitive impairments. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) has been reported to have hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, hyperinsulinemic and anti-diabetic properties. Traditionally, it was used as a galactagogue and to treat anorexia, fever gastritis, gastric ulcers, and various nervous disorders. However, the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seed powder against aluminum chloride (AlCl3) induced AD rats has not been analyzed. The result of the present study indicated that the chronic administration of AlCl3 induced significant learning and memory impairments, oxidative stress, and alterations in the protein immunocontent patterns of IDE and CDK5 (enzymes involved in the metabolism of tau and amyloid proteins), pTau, GFAP and Iba-1, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, NF-κB, COX-2, CDK5, BDNF, and STAT3. Our behavioral, biochemical, and molecular studies revealed that the co-administration of fenugreek seed powder significantly attenuated the AlCl3 induced memory deficits, amyloid and tau pathology, oxidative stress, and inflammation in AD rats could be due to the synergistic action of its active components.