The Magic Velvet Bean of Mucuna pruriens.
Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) is an established herbal drug used for the management of male infertility, nervous disorders, and also as an aphrodisiac. It has been shown that its seeds are potentially of substantial medicinal importance. The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, traditionally used M. pruriens, even to treat such things as Parkinson's disease. M. pruriens has been shown to have anti-parkinson and neuroprotective effects, which may be related to its anti-oxidant activity. In addition, anti-oxidant activity of M. pruriens has been also demonstrated in vitro by its ability to scavenge DPPH radicals and reactive oxygen species. In this review the medicinal properties of M. pruriens are summarized, taking in consideration the studies that have used the seeds extracts and the leaves extracts.
Department of Chemistry, University of Siena, Italy.
Lucia Raffaella
LR
Lampariello
Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine-Metabolic Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Siena, Italy.
Alessio
A
Cortelazzo
Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine-Metabolic Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Siena, Italy.
Roberto
R
Guerranti
Department of Life Science and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Claudia
C
Sticozzi
Department of Life Science and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy ; Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
Giuseppe
G
Valacchi
Antioxidant; Diabetes; Mucuna pruriens; Parkinson's disease; Phytochemicals; Skin