efficacy of trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract in reducing metabolic and inflammatory alterations associated with menopause

conclusions the results of the present study show that administration of t. foenum-graecum corrects metabolic and inflammatory alterations associated with ovariectomy and has a potential for the management of menopause. objectives the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of t. foenum-graecum seed extract in reducing the metabolic and inflammatory alternations associated with menopause. materials and methods in this experimental study, 49 rats were divided into seven groups: (i) sham-control, (ii) ovariectomized-control, (iii and iv) ovariectomized treated with 50 and 150 mg/kg of t. foenum-graecum seed ethanolic extract, (v and vi) ovariectomized treated with 50 and 150 mg/kg of t. foenum-graecum hexanic extract, (vii) ovariectomized-positive control treated with 10 µg/kg of estradiol. the extracts were injected intraperitoneally one day after ovariectomy and the treatments were lasted for 42 days. results fasting blood glucose and body weight gain increased significantly in the ovariectomized-control group compared with that in the sham animals (p < 0.05). administration of estradiol and t. foenum-graecum (50 and 150 mg/dl of hexanic extract and 150 mg/kg of ethanolic extract) significantly diminished the increase in glucose and body weight (p < 0.05). the serum level of interleukin-1 (il-1), interleukin-6 (il-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α) in the ovariectomized control group was significantly higher than those in the sham animals (p < 0.05). both hexanic and ethanolic extracts as well as estradiol were able to decrease level of these cytokines in the serum of ovariectomized rats (p < 0.05). background several experimental and clinical studies support beneficial effects of trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) in the management of metabolic diseases and inflammatory disorders.