Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment (Jun 2025)
Highlighting phytoconstituents of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seeds as multi-targeted inhibitors of common cancer receptors and subsequently optimizing its sequential extraction to develop an oral nutraceutical
Abstract
Traditional knowledge on the medicinal properties of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) is being revisited in recent studies to provide supporting scientific data and explore its diverse bioactivities. Gathering data from different phytochemical-related databases and chromatographic studies, we have summarized 112 compounds to be present in the fenugreek seeds. Based on the prediction of chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET properties), 72 phytochemicals are considered as probable therapeutic agents, and molecular docking with 10 cancer targets is performed to highlight the ligands that can exhibit multitarget activity. The docking results indicate a majority of the saponins and few flavonoids as the hit molecules. Subsequently, ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction of the seeds is done using different solvents (relative polarity varying from 0.726 to 0.009) with the objective of maximizing the saponin and flavonoid content in the crude extract. Estimating the antioxidant potential, total phenol, flavonoid, and saponin content of each extract, methanol is reported to be the desired extracting solvent with the highest values in yield percentage of bioactive contents. The results presented in this work necessitate further in vitro and in vivo evaluations to perform hit-to-lead optimization and take a step forward toward discovering multitargeted cancer-preventive drugs with minimal side effects. Subsequently, fenugreek seed mucilage is sequentially extracted from the residue/marc left after methanolic extraction. The formulated tablets, prepared using the wet granulation method, contain 36 % fenugreek seed extract and 44 % mucilage content. The study highlights the use of fenugreek seed mucilage as an excipient to develop tablets with an acceptable range (of the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) limits) of hardness, friability, weight uniformity, and drug-excipient compatibility.
