Cowhage(Mucuna pruriens)

December 29th, 2007

Botanical Name: Mucuna pruriens (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Leguminosae

Synonyms: Dolichos pruriens. Stizolobium pruriens. Mucuna prurita. Setae Siliquae Hirsutae. Cowage. Cowitch. Couhage. Kiwach.
(French) Cadjuet. Pois velus. Pois Ã gratter. Liane Ã gratter. Pois pouilleux. Ceil de
bourrique. (German) Kratzbohnen. Kuhkratze.

Local Name : Cow-Itch Plant, Kapikachhu, Atmagupta

Parts Used: The hairs of the pod, seeds.
Habitat: Tropical regions, especially East and West Indies.

Description: The name of the genus, Mucuna, is that of a Brazilian species mentioned by Marggraf in 1648, and pruriens refers to the itching caused on the skin by the hairs. The popular name, variously spelt, is from the Hindustani.
Travellers in the tropics know the plants well on account of their annoying seed-pods,
covered with stinging hairs which are easily shaken off, and cