Amazing bean Mucuna pruriens: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Mucuna pruriens commonly known as cow-age or cowitch or velvet bean or Alkushi, is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Indian medicine belongs to the family Leguminosae. M. pruriens seed is a natural source of the amino acid L-3,4-dihydroxy phenyl alanine (L-DOPA), the direct precursor to the neuro transmitter dopamine which is used widely in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Serotonin, oxitriptan, nicotine, N,N-DMT, and bufotenine are the other chemicals found in M. pruriens in addition to L-DOPA. According to Ancient Ayurvedic literature Mucuna is used as a potent aphrodisiac, geriatric tonic and vermifuge. It is also used for the treatment of menstruation disorders, constipation, edema, fever, tuberculosis, etc. In addition, Mucuna is also grown as food crop, ornamental plant, living mulch and green manure crop. The reviews summarize the botany, uses, phyto constituents and pharmacological activities of M. pruriens.

Quantitative NMR analysis of L‐Dopa in seeds from two varieties of Mucuna pruriens

“…The only seed found to have enough L‐Dopa for possible commercial use belongs to the genus Mucuna (Leguminosae) . Mucuna pruriens , a tropical legume of the family Fabaceae has a nutritional quality comparable to that of soybeans and other conventional legumes, since it contains similar proportions of proteins, lipids, minerals, and other nutrients . This plant has a high enough content in L ‐ Dopa to warrant possible commercial production.…”

“…Mucuna pruriens, a tropical legume of the family Fabaceae has a nutritional quality comparable to that of soybeans and other conventional legumes, since it contains similar proportions of proteins, lipids, minerals, and other nutrients. 2,3 This plant has a high enough content in L-Dopa to warrant possible commercial production. In fact, M. pruriens is among the plants used in Ayurveda, India's ancient medical system to fight disease, including Parkinson's.…”

The Effect of Indonesian Velvet Bean Extract on the Fertility of Albino Male Mice

“…Believed to have relatively lower negative side effects, herbal is more preferable than synthetic medicine [16][17][18]. L-Dopa is an important component of velvet beans [22]. As previously studied, L-dopa and other substances found in velvet beans have been proven effective in improving the sexual performance of albino male mice [23].…”

Acute Toxicity Evaluation of Ethanol Extract of Indonesian Velvet Beans

“…In many countries, this plant is also used in the treatment of cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, paralysis, rheumatism, cancer, tumors, tuberculosis, asthma, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, irritation, burns, cough, muscle pain, and many others [5][6][7]. Various studies reported the bioactivity of Mucuna pruriens, such as increasing the sexual activity of normal male rats, hepatoprotective activity with increasing the in vivo antioxidants [8], antidiabetic activity [9][10][11][12], and as a potential antiparkinson from the seeds [13,14].…”