Effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seed extract on the reproductive system of male mice and possible mechanism of its action on spermatogenesis

Fenugreek seed exhibits antidiabetic, antineoplastic, hepatoprotective, antidepressant and immunomodulatory properties. Fenugreek also causes antifertility effects in rodents. However, the impact of fenugreek seed on male reproduction and the possible mode of its action are not properly evaluated. Herein, we examined the effect of aqueous seed extract of fenugreek (FSE) and the possible mechanism of its action on male reproductive health in mice. Parkes mice were orally administered FSE (600 mg/kg body weight/day) or distilled water for 28 and 56 days, respectively. Various sperm parameters, histopathology, serum testosterone level and fertility indices were assessed. Furthermore, steroidogenic enzymes activities, oxidative status and germ cell dynamics in the testis were evaluated. Toxicological endpoints were also assessed. Treatment with FSE caused degenerative changes in the testis histoarchitecture. The treatment also affected various sperm parameters and concentrations of sialic acid and fructose in the epididymis and seminal vesicle, respectively. Fenugreek treatment also had negative impact on oxidative status and germ cell dynamics in the testis; fertility indices were also affected in female mice impregnated by the extract-treated male mice, though libido of the treated male mice remained unaffected. Results show that treatment with FSE caused adverse effects on the male reproductive health and pregnancy outcome in Parkes mice.

Concomitant Use of Herbal and Conventional Medicines among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Public Hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

The majority of the population in developing countries including Ethiopia still relies on traditional medicines (TMs). Patients with chronic illness like diabetes mellitus (DM) are dissatisfied with conventional medicines and thus are more likely to simultaneously use herbal medicines (HMs). However, such practice could result in potential herb-drug interaction. This study aimed to identify the commonly used HMs among patients with DM and determine the magnitude of concomitant use of herbal and conventional antidiabetic medicines.

Method

A health facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to determine the magnitude of concomitant use. Patients with DM and prescribers from four public hospitals were the study population for the quantitative and qualitative study, respectively. Simple descriptive statistics were used to describe variables for the quantitative data, and content analysis had been conducted manually for qualitative data.

Result

Out of 791 respondents, 409 (51.7%) used traditional medicine at least once in their life time, and 357 (45.1%) used traditional medicine in the last six months prior to data collection. A majority (288 (80.7%)) of the respondents used HMs after starting the conventional antidiabetic medicines within the last six months. Moringa stenopetala, Thymus vulgaris, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Nigella sativa, and Allium sativum were among the frequently mentioned HMs. Prescribers were requesting patients' HM use when they saw sign of liver toxicity and skin disease, and they were not documenting their history in the patient's chart.

Conclusion

Concomitant use of herbal and conventional antidiabetic medicines was a common practice. Cognizant of its potentially serious herb-drug interactions, efforts should be made to improve awareness and knowledge of healthcare providers about HM potential effects. Further studies on dose, frequency, duration, and modes of interaction are recommended.

A systematic literature review of fenugreek seed toxicity by using ToxRTool: evidence from preclinical and clinical studies

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seed extract is a bioactive ingredient of many food supplements. Hence, there is a need for systematic assessment of the quality of published toxicological studies for its use in human health, hazard consideration, and risk assessment. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the reliability of published toxicological studies of fenugreek seed by using ToxRTool (Toxicological data reliability assessment tool). A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CPCI-S, ICTRP, Ovid, and Google Scholar till October 2018. Each identified study was evaluated for its quality using the ToxRTool with outcomes such as combined score, weighted score, and reliability category by three independent raters. Correlations of various criteria groups with the combined score were evaluated by Pearson correlation and Kendall rank correlation coefficient. Inter-rater consistency was measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The database searches initially yielded 436 results, of which 391 (89.67%) studies were “not assignable”. The remaining 45 studies were included for quantitative analysis by ToxRTool. Based on the weighted score, 17 in-vivo, and 3 in-vitro studies were determined to be “Reliable Without Restriction” which were conducted according to international guidelines such as GLP. These studies have a significant difference (p < 0.05) for the combined and weighted score as compared to non-GLP studies. Remaining 28 in-vivo and 2 in-vitro studies were determined to be “Not Reliable.” The GLP studies conducted with “identified study material” have a significant difference (p < 0.0001) between combined and weighted score as compared to studies which used “non-identified study material”. For criteria group of ToxRTool I, III and V, the Pearson correlation with the combined score was found to be 0.875, 0.734 and 0.905, respectively and Kendall rank correlation coefficient was found to be 0.764, 0.551 and 0.752, respectively. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for combined score and weighted score were 0.920 and 0.887, respectively. In conclusion, the ToxRTool was found useful to identify seventeen toxicity studies of fenugreek seeds as “Reliable without Restrictions”. These studies showed a broad margin of safety for the standardized extract of fenugreek seeds and can form a basis for toxicological risk assessment with reasonable certainty.

North African Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used in Cancer Therapy

Background: Cancer is a major cause of mortality worldwide with increasing numbers by the years. In North Africa, the number of cancer patients is alarming. Also shocking is that a huge number of cancer patients only have access to traditional medicines due to several factors, e.g., economic difficulties. In fact, medicinal plants are widely used for the treatment of several pathologies, including cancer. Truthfully, herbalists and botanists in North African countries prescribe several plants for cancer treatment. Despite the popularity and the potential of medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer, scientific evidence on their anticancer effects are still scarce for most of the described plants.

Objective: Bearing in mind the lack of comprehensive and systematic studies, the aim of this review is to give an overview of studies, namely ethnobotanical surveys and experimental evidence of anticancer effects regarding medicinal plants used in North Africa for cancer therapy.

Method: The research was conducted on several popular search engines including PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science. The research focused primarily on English written papers published between the years 2000 and 2016.

Results: This review on plants traditionally used by herbalists in North Africa highlights that Morocco and Algeria are the countries with most surveys on the use of medicinal plants in folk medicine. Among the plethora of plants used, Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum-graecum are the most referred ones by herbalists for the treatment of cancer. Moreover, a plethora of scientific evidence qualifies them as candidates for further drug development. Furthermore, we report on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Conclusion: Overall, this review highlights the therapeutic potential of some medicinal plants as anticancer agents. The North African flora offers a rich source of medicinal plants for a wide array of diseases, including cancer. The elucidation of their modes of action represents an indispensable condition for the rational development of new drugs for cancer treatment. Furthermore, testing the anticancer activity in vivo and in clinical trials are warranted to explore the full therapeutic potential of North African plants for cancer therapy.

Toxicological properties of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum), used as traditional medicine and natural additive food, has been shown to exert significant antiatherogenic, antidiabetic, antianorexic, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antihyperlipidemic, galactogogue and anti-inflammatory effects in several human and animal models. Besides, several medicinal pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties, fenugreek have toxic effects as well. The aim of this review is discuss the cumulative evidence, which suggests that consumption of fenugreek induced some serious toxicological side effects. In this review, many teratogenic effects of fenugreek, from congenital malformations to death, were reported in human, rodent, rabbit, and chick. Moreover, results obtained in rats, mice and rabbits show a testicular toxicity and anti-fertility effects in male associated with oxidative stress and DNA damage, as well as anti-fertility, antiimplantation and abortifacient activity in females related to saponin compound of fenugreek which suggest that fenugreek is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Indeed, the consumption of fenugreek should be avoided for persons having peanut and chickpeas allergy because of possible cross-reactivity as well as chronic asthma. Accumulating evidence suggest also that fenugreek may have neurodevelopmental, neurobehavioral and neuropathological side effects. It is suggested that future studies would be conducted to identify molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the fenugreek toxicological properties.