Mucuna pruriens

Mucuna pruriens
Mucuna pruriens inflorescence
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Phaseoleae
Genus:	Mucuna
Species:	M. pruriens
Binomial name
Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.
Synonyms
Many, see text

Mucuna pruriens is a tropical legume known as velvet bean or cowitch and by other common names (see below), found in Africa, India and the Caribbean. The plant is infamous for its extreme itchiness produced on contact, particularly with the young foliage and the seed pods. It has value in agricultural and horticultural use and has a range of medicinal properties.

Description

in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, India.

Mucuna pruriens flowers (colored engraving)

The plant is an annual, climbing shrub with long vines that can reach over 15 m in length. When the plant is young, it is almost completely covered with fuzzy hairs, but when older, it is almost completely free of hairs. The leaves are tripinnate, ovate, reverse ovate, rhombus shaped or widely ovate. The sides of the leaves are often heavily grooved and the tips are pointy. In young M.pruriens plants, both sides of the leaves have hairs. The stems of the leaflets are two to three millimeters long. Additional adjacent leaves are present and are about 5 mm long.

The flower heads take the form of axially arrayed panicles. They are 15 to 32 cm long and have two to three, or many flowers. The accompanying leaves are about 12.5 mm long, the flower stand axes are from 2.5 to 5 mm. The bell is 7.5 to 9 mm long and silky. The sepals are longer or of the same length as the shuttles. The crown is purplish or white. The flag is 1.5 mm long. The wings are 2.5 to 3.8 cm long.

In the fruit ripening stage, a 4 to 13 cm long, 1 to 2 cm wide, unwinged leguminous fruit develops. There is a ridge along the length of the fruit. The husk is very hairy and carries up to seven seeds. The seeds are flattened uniform ellipsoid, 1 to 1.9 cm long, 0.8 to 1.3 cm wide and 4 to 6.5 cm thick. The hilum, the base of the funiculus (connection between placenta and plant seeds) is a surrounded by a significant arillus (fleshy seeds shell).

M.pruriens bears white, lavender, or purple flowers. Its seed pods are about 10 cm long^[1] and are covered in loose orange hairs that cause a severe itch if they come in contact with skin. The chemical compounds responsible for the itch are a protein, mucunain,^[1] and serotonin. The seeds are shiny black or brown drift seeds. It is found in tropical Africa, India and the Caribbean.

The dry weight of the seeds is 55 to 85 g/100 seeds.^[2] With 2n = 20, 22 or 24 chromosomes.

Uses

Mucuna pruriens seeds of two different colors

Mucuna pruriens seed pod

In many parts of the world Mucuna pruriens is used as an important forage, fallow and green manure crop.^[3] Since the plant is a legume, it fixes nitrogen and fertilizes soil.

M. pruriens is a widespread fodder plant in the tropics. To that end, the whole plant is fed to animals as silage, dried hay or dried seeds. M. pruriens silage contains 11-23% crude protein, 35-40% crude fiber, and the dried beans 20-35% crude protein. It also has use in the countries of Benin and Vietnam as a biological control for problematic Imperata cylindrica grass.^[3] M.pruriens is said to not be invasive outside its cultivated area.^[3]

M. pruriens is sometimes used as a coffee substitute called "Nescafe" (not to be confused with the commercial brand Nescafé). Cooked fresh shoots or beans can also be eaten. This requires that they be soaked from at least 30 minutes to 48 hours in advance of cooking, or the water changed up to several times during cooking, since otherwise the plant can be toxic to humans. The above described process leaches out phytochemical compounds such as levodopa, making the product more suitable for consumption. If consumed in large quantities as food, unprocessed M. pruriens is toxic to non-ruminant mammals including humans.

Medicinal uses

Traditionally, M. pruriens has a sexual function improving effect in rats.^[4] It is used in Ayurvedic medicine.

The plant and its extracts have been long used in tribal communities as a toxin antagonist for various snakebites. Research on its effects against Naja (Cobra),^[5] Echis (Saw scaled viper),^[6] Calloselasma (Malayan Pit viper) and Bangarus (Krait) ^[7] have shown that it has potential use in the prophylactic treatment of snakebites.

M. pruriens seeds have also been found to have antidepressant properties in cases of depressive neurosis when consumed.^[8] and formulations of the seed powder have shown promise in the management and treatment of Parkinson disease.^[9]

Dried leaves of M. pruriens are sometimes smoked.^[1] M. pruriens The herb contains L-Dopa, a precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. The l dopa content increases when extracts are prepared. L-dopa converts into dopamine, an important brain chemical involved in mood, sexuality, and movement.

Itching

The hairs lining the seed pods and the small spicules on the leaves contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) which cause severe itching (pruritus) when touched.^[10][11] The calyx below the flowers is also a source of itchy spicules and the stinging hairs on the outside of the seed pods are used in itching powder.^[12] Water should not be used if contact occurs, as it only dilutes the chemical. Also, one should avoid scratching the exposed area since this causes the hands to transfer the chemical to all other areas touched. Once this happens, one tends to scratch vigorously and uncontrollably and for this reason the local populace in Northern Mozambique refer to the bean as the mad bean (Feijão Malucos). The local populace in Northern Mozambique use raw, unrefined moist tobacco to treat the itching. In India the application of cow dung is very effective to treat the itching caused by the spicules of this herb.

