Fenugreek Extract Approved in Canada, Potentially Becoming a Boon for Women's Health

Recently, Libifem®, a standardized fenugreek extract from the American company Gencor, has claimed to have received approval from Health Canada. This claim is primarily supported by the following clinical data: firstly, the extract is said to help increase female libido; secondly, it supports healthy sexual desire in women; thirdly, it promotes sexual arousal in women; and fourthly, it helps alleviate menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Clinical data indicates that Libifem® contributes to women's overall health and well-being. Ongoing clinical trials are focusing on understanding its potential benefits for women in sports nutrition applications. Libifem® has been granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status, allowing it to be added to various product categories, including powders, tablets, and capsules. Currently, the new health claims for this ingredient are only permitted for use in Canada.

Fenugreek belongs to the genus Trigonella of the Fabaceae family, also known as lubazi, bitter bean, sweet cumin, and vanilla bean. It is originally native to southern Europe, western Asia, and the Mediterranean region. It was introduced to China as a spice during the Han Dynasty and is currently cultivated in most provinces in western and northern China. Fenugreek contains a wealth of active substances, such as steroidal saponins, flavonoids, terpenes, alkaloids, fats and oils, amino acids and proteins, as well as minerals.

Domestic and international research has shown that fenugreek contains a significant amount of steroidal saponins, with diosgenin and yamogenin being the most abundant, accounting for approximately 0.6% to 1% of its composition. Fenugreek also contains a variety of flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, which are primarily distributed in its seeds. To date, over 10 flavonoid compounds have been discovered in fenugreek. The plant is rich in terpenes, including lupeol, betulinic acid, betulin, soyasapogenol, and other terpenoid components. Additionally, fenugreek contains various alkaloids, including choline and trigonelline. The extractable oil content of fenugreek ranges from 6% to 8%, comprising 17 fatty acid components such as palmitic acid, lauric acid, oleic acid, and hexadecanoic acid, with hexadecanoic acid being isolated from fenugreek for the first time.

Modern research has revealed that fenugreek possesses various pharmacological effects, including blood sugar-lowering, blood lipid-lowering, antioxidant, cardio-renal protection, gastric mucosa protection, anti-tumor, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Blood Sugar-Lowering Effect

Fenugreek seeds exhibit significant blood sugar-lowering activity. The combination of fenugreek seed extract and vanadate (at low doses) has been found to be effective in treating diabetes. Studies indicate that fenugreek extract helps reduce blood sugar levels by inhibiting glucose absorption in the small intestine. Animal experiments have observed reduced damage to pancreatic β-cells in rats fed with fenugreek extract. Furthermore, the low activity levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase caused by diabetes were partially restored, even approaching normal levels. This may be attributed to the fact that 4-hydroxyisoleucine in fenugreek can stimulate pancreatic β-cells, while trigonelline enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby reducing the production of nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase, and ultimately mitigating oxidative stress-induced damage to pancreatic β-cells.

Blood Lipid-Lowering Effect

Research has shown that fenugreek possesses notable lipid-lowering effects, with its active ingredients mainly including alkaloids, fiber components, saponins, and 4-hydroxyisoleucine. Studies indicate that the fiber content in fenugreek can cover the surface of the digestive tract, inhibiting the absorption of fats by the digestive tract mucosa and accelerating gastrointestinal motility, thereby promoting the excretion of fats and achieving the goal of reducing blood lipids. Clinical controlled trials conducted on patients with borderline hyperlipidemia have found that fenugreek can bind with bile acids to form complexes, which on one hand promotes the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids, reducing cholesterol levels, and on the other hand effectively inhibits the reabsorption of bile acids. Additionally, trigonelline in fenugreek can affect the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ signaling pathway, reducing lipid accumulation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, ultimately contributing to lipid-lowering effects.

Antioxidant Activity

Fenugreek extracts exhibit effective scavenging effects on oxidative free radicals, with the scavenging rate increasing as the concentration of the extract increases, demonstrating a dose-dependent relationship. Fenugreek seeds have a high ratio of saponins to proteins. At a concentration of 200 μg/L, the extracts from the seeds, peels, and endosperm of fenugreek show antioxidant activities of 72%, 64%, and 56% respectively, through free radical scavenging. Studies have indicated that separating fenugreek seeds into peels and endosperm can significantly enhance their antioxidant capacity, facilitating the fractionation of biological activities.

Protection of Kidneys

As a traditional Chinese medicine, fenugreek is known for its effects of dispelling cold, warming the kidneys, and strengthening yang, often used to treat conditions such as weakness in the loins and knees, and cold hernia with abdominal pain. Animal experiments have shown that total saponins from fenugreek can improve lipid disorders in rats with nephrotic syndrome, and this effect may be one of the important pathways for fenugreek to alleviate kidney damage. Additionally, fenugreek extracts have significant therapeutic effects on rats with chronic renal failure, reducing blood levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine, and effectively mitigating kidney tissue damage.

Protection of Cardiovascular System and Heart

Fenugreek possesses notable cardiovascular protective effects. Research has shown that fenugreek contains quercetin, which can activate potassium channels, induce cellular hyperpolarization, and subsequently cause transmembrane influx of Ca2+ in endothelial cells. This leads to increased production of nitric oxide (NO), smooth muscle relaxation, and vasodilation, thereby playing a crucial role in cardiovascular protection.

Fenugreek boasts a long history of safe use across many countries. Its seeds are rich in nutrients such as lipids and proteins, as well as various bioactive compounds like diosgenin and flavonoids. Currently, China's research on fenugreek predominantly focuses on pharmacological properties through animal experiments, with limited studies exploring its potential to promote women's health. The recent approval of Gencor's standardized fenugreek extract, Libifem®, by the Health Canada for a new health claim is a milestone, albeit its exclusive use in Canada for the time being. Nevertheless, this achievement is expected to ignite a surge in research on fenugreek in China and elevate its market popularity.

References:

[1] Zhou Jia, Tang Chao. "Application and Research Progress of Fenugreek" [J]. Guangdong Feed, 2019, 28(04): 32-33.

[2] Ma Bo, Wang Zhijun, Fu Bin, Yang Meijuan. "Research Progress of Fenugreek" [J]. Hunan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2018, 34(08): 243-246.

[3] "Global Regulatory Market Updates for Natural Ingredients in 2020: Focus on Probiotics, Phosphatidylserine, Fenugreek Extracts, Curcumin, and More"

 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0JrGmQZJuQzv_ro9UyZOjA

About the Author

Xiaonisha, a food technology professional holding a Master's degree in Food Science, is currently employed at a prominent domestic pharmaceutical research and development company. Her primary focus lies in the development and research of nutritional foods, where she contributes her expertise and passion to create innovative products.