| Introduction: |
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Mucuna Pruriens is commonly known as “cowhage” and “atmagupta” in Sanskrit. It is an annual climbing shrub, which is originally from India and is widely grown in the tropics as the fodder crop and naturalized in many other countries such as central and South America, south-east Malaysia and Sri Lanka. It is cultivated in some parts for its golden brown velvety legumes, which are eaten as a vegetable. Traditionally, Mucuna Pruriens has been majorly used as an antiparkinsonian agent, anthelmintic and for aphrodisiac activity. Other than this, different preparations of Mucuna Pruriens have been used for male infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, and management of ageing, diabetes and nervous disorders. |
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| Major Chemical Constituents: |
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The major chemical components of Mucuna Pruriens, which play important role, are L-DOPA, alkoloids, triterpenes, sterols, proteins, aminoacids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. |
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| Pharmacological Actions |
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Aphrodisiac & vasodilator activity:1,2,3
Mucuna Pruriens, has been used to improve cases of depressed libido and potency of both organic and psychogenic origin and management of premature ejaculation in humans. Mucuna Pruriens produced a striking and sustained increase of sexual activity and androgenic activity. The result of the study showed that all the parameters of mating behavior, including ejaculatory latency, were augmented and penile reflexes as well a mounting frequency were increased. The results of the study demonstrated that treatment of in- fertile subjects with Mucuna pruriens for 3 months significantly improved sperm concentration and motility. It has been re- ported that Mucuna pruriens helps in some central mechanism to increase secretion of semen, decrease spermatorrhea, and act as a restorative and invigorating tonic and aphrodisiac in diseases characterized by weakness or loss of sexual power. |
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Antiparkinsonian activity: 4,5,6
Mucuna pruriens seeds contain high concentrations of levodopa, a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamin and therefore it has long been used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in both modern and ancient Indian therapeutics. One of the studies showed that Mucuna pruriens was twice as potent as synthetic L-dopa in inducing contralateral rotation in the parkinsonian animal model. |
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| Herb Drug interactions: |
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There are no known herb drug interactions. |
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| Safety: 7 |
Cowhage is not recommended in pregnant or breastfeeding women due to a lack of available scientific evidence. Two early studies indicate that cowhage may inhibit prolactin secretion. Do not use when congested. Adverse effects were mild and were mainly gastro-intestinal in nature. No adverse effects were seen in clinical laboratory reports. The result of one of the studies showed the LD50 of the Mucuna pruriens is 1333 mg/kg body weight. |
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| Reference |
| 1 |
Rao MRR, Parakh SR 1978 Effect of some indigenous drugs on the sexual behavior of male rats. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 40:236E |
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| 2 |
Amin KMY, Khan MN, Zillur-Rehman S, et al. (1996) "Sexual function improving effect of Mucuna pruriens in sexually normal male rats". Fitoterapia, 67: 53- 58 |
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| 3 |
Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Islam N, Jaiswar SP, Ahmad S. Effect of Mucuna pruriens on semen profile and biochemical parameters in seminal plasma of infertile men. Fertil Steril. 2008 Sep; 90(3):627-35. |
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| 4 |
Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA. Effect of antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens on the central monoaminergic neurotransmitters. 2004. Phytother Res 18: 97-101. |
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| 5 |
Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA. Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens. 2004. Phytother Res 18:706-712 |
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| 6 |
Hussain G, Manyam BV 1997 Mucuna pruriens proves more effective than L-DOPA in Parkinson’s disease animal model. Phytotherapy Research 11 (6): 419 |
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| 7 |
Yerra R, Malaya G and Upal KM Antitumor Activity and in vivo Antioxidant Status of Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) Seeds against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma in Swiss Albino Mice. Iranian Journal of Pharmacology & Therapeutics 4:46-53, 2005 |
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