Pharmacology

M.pruriens seeds contain high concentrations of levodopa, a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for diseases including Parkinson's Disease.^[13][14][15] In large amounts (e.g. 30 g dose) it has been shown to be as effective as pure levodopa/carbidopa in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease, but no data on long-term efficacy and tolerability is available.^[16]

In addition to levodopa, it contains serotonin (5-HT), 5-HTP, nicotine, N,N-DMT (DMT), bufotenine, and 5-MeO-DMT. As such, it could potentially have psychedelic effects, and it has purportedly been used in ayahuasca preparations.^[17]

The mature seeds of the plant contain about 3.1-6.1% L-DOPA,^[10] with trace amounts of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), nicotine, DMT-n-oxide, bufotenine, 5-MeO-DMT-n-oxide, and beta-carboline.^[18] One study using 36 samples of the seeds found no tryptamines present in them.^[19]

The leaves contain about 0.5% L-DOPA, 0.006% dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 0.0025% 5-MeO-DMT and 0.003% DMT n-oxide.^[20]

Nomenclature and taxonomy

Common names

• ci mao li dou 刺毛黧豆 in Chinese
• Kara Benguk in Javanese language
• Atmagupta (आत्मगुप्ता)in Sanskrit language
• Kapikacchu (कपिकच्छु) in Sanskrit language
• Kiwanch (किवांच) or Konch (कोंच) in Hindi language
• Khaajkuiri in Marathi
• Alkushi/আলকুশি (Bengali)
• poonaikkaali in Tamil
• Velvet bean in English language
• Cowitch in English language
• Buffalo beans in English language (also refers to Thermopsis rhombifolia)
• Cowhage
• Juckbohne (German: "Itch bean")^[1]
• Picapica (Spanish)
• Kapikachu
• Yerepe (Yoruba)
• Duradagondi(దురదగొండి)in ([Telugu])
• Feijão Malucos (Angola and Mozambique. Portuguese: "Mad Bean")
• Pó-de-mico (Brazil)
• Chitedze (Malawi)
• Naykuruna (ML:നായ്ക്കുരണ) ( Malayalam)
• Mah Mui (TH: หมามุ่ย) in Thai language
• Đậu mèo rừng, đậu ngứa, móc mèo in Vietnamese language
• Kavach beej
• Donkey eye
• Nasagunnikaayi(Kannada)

Subspecies

• Mucuna pruriens ssp. deeringiana (Bort) Hanelt
• Mucuna pruriens ssp. pruriens^[1]

Varieties

• Mucuna pruriens var. hirsuta (Wight & Arn.) Wilmot-Dear^[21]
• Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens (L.) DC. ^[22]
• Mucuna pruriens var. sericophylla^[21]
• Mucuna pruriens var. utilis (Wall. ex Wight) L.H.Bailey is the non-stinging variety grown in Honduras.^[23]

Synonyms

Synonyms of M. pruriens, M. pruriens ssp. pruriens and M. pruriens var. pruriens: Carpopogon atropurpureum Roxb. May also refer to M. atropurpurea Carpogon capitatus Roxb. Carpogon niveus Roxb. Dolichos pruriens L. Marcanthus cochinchinense Lour. Mucuna atropurpurea sensu auct. non (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. M. atropurpurea (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. is a valid species Mucuna axillaris Baker Mucuna bernieriana Baill. Mucuna cochinchinense (Lour.) A. Chev. Mucuna cochinchinensis (Lour.) A. Chev. Mucuna esquirolii H. Lev. Mucuna luzoniensis Merr. Mucuna lyonii Merr. Mucuna minima Haines Mucuna nivea (Roxb.) DC. Mucuna prurita Hook. Mucuna velutina Hassk. Negretia mitis Blanco Mucuna prurita (L.) Hook. Stizolobium atropurpureum (Roxb.) Kuntze May also refer to M. atropurpurea Stizolobium capitatum (Roxb.) Kuntze Stizolobium cochinchinense (Lour.) Burk Stizolobium niveum (Roxb.) Kuntze Stizolobium pruritum (Wight) Piper Stizolobium velutinum (Hassk.) Piper & Tracy

Synonyms of M. pruriens var. hirsuta: Mucuna hirsuta Wight & Arn. Synonyms of M. pruriens var. sericophylla: Mucuna sericophylla Perkins Synonyms of M. pruriens var. utilis: Carpopogon capitatum Roxb. Carpopogon niveum Roxb. Macranthus cochinchinensis Lour. Mucuna aterrima (Piper & Tracy) Holland Mucuna atrocarpa F.P. Metcalf Mucuna capitata Wight & Arn. Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Merr. Mucuna hassjoo (Piper & Tracy) Mansf. Mucuna martinii H. Lev. & Vaniot Mucuna nivea (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. Mucuna pruriens var. capitata Burck Mucuna pruriens var. capitata (Wight & Arn.) Burck Mucuna pruriens var. nivea (Roxb.)Haines Mucuna utilis Wight Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy Stizolobium deeringianum Bort Stizolobium hassjoo Piper & Tracy Stizolobium pruriens (L.) Medik. Stizolobium pruriens var. hassjoo (Piper & Tracy)Makino Stizolobium utile (Wall. ex Wight) Ditmer

See also

• Levodopa
• Medicinal plants
• Mucunain
• Psychedelic plants

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Rätsch, Christian. Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen. Botanik, Ethnopharmakologie und Anwendungen.. Aarau: AT-Verl.. p. 15. ISBN 978-3855025701. 
2. ^ "Factsheet - Mucuna pruriens". www.tropicalforages.info. http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Mucuna_pruriens.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Factsheet - Mucuna pruriens". www.tropicalforages.info. http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Mucuna_pruriens.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 
4. ^ Amin KMY, Khan MN, Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, et al. (1996) "Sexual function improving effect of Mucuna pruriens in sexually normal male rats". Fitoterapia, jrg.67 (nr.1): pp. 53-58. Quote: The seeds of M. pruriens are widely used for treating male sexual dysfunction in Tibb-e-Unani (Unani Medicine), the traditional system of medicine of Indo-Pakistan sub-continent.
5. ^ Tan, NH; Fung, SY; Sim, SM; Marinello, E; Guerranti, R; Aguiyi, JC (2009). "The protective effect of Mucuna pruriens seeds against snake venom poisoning". Journal of ethnopharmacology 123 (2): 356–8. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.03.025. PMID 19429384. 
6. ^ Journal of Preventie Medicine and Hygiene 40: 25–28. 1999. http://www.jpmh.org/issues/199940105.pdf. 
7. ^ http://sphinxsai.com/sphinxsaiVol_2No.1/PharmTech_Vol_2No.1/PharmTech_Vol_2No.1PDF/PT=132%20(870-874).pdf
8. ^ Medicinal Plants: Chemistry And ... - Google Book Search. books.google.com. 2006. ISBN 9781578083954. http://books.google.com/?id=5sU6yo1jFxQC&pg=PA19&dq=%22mucuna+pruriens%22+nicotine. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 
9. ^ . doi:10.1136/jnnp.2003.028761. PMC 1738871. PMID 15548480. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1738871. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Medical Toxicology - Google Book Search. books.google.com. 2004. ISBN 9780781728454. http://books.google.com/?id=qDf3AO8nILoC&pg=PA1679&lpg=PA1679&dq=%22mucuna+pruriens%22+alkaloids. Retrieved 2008-03-15. 
11. ^ YERRA RAJESHWAR, MALAYA GUPTA and UPAL KANTI MAZUMDER (2005). "In Vitro Lipid Peroxidation and Antimicrobial Activity of Mucuna pruriens Seeds". IJPT 4: 32–35. http://ijpt.iums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpt/article/viewPDFInterstitial/050401032/189. 
12. ^ G. V. Joglekar, M. B. Bhide J. H. Balwani. An experimental method for screening antipruritic agents. British Journal of Dermatology. Volume 75 Issue 3 Page 117 - March 1963
13. ^ Lieu CA. Kunselman AR. Manyam BV. Venkiteswaran K. Subramanian T."A water extract of Mucuna pruriens provides long-term amelioration of parkinsonism with reduced risk for dyskinesias." Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 16(7):458-65, 2010 Aug.
14. ^ 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. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1407 PMID 15022157
15. ^ Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA. Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens. 2004. Phytother Res 18:706-712. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1514 PMID 15478206
16. ^ 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. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2003.028761 PMID 15548480 free full text
17. ^ "Erowid Mucuna pruriens Vault". www.erowid.org. http://www.erowid.org/plants/mucuna_pruriens/. Retrieved 2008-03-02. 
18. ^ "Species Information". sun.ars-grin.gov. http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=644. Retrieved 2008-03-02. 
19. ^ "The phytochemistry, toxicology, and food potential of velvetbean". www.idrc.ca. http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-31916-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html. Retrieved 2008-03-02. 
20. ^ Chemical Compounds Found in "Mucuna Puriens"
21. ^ ^{a b} "Mucuna pruriens information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?24652. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
22. ^ Picapica
23. ^ http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/index.cgi?xfml=1&max=100

External links

• www.fao.org
• Mucuna pruriens (U.S. Forest Service)
• www.hort.purdue.edu Crop Fact Sheets
• Mucuna pruriens (Tropical Forages)
• Mucuna pruriens protects against snakebite venom
• Mucuna pruriens var. utilis (Photos)
• Chemicals in: Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. (Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases)
• Lycaeum
• Mucuna pruriens a Comprehensive Review
• Mucuna pruriens Seed L-DOPA Content on the Basis of Seed Color
• Research Paper Showing Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis
• Caldecott, Todd (2006). Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life. Elsevier/Mosby. ISBN 0723434107.  Contains a detailed monograph on Mucuna pruriens (Kapikacchu, Atmagupta) as well as a discussion of health benefits and usage in clinical practice. Available online at http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/learning-herbs/349-kapikachu
• Mucuna pruriens in West African plants - A Photo Guide.