Chemical Composition and Protein Quality of the Little-Known Legume, Velvet Bean (Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.)

Abstract

The chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of seeds of Mucuna pruriens were investigated. The mature seeds contained 314.4 g/kg crude protein, 51.6 g/kg crude fiber, 67.3 g/kg crude fat, 41.1 g/kg ash, and 525.6 g/kg carbohydrates. Potassium, phosphorus, and calcium registered higher concentrations compared with the most commonly consumed pulses. The globulins and albumins together constituted the major storage proteins (22.7 g/100 g of seed flour). The essential amino acids profile of total seed proteins compared favorably with the FAO/WHO reference pattern except for deficiency of sulfo amino acids. When compared with globulins, albumins appeared to be a rich source of valine and tryptophan. However, cystine, methionine, and leucine were deficient in both the protein fractions. Both oleic and linoleic acids constituted the predominant fatty acids (65.5%) along with a substantial quantity of palmitic acid (20.16%). Dry heating as well as autoclaving significantly reduced the antinutritional factors. Protein effeciency ratio, true protein digestibility, biological value, net protein utilization, and utilizable protein were significantly improved by autoclaving as compared with dry heating. However, the values of true protein digestibility and net protein utilization of dry-heated samples were significantly higher than the raw samples. Keywords: Mucuna pruriens; chemical composition; amino acids; fatty acids; antrinutritional factors; heat treatments; biological evaluation

Assessment of genetic diversity in Mucuna species of India using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA and inter simple sequence repeat markers

“…Seeds of M. pruriens contain precursor of neurotransmitter dopamine, L-DOPA (L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) which is extensively used in management of Parkinson's disease. These seeds are also widely used against snakebite, uterine stimulant and as an aphrodisiac in traditional system of medicine predominantly in India and West Africa (Siddhuraju et al 1996;Aguiyi et al 1999;Amin et al 1996;Lorenzetti et al 1998). The alkaloids like prurienine, prurieninine, prurienidine and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids (Tic) have been reported from Mucuna pruriens.…”

Isolamento e avaliação da atividade nematicida de constituintes químicos de Mucuna cinerea contra Meloidogyne incognita e Heterodera glycines

“…Pela análise desse espectro pode-se observar a presença de sinais de hidrogênios aromá-ticos na região de δ 7,10-7,80. A análise de todos os dados espectros- Considerando que os compostos ativos isolados, no presente trabalho, encontram-se em quantidade muito pequena na planta, e que a mesma apresenta comprovada ação nematicida no campo [1][2][3][4]27 , é possível que esse efeito seja devido não somente a estas substâncias, mas também, a outras substâncias presentes na mesma, que não foram identificadas, ou ainda, a substâncias comuns, tais como β-sitosterol, estigmasterol, ácidos e ésteres graxos, presentes em maior concentração e que também apresentam acentuada atividade nematicida 10 . …”

“…No Brasil, as espécies mais comumente encontradas são M. deeringiana, M. utilis, M. pruriens, M. cochichinensis, M. nivea, M. capitata, M. hassjoo, M. diabolica, M. aterrima e M. cinerea sendo que as principais diferenças entre as espécies cultivadas são as características da pubescência da vagem, a cor da semente e o tempo para a colheita da vagem 1 . Estas espécies são muito utilizadas para adubação verde e para silagem, devido à grande quantidade de maté-ria orgânica de alta digestibilidade que produz e de sua capacidade de controlar fitonematóides [1][2][3][4] . Poucos estudos químicos foram realizados neste gênero, sendo identificados isoflavonóides, antocianinas e antocianidinas 5 , Cglicosilflavonas 6 e L-Dopa 7 .…”

Rapid electrochemical method for the determination of L-DOPA in extract from the seeds of Mucuna prurita

“…The extraction procedure was done according to previously described literature data. 24 The powdered plant material (3.2270 g) was soaked with 0.1 M HCl (10 mL) for 1 hour. The prepared mixture was placed in a water bath (80 °C) for 5 min, and cooled to room temperature.…”