Bioactive lipid constituents of fenugreek

Neutral and polar lipids of fenugreek were investigated. Triacylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine were the major molecular species identified in the neutral and polar lipid fractions, respectively. The fatty acid profile was dominated by unsaturated acids, namely oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids accounting for 16.3%, 50% and 24.4%, respectively of the total fatty acids. Besides the major molecular species, N-Acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPE) and fatty acid amides were isolated and identified for the first time in this spice. N-linoleylphosphatidylethanolamine was found to be the major NAPE while oleamide was demonstrated to be the major fatty acid amide in the lipid fraction. The possible role of oleamide, an endogenous sleep-inducing factor, as well as NAPE in contributing to the pharmacological properties of fenugreek is discussed.