Fenugreek

Generic name: Fenugreek
Dosage form: oral capsule (610 mg)
Drug class: Herbal products

Usage of Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a plant also known as Alholva, Bird's Foot, Bockshornklee, Bockshornsame, Chandrika, Fenogreco, Foenugraeci Semen, Greek Clover, Greek Hay, Greek Hay Seed, Hu Lu Ba, Medhika, Methi, Sénégrain, TrigonElla, Woo Lu Bar, and other names.

Fenugreek has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in lowering blood sugar levels after a meal in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Fenugreek has been used in alternative medicine to treat heartburn, high cholesterol, weight loss, upset stomach, constipation, "hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), gout, sexual problems, fever, baldness, to increase the production of breast milk, and other conditions. However, these uses have not been proven with research.

It is not certain whether fenugreek is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Fenugreek should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Fenugreek is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Fenugreek may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.

Fenugreek side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, fenugreek is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period of time.

Stop using fenugreek and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

symptoms of severe hypoglycemia: extreme weakness, confusion, tremors, sweating, fast heart rate, trouble speaking, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, fainting, and seizure (convulsions); or

unusual bruising or bleeding.

Common side effects of fenugreek may include:

diarrhea, stomach upset, gas;

"maple syrup" odor in the urine.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Fenugreek

Before using fenugreek, talk to your healthcare provider. You may not be able to use fenugreek if you have certain medical conditions.

Ask a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider if it is safe for you to use this product if you have:

low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia); or

bleeding or blood clotting disorders.

Fenugreek is considered likely unsafe to use during pregnancy. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are pregnant.

Fenugreek is considered likely unsafe to use if you are nursing a baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice. Fenugreek might be unsafe for children.

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Warnings

Follow all directions on the product label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

What other drugs will affect Fenugreek

Other drugs may interact with fenugreek, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Do not take fenugreek without medical advice if you are using any of the following medications:

diabetes medications: Glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), Glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbUTAmide (Orinase), and others;

medications that slow blood clotting: warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), Enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with fenugreek, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this product guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

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