Abstract

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF AMAZING VELVET BEAN: MUCUNA PRURIENS (L.)

Asha Roshan* and Vikash Chandra Sharma

Abstract

Ayurveda is one of the oldest medical systems that treats and manages a variety of illnesses using plants and their extracts. Mucuna pruriens (L.) is a well known ayurvedic medicine for neurological, male fertility and libido belonging to fabaceae family. This plant contains a wide variety of phytochemical constituents that have been identified. Mucuna pruriens (L.) is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Considering the many recent outcomes on this plant that are significant, a detailed explanation of the morphological, phytochemistry, traditional usage, pharmacological actions presented are given.

Keywords: Mucuna pruriens, Phytochemistry, L-Dopa, Anti- Parkinson's activity.