This study offers insights into the potential application of fenugreek, diosgenin, and trigonelline as complementary therapies for managing cancer and aging.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and its Active Compounds, Diosgenin and Trigonelline, in the Prevention of Cancer and Aging: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies.

Fatemeh Shahrahmani, Hamed Ahansazan, Elmira Kalantari, Marziyeh Raeispour, Amir Hossein Abdolghaffari, Niusha Esmaealzadeh

Curr Drug Res Rev

Mar 30, 2026

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Fenugreek is an herb from the Fabaceae family, rich in phytochemicals like diosgenin and trigonelline, whose antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a candidate for the current systematic review on the prevention of cancer and aging, with a focus on preclinical studies. METHODS: Relevant studies were identified from the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from January 2000 to April 2024. Two independent reviewers assessed the 1,280 retrieved articles for English-language preclinical studies. Clinical articles were added as supporting data. Duplicated or non-original articles, as well as irrelevant papers, were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 231 articles were included in the current study. Significant anticancer effects were shown by fenugreek extracts and isolated compounds, including suppression of NF-κB and Wnt-β-catenin signaling, apoptosis induction, upregulation of p53, Bax, and caspase-3; downregulation of Bcl-2, and G0/G1 or G2/M cell cycle arrest. In vivo, survival increases of up to 60% over controls were observed, with tumor volume reductions ranging from 40% to 78% across models. Antioxidant enzymes, SOD, GPx, and GSH, increased by 20-50%, oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation decreased by up to 45% and protein carbonylation by 30%) decreased, skin elasticity increased by 10-20% in clinical trials, and animal models' cognitive performance improved (escape latency decreased by 25-40%). DISCUSSION: This study offers insights into the potential application of fenugreek, diosgenin, and trigonelline as complementary therapies for managing cancer and aging. CONCLUSION: Notable mechanisms include radical scavenging, suppressing apoptosis, and limiting inflammatory pathways. However, the lack of heterogeneous clinical data highlights the essence of conducting more clinical studies in this field.