Mucuna pruriens (seed)

Nomenclature

Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.   Fabaceae  
Standardized common name (English): velvet bean  
Ayurvedic name(s): atmagupta; kapikacchu

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. Source: Images courtesy of the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden	Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. Source: Images courtesy of the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden	Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. Source: Images courtesy of the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden

Macroscopic Characteristics

[Mucuna pruriens] is a leguminous climbing plant ... The fruit is a coriaceous pod, shaped like the Italic letter f, about four inches long, and covered with brown bristly hairs, which easily separate, and when handled stick in the fingers, producing an intense itching sensation. Source: United States Dispensatory (1918)

Microscopic Characteristics

Starch granules seen under polarized light showing observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories	Small group of pigmented osteosclerieds observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories

Supplementary Information

Other Publications

HPTLC L-dopa Estimation, Modi, et al., 2008

Estimation of L-Dopa from Mucuna pruriens LINN and Formulations Containing M. pruriens by HPTLC Method,

Abstract. A selective, precise, and accurate high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed for the analysis of L-dopa in Mucuna pruriens seed extract and its formulations. The method involves densitometric evaluation of L-dopa after resolving it by HPTLC on silica gel plates with n-butanol–acetic acid–water (4.0+1.0+1.0, v/v) as the mobile phase. Densitometric analysis of L-dopa was carried out in the absorbance mode at 280 nm. The relationship between the concentration of L-dopa and corresponding peak areas was found to be linear in the range of 100 to 1200 ng/spot. The method was validated for precision (inter and intraday), repeatability, and accuracy. Mean recovery was 100.30%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of the precision were found to be in the range 0.64—1.52%. In conclusion, the proposed TLC method was found to be precise, specific and accurate and can be used for identification and quantitative determination of L-dopa in herbal extract and its formulations.

HPTLC L-dopa degradation, Pulikkalpura, et al., 2015

Levodopa in Mucuna pruriens and its degradation,

Abstract. Mucuna pruriens is the best known natural source of L-dopa, the gold standard for treatment of Parkinsonism. M. pruriens varieties are protein rich supplements, and are used as food and fodder worldwide. Here, we report L-dopa contents in seeds of fifty six accessions of four M. pruriens varieties, M. pruriens var. pruriens, M. pruriens var. hirsuta, M. pruriens var. utilis and M. pruriens var. thekkadiensis, quantified by HPTLC-densitometry. L-dopa contents varied between 0.58 to 6.42 (%, dr. wt.). High and low L-dopa yielding genotypes/chemotypes of M. pruriens could be multiplied for medicinal and nutritional purposes, respectively. HPTLC profiles of M. pruriens seeds on repeated extraction (24 h) in 1:1 formic acid-alcohol followed by development in butanol:acetic acid:water (4:1:1, v/v) showed consistent degradation of L-dopa (Rf 0.34 ± 0.02) into a second peak (Rf 0.41 ± 0.02). An average of 52.11% degradation of L-dopa was found in seeds of M. pruriens varieties. Since M. pruriens seeds and/or L-dopa are used for treatment of Parkinson’s disease and as an aphrodisiac both in modern and/or traditional systems of medicine, the finding of high level of L-dopa degradation (in pure form and in M. pruriens extracts) into damaging quinones and ROS is very significant.