mucuna

Thai Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var pruriens (T-MP) seed containing levodopa (L-DOPA) and antioxidant capacity has been shown to improve sexual behavior and male reproductive parameters in rats treated with ethanol (Eth). However, its protective effect on testicular apoptotic germ cells has never been reported. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of T-MP seed extract on expressions of caspase, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) proteins in Eth rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (9 animals/group), including control, Eth, T-MP150+Eth, and T-MP300+Eth, respectively...

Pollinator shifts are often related to speciation in angiosperms, and the relationship between them has been discussed in several plant taxa. Although information on plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Central and South America and Africa is limited, related research has not been conducted in Asia. Herein, I summarize the available knowledge of pollination in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae), a genus mainly distributed in the tropics, and discuss the evolution of plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Asia...

Mucuna pruriens (MP) which is commonly known as "Velvet Bean" is an underutilized legume traditionally used to treat Parkinson's disease and male fertility issues. Extracts of MP have also been identified for their antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antineoplastic effects. Commonly, the antioxidant and anticancer properties of a drug are linked together as antioxidants scavenge free radicals and prevent the cellular DNA damage which could result in cancer development. In this investigation, comparative assessment of the anticancer and antioxidant potentials of methanolic seed extracts from two common varieties of MP, Mucuna pruriens var...

Levodopa (L-DOPA) treatment, combined with the administration of dopa-decarboxylase inhibitors (DDCIs), is still the most effective symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although its efficacy in the early stage of the disease has been confirmed, its complex pharmacokinetics (PK) increases the variability of the intra-individual motor response, thus amplifying the risk of motor/non-motor fluctuations and dyskinesia. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that L-DOPA PK is strongly influenced by several clinical, therapeutic, and lifestyle variables (e...

Underutilized/orphan legumes provide food and nutritional security to resource-poor rural populations during periods of drought and extreme hunger, thus, saving millions of lives. The Leguminaceae, which is the third largest flowering plant family, has approximately 650 genera and 20,000 species and are distributed globally. There are various protein-rich accessible and edible legumes, such as soybean, cowpea, and others; nevertheless, their consumption rate is far higher than production, owing to ever-increasing demand...

Mucuna pruriens Linn. ( M. pruriens ), a leguminous plant, was used extensively in Ayurveda, to treat male-related infertility. Previous studies have demonstrated antioxidant, androgenic, aphrodisiac, and spermatogenic properties of M. pruriens seed extract. Surprisingly, the biological activities of M. pruriens on aging-induced pathological changes in the testis microenvironment have never been explored and the present study was focused on the testing therapeutic efficacy of M. pruriens on aged rat testis...

Pesticides offer stakeholders cost-effective solutions to control weeds. Nevertheless, such active compounds can manifest as severe environmental pollutants when escaping from agroecosystems into surrounding natural ecosystems, driving the need to remediate them. We, hence, analyzed whether Mucuna pruriens can develop a potential phytoremediator for treating tebuthiuron (TBT) in soil with vinasse. We exposed M. pruriens to microenvironments containing tebuthiuron at 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 (standard dose) L ha-1 and vinasse at 75, 150 (industrial recommendation), and 300 m3 ·ha-1 ...

The present study examined the biological potential and phytochemicals of Sophora mollis, Mucuna pruriens , and Indigofera atropurpurea methanolic leaf extracts. In vitro anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-lipase assays were performed using different concentrations of plant extracts, and the IC50 values were determined. The cytotoxic potential of the selected plant extracts was assessed against HeLa, PC3, and 3T3 cell lines using an MTT assay. S. mollis leaf extract displayed the highest inhibition percentage (114...

One of the main challenges hindering the commercialization of bioactive peptides is the lack of scalable and consistent production methods. To overcome this obstacle, an automated enzyme membrane reactor was used to continuously produce bioactive peptides from velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens). The optimum operating conditions were [E]/[S] = 5%, pH = 7.5, and τ = 12 h. The long-term continuous operation of the EMR system demonstrated its ability to maintain steady-state conditions...

Legumes are a major food crop in many developing nations. However, orphan or underutilized legumes are domesticated legumes that have valuable properties but are less significant than main legumes due to use and supply restrictions. Compared to other major legumes, they are better suited to harsh soil and climate conditions, and their great tolerance to abiotic environmental circumstances like drought can help to lessen the strains brought on by climate change. Despite this, their economic significance in international markets is relatively minimal...

This study investigated the amino acid, physicochemical and sensory qualities of biscuit made from composite flours of wheat and velvet bean. The incorporation of velvet bean flour significantly increased (p < 0.05) the moisture (1.68-3.09%), ash (0.80-1.80%), crude fibre (1.05-1.40%), protein (6.23-8.10%) and fat (21.17-22.29%) while the carbohydrate content of the biscuits decreased significantly (68.74-63.60%). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in weight, height and thickness of samples except for break strength...

Aphrodisiac herbal products originated from various plants including Mucuna species. In Thai folklore, Mucuna macrocarpa Wall. and M. pruriens (L.) DC. have long been consumed and utilized for their aphrodisiac properties. Consumption of these plants can lead to serious adverse effects caused by l-dopa. The plants have been legally banned for use as foods, dietary supplements, or nutraceuticals by the FDA of several countries. To protect consumers, methods for the identification of illicit plants or herbal products are needed...

Present study aimed to assess effect of pre-treatment with Mucuna pruriens seed extract and its bioactive molecule(s) on NMDAR and Tau protein gene expression in cerebral ischemic rodent model. Methanol extract of M. pruriens seeds was characterized by HPLC, and β-sitosterol was isolated by flash chromatography. In vivo studies to observe the effect of pre-treatment (28 days) with methanol extract of M. pruriens seed and β-sitosterol on the unilateral cerebral ischemic rat model. Cerebral ischemia induced by left common carotid artery occlusion (LCCAO) for 75 min (on day 29) followed by reperfusion for 12 h...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A significant cause of arsenic poisoning is polluted groundwater. Arsenic poisoning results in the suppression of spermatogenesis and the liver and kidneys are vulnerable to the toxic effects as well. Mucuna pruriens has been identified to have fertility-enhancing and anti-lipid peroxidation properties. Based on these properties of M. pruriens , this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of M. pruriens seed extract in reducing sodium arsenite-induced testicular impairment and hepato-renal histopathology in rats...

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that half of the individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) use some form of over-the-counter vitamin, herbal supplement or nutraceutical. The goal of this study was to survey individuals with PD about their use of the nutraceuticals and evaluate the association of the nutraceutical with the severity of symptoms. METHODS: Participants with self-reported idiopathic PD within the 2021 cohort ( n = 1084) were included in a cross-sectional study to assess association of nutraceuticals with symptom severity via linear regression analysis...

Levodopa (L-DOPA) is an essential drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Currently, L-DOPA can be produced by chemical synthesis and can also be found naturally in many herbs, especially Mucuna Pruriens (MP). According to clinical research, the MP extract containing L-DOPA for the treatment of Parkinson's disease could reduce side effects more than the synthetic one. Unfortunately, MP extracts can be easily degraded. Changes in physical and chemical properties such as the appearance (color, melt, solid lump) and the reduction of L-DOPA content in the extract were commonly observed...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Herbal plants such as Basella alba (Family: Basellaceae), Tribulus terrestris (Family: Zygophyllaceae), Asparagus racemosus (Family: Asparagaceae) and Mucuna pruriens (Family: Fabaceae) are mentioned in Indian traditional system of medicine Ayurveda to possess androgenic activity and increase male virility. The plants have been reported to improve testosterone level and sperm production in experimental male rodents as well. AIM OF THE STUDY: Male Nile tilapias grow more quickly than females and hence are preferred for monosex Nile tilapia culture...

CONTEXT: Thai Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. pruriens (Fabaceae) or T-MP seed extract has been shown to improve sexual performance and sperm quality. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the preventive effects of T-MP against seminal vesicle damage, apoptotic and Nrf2 protein expression in mice under chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight male ICR mice were divided into four groups: control, CUMS, T-MP300 + CUMS and T-MP600 + CUMS...

In this study, Mucuna pruriens extracts were used to verify their application as a natural-based raw material with anti-inflammatory function. A nitric oxide inhibition activity assay showed that M. pruriens extracted with hot water (MW), M. pruriens extracted with 70% ethanol (ME), and M. pruriens extracted with 70% acetone (MA) presented NO inhibition activity; among them, MW and ME demonstrated the best activity and were selected for Western blot analysis. After identifying the expression patterns of inflammation-related proteins, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB), through Western blots, both MW and ME showed inhibition patterns...

Research on the production of lipid-lowering drugs from natural sources has become increasingly important. In this study, we investigated the hypolidemic properties of the vegetable milk produced from the seeds of Mucuna pruriens L. Vegetable milk were produced from whole or dehulled seeds of two varieties of M. pruriens , var. Veracruz: dehulled Veracruz milk (DVM) and whole Veracruz milk (WVM); and var. Cochinchinensis: dehulled Cochinchinensis milk (DCM) and whole Cochinchinensis milk (WCM). Then, the phenolic and antioxidant properties of these milks were analyzed...