What is Mucuna Pruriens?
Mucuna pruriens, also known as velvet bean, cowhage, or cowitch, is a legume that grows in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. It is a climbing shrub that produces white or purple flowers, and forms bean pods that create intense itching upon physical contact due to a protein called mucunain on their surface. The 4-9cm long bean pods are often similar to the shape of violin sound holes, and are covered with long orange fuzz.
Mucuna is sometimes used as animal feed, and occasionally as human food. (For example, a traditional West African dish is made with maize flour and mucuna flour.) However,
mucuna contains significant amounts of the chemical L-DOPA, the precursor to the catecholamines dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. While our body needs this chemical and it is the reason mucuna is used medicinally, it can be toxic in high doses. If used for food, the beans must be cooked properly before consumption to destroy the L-DOPA. Cooking also destroys the protease inhibitor in the beans, which is beneficial from a nutritional perspective, because it allows the high protein content of mucuna to be absorbed by the body.
Mucuna pruriens was traditionally used as an aphrodisiac, as well as in Ayurvedic medicine to treat Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and parasites. Today, the herb is undergoing research mostly as an anti-venom agent and to treat Parkinson’s, although it is sometimes sought out as a libido or mood enhancer. Mucuna pruriens, in large doses can produce a “high,” but it is unpleasant and not recommended.
Mucuna Pruriens Benefits and Uses
The significant amount of L-DOPA in Mucuna pruriens has made it a promising alternative treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Standard Parkinson’s treatment consists of L-DOPA administered along with carbidopa, but mucuna has some advantages against this typical treatment. The L-DOPA in mucuna appears to be more bioactive than straight L-DOPA, meaning that a smaller dose is needed to take effect, versus L-DOPA on its own. (However, it does not necessarily work better than L-DOPA combined with carbidopa.) Additionally, L-DOPA can create DNA damage via copper ions in the brain. Compounds in Mucuna pruriens appear to prevent this effect through a process of metal chelation. One study comparing mucuna therapy to L-DOPA therapy also found less occurrence of dyskinesia.
The following are other potential medical uses of Mucuna pruriens, as well as more detailed information on Parkinson’s studies:
Mucuna is the #1 Natural source for L-DOPA. L-DOPA is good for Parkinsons, Testosterone and Depression. Get it => https://t.co/YMT5HFfDtj
— MedicinalHerbals (@MedicinalHerbal) February 28, 2017
Currently, there is just one double-blind human study on treating Parkinson’s with Mucuna pruriens. The study used 15-30g of the herb (equalling 500-1000mg of L-DOPA) and compared it to 200mg/50mg of L-DOPA/carbidopa therapy, in treating eight patients. Few differences were observed between the two therapies, except that mucuna appeared to take effect faster. Another study found that mucuna may also increase catecholamines and serotonin in the substantia nigra, the part of the brain that plays a role in Parkinson’s disease. L-DOPA on its own does not have this ability.
Treating Infertile Men and Testosterone Increase
According to one study, 5g of Mucuna pruriens taken daily for three months can increase testosterone levels in otherwise healthy, infertile men. In those with low sperm motility or low sperm count, the increase was even higher. However, it should be noted that these increases only achieved levels within the normal range of testosterone; there is no evidence that mucuna will increase testosterone in men with already normal levels. It is hypothesized that mucuna improves testosterone levels through the effect of L-DOPA increasing dopamine, which then suppresses the hormone prolactin. Prolactin can inhibit libido and testosterone.
In rats, Mucuna pruriens can reduce blood sugar spikes caused by meals. One study tested dosages of 5-100mg/kg of mucuna, and found that it c