PREGNANE – A PARENT OF PROGESTERONE FROM TRIGONELLA FOENUM – GRAECUM LINN.

There are some herbal contraceptives that have the property to avoid the embryo implantation. Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. is used in folk medicine as alcoholic and aqueous preparations for prevention of pregnancy. Pregnane- progesterone is one of the important steroid has direct connection with contraceptive activity. Pregnane is a C₂₁ steroid and indirectly, a parent of progesterone. The present work was carried out to find out the responsible phytochemical for contraceptive activity. The objective of this study was to provide an alternative contraception and thus evaluate the pregnane progesterone. The present work was carried out in Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. with the presence of compound “Pregnane” and its importance in contraceptive activity. The present study showed the presence of [5 Beta]-Pregnane-3,20,beta-diol, [4 alpha] 8- alpha- [4-methyl-3-oxa]oxa-4-ozabutane-1,4 diyl-diacetate with retention time 36.23, peak area 5.335% (C₂₈H₄₃NO₆ Mol wt- 489). This pregnane was found first time in this plant. Pregnane progestin contraception is effective and well tolerated, thus providing an excellent contraceptive alternative to the currently used methods. Pregnane can be isolated from Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. for the preparation of Depo-Provera as a contraceptive measure.