Hay Fenugreek, or Greek Fenugreek, or Shambhala (Latin Trigonélla foénum-graécum) – an annual plant; species of the genus Fenugreek of the family Leguminous (subfamily Moth). The Latin name foenum-graecum means Greek hay. The plant is also known as fenugreek (fenugreek), helba, methi (methi), chaman.

It grows in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, in the highlands of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Central Asia, and is also found in Egypt and Ethiopia. It is cultivated everywhere. Prefers sunny places of growth with clay soil.

A plant up to 40-70 cm tall with alternating ternary compound leaves 2 cm long; ovate leaves and slightly serrated at the edges.

The stem is branched, rounded, and the root root.

The flowers are sessile, one at a time – two in the axils of the leaves, moths, very small, yellowish-white, and light purple at the base. The plant blooms from May to June.

From the flowers, long (up to 10 cm) narrow (4-5 mm thick) bare or pubescent beans with hard rectangular seeds develop.

As a medicinal raw material, hay fenugreek seed (Latin Semen Trigonellae foenum-graeci), collected in the maturity phase, containing up to 1.34% of the amount of steroid saponins (diosgenin, tigonin, Yamogenin) is used.

The whole plant has an intense odor.

Fenugreek seeds are indispensable for the preparation of many Indian dishes, such as dhala. Young shoots are used as seasoning for meat dishes and in cheese making. They are also part of a mixture of hops-suneli seasonings and a mixture of chamans, which cover dried meat tenderloin – basturma. They contain a large amount of galactomannan, known as “fenugreek gum”, which is used as a food supplement E417.

Also, the seeds are used in Asian, Chinese and Western European medicine, are included in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. They are prescribed as sedative, tonic, antispasmodic, warming.

The plant is used in homeopathy.

Included in Pois Ultra.