Seeds of Fenugreek （Trigonellafoenum-graecum L.）, an international spice commodity, are much consumed in Sudan as a food, for flavoring and as a folk-remedy for several ailments, together with local beliefs in nutra...Seeds of Fenugreek （Trigonellafoenum-graecum L.）, an international spice commodity, are much consumed in Sudan as a food, for flavoring and as a folk-remedy for several ailments, together with local beliefs in nutraceutical benefits. The authors have noted an immense variability in colour and other morphological characters of Fenugreek seeds offered in local Sudanese markets and wondered whether this variability is extended to their chemical composition. Steroidal sapogenins are important chemical constituents of Fenugreek seeds in view of their potential as precursors for the commercial synthesis of steroid drugs and their continually revealed beneficial biological activities. In this study, thirty Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions collected from different geographical regions in Sudan were analyzed for their 25α-, 25β- and total sapogenin content using a simple and specific infra-red spectroscopic method. The seed accessions exhibited much morphological variability particularly in outer seed coat color and size. Preparative TLC followed by gravimetric analysis showed that steroidal sapogenins, mostly diosgenin and yamogenin, represented more than 70% of the steroids of Fenugreek seeds. Infra-red spectroscopic analysis showed that total 25α-sapogenins （calculated as diosgenin） varied from 0.65% to 1.68%. Total 25β-sapogenin （calculated as yamogenin） varied from 0.38% to 2.03%. The content of total sapogenins （α ＋ β epimeric forms） varied between 1.24% and 3.0% of the oven-dry weight of seeds. β-sapogenins （mostly yamogenin） were dominant over α-sapogenins （diosgenin） in most Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions.展开更多
文摘Seeds of Fenugreek （Trigonellafoenum-graecum L.）, an international spice commodity, are much consumed in Sudan as a food, for flavoring and as a folk-remedy for several ailments, together with local beliefs in nutraceutical benefits. The authors have noted an immense variability in colour and other morphological characters of Fenugreek seeds offered in local Sudanese markets and wondered whether this variability is extended to their chemical composition. Steroidal sapogenins are important chemical constituents of Fenugreek seeds in view of their potential as precursors for the commercial synthesis of steroid drugs and their continually revealed beneficial biological activities. In this study, thirty Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions collected from different geographical regions in Sudan were analyzed for their 25α-, 25β- and total sapogenin content using a simple and specific infra-red spectroscopic method. The seed accessions exhibited much morphological variability particularly in outer seed coat color and size. Preparative TLC followed by gravimetric analysis showed that steroidal sapogenins, mostly diosgenin and yamogenin, represented more than 70% of the steroids of Fenugreek seeds. Infra-red spectroscopic analysis showed that total 25α-sapogenins （calculated as diosgenin） varied from 0.65% to 1.68%. Total 25β-sapogenin （calculated as yamogenin） varied from 0.38% to 2.03%. The content of total sapogenins （α ＋ β epimeric forms） varied between 1.24% and 3.0% of the oven-dry weight of seeds. β-sapogenins （mostly yamogenin） were dominant over α-sapogenins （diosgenin） in most Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions.
