title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Plant Genetic Resource Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha-Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695 562, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Haridas
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pulikkalpura
authors.affiliation: Phytochemistry and Phytopharmacology Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha-Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695 562, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Rajani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurup
authors.affiliation: Plant Genetic Resource Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha-Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695 562, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Paravanparampil Jacob
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Phytochemistry and Phytopharmacology Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha-Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695 562, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Sabulal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baby
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007980:Levodopa / Q000378:metabolism*; D031299:Mucuna / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa