Envoy at 03:52, 14 July 2007

2007-07-14T03:52:36Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Mucuna pruriens
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Phaseoleae]]
| genus = ''[[Mucuna]]''
| species = '''''M. pruriens'''''
| binomial = ''Mucuna pruriens''
| binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]) [[A. P. de Candolle|DC.]]
}}

'''''Mucuna pruriens''''' ([[syn.]] ''Dolichos pruriens'') is a tropical [[Fabaceae|legume]] known by a multitude of common names, including '''velvet bean''', '''cowitch''', '''cowhage''', '''kapikachu''', '''nescafe''', '''sea bean''', '''kratzbohnen''', '''konch''', yerepe (Yoruba) and '''atmagupta'''. The plant is an annual, climbing shrub with long vines that can reach over 15 m.

It bears white, lavender, or purple [[flower]]s and pods that are covered in loose orange hairs which cause a severe itch if they come in contact with skin. The beans are shiny black or brown. It is found in tropical [[Africa]], [[India]] and the [[Caribbean]].

''Mucuna pruriens'' seed powder contains high concentrations of [[levodopa]], a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter [[dopamine]] and has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for diseases including parkinsonism<ref name=PMID15022157>Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA. Effect of antiparkinson drug HP-200 (Mucuna pruriens) on the central monoaminergic neurotransmitters. 2004. Phytother Res 18:97-101. [[Digital_object_identifier|DOI]]: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1407 10.1002/ptr.1407] '''PMID 15022157'''</ref><ref name=PMID15478206>Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA. Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens. 2004. Phytother Res 18:706-712. [[Digital_object_identifier|DOI]]: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1514 10.1002/ptr.1514] '''PMID 15478206'''</ref>. In large amounts (30 g/dose) it and has been shown to be equally effective in the treatment of parkinsons disease as pure levodopa/[[carbidopa]] medications but no data on long-term efficacy and tolerability is available<ref name=PMID15548480>Katzenschlager R, Evans A, Manson A, et al. Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson's disease: a double blind clinical and pharmacological study. 2004. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 75:1672-1677. [[Digital_object_identifier|DOI]]: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2003.028761 10.1136/jnnp.2003.028761] '''PMID 15548480''' [http://jnnp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/75/12/1672 free full text]</ref>. Another benefit of Mucuna is that it can increase the production of [[human growth hormone]], and extracts are commonly sold as body-building supplements.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}

Mucuna has also been shown to have diuretic effects. It increases tissue resiliency and improves coordination.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}

The hairs lining the pods contain serotonin and are very dangerous as they can cause severe irritations. In Africa these hairs are used to murder people by sprinkling them on to the food of the unsuspeting victim, who would then die from internal bleeding as the sharp hairs slice into the stomach and the intestinal lining.

In history, Mucuna has been used as an aphrodisiac<ref>[http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3027853 ''Sexual function improving effect of Mucuna pruriens in sexually normal male rats'']
:"''The seeds of M. pruriens are widely used for treating male sexual dysfunction in Tibb-e-Unani ([[Unani#Unani medicine|Unani Medicine]]), the traditional system of medicine of Indo-Pak sub-continent.''"</ref>. It is still used to increase libido in both men and women due to its [[dopamine]] inducing properties. Dopamine has a profound influence on sexual function<ref name=PMID11805404>Giuliano F, Allard J. Dopamine and male sexual function. 2001. Eur Urol 40:601-608. '''PMID 11805404'''</ref><ref name=PMID11477488>Giuliano F, Allard J. Dopamine and sexual function. 2001. Int J Impot Res 13 Suppl 3:S18-S28. [[Digital_object_identifier|DOI]]: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3900719 10.1038/sj.ijir.3900719
] '''PMID 11477488''' [http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v13/n3s/index.html free full text]</ref>.

In addition to l-Dopa, Mucuna allegedly also contains [[5-HTP]], [[Nicotine]], [[N,N-DMT]], [[Bufotenine]], and [[5-MeO-DMT]]. As such, it wotld have [[psychedelic]] effects, and has purportedly been used in [[ayahuasca]] preparations.<ref>Erowid entry(2002), [http://www.erowid.org/plants/mucuna_pruriens/]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{legume-stub}}

[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Edible legumes]]

Mucuna pruriens - Revision history

Envoy at 03:52, 14 July 2007