BACKGROUND The seed powder of the leguminous plant, Mucuna pruriens has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for diseases including parkinsonism. We have assessed the clinical effects and levodopa (L-dopa) pharmacokinetics following two different doses of mucuna preparation and compared them with standard L-dopa/carbidopa (LD/CD). METHODS Eight Parkinson's disease patients ...

In Parkinson’s disease, the neuronal cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine deteriorate. As a consequence, dopamine levels decline and symptoms appear. Treatment has traditionally involved dopamine’s chemical precursor, L-dopa. Although widely used, this treatment is accompanied by unpleasant toxic effects and causes only symptomatic relief while the disease progresses. The legume Muc...

The aim of the present study was to compare the growth characteristics of guinea fowl fed on Mucuna pruriens (pica-pica, cow-hitch plant, cowhage, velvet bean, devil bean) seed with a control group at both starting and growing phases in extensive production in tropical Africa country (Benin). It was also attempt at determining meat traits and ascertains meat eventual contamination by L-Dopa for...

Mucuna pruriens has been used by native Nigerians as a prophylactic for snakebite. The protective effects of M. pruriens seed extract (MPE) were investigated against the pharmacological actions of N. sputatrix (Javan spitting cobra) venom in rats. The results showed that MPE-pretreatment protected against cardiorespiratory and, to a lesser extent, neuromuscular depressant effects of N. sputatri...

The trypsin inhibitor has been purified to apparent homogeneity from the seeds of Mucuna pruriens employing ammonium sulfate fractionation, cation exchange chromatography on CMcellulose and gel-permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The purified Mucuna pruriens trypsin inhibitor (MPTI) showed a specific inhibitor activity of 474.66, fold purity of 99.51 and the yield obtained was 22.08%. ...

The present study was carried out to investigate the role of microwave treatment in eliminating the antinutritional factors such as, total free phenolics, tannin, l-dopa, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide, total oxalate, trypsin inhibitor activity, oligosaccharides and phytohaemagglutins in the seeds of two accessions of velvet bean, Mucuna pruriens var. utilis. Microwave treated raw and overnight ...

Recurrent droughts and soil degradation have had an adverse impact on food security and have increased malnutrition in Zambia. This has necessitated the promotion of conservation farming and diversification of food production. Velvet beans (Mucuna pruriens) is a crop that offers excellent soil conditioning properties and produces large quantities of beans of high protein and energy content. How...

Development of green and efficient procedures for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticleshas emerged as a significant topic in the field of nanotechnology. In this respect, using naturalresources,especially plant extract has attracted lots of attention; plant extract is a promisingalternative to traditional and chemical techniques. The plant Mucuna pruriens L. contains highconcentration of L-do...

Application of inadequate quantities of fertilizers limits maize yield in Ghana. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of Mucuna pruriens, Canavalia ensiformis, and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) on maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield under 4 mineral fertilizer N levels in a rotational system. The legumes were established in April of 1996 and 1997 at Ejura in the forest-savanna tra...

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) mutant for PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1B9) gene is a powerful tool to investigate physiopathology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Using PINK1B9 mutant Dm we sought to explore the effects of Mucuna pruriens methanolic extract (Mpe), a L-Dopa-containing herbal remedy of PD. The effects of Mpe on PINK1B9 mutants, supplied with standard diet to larva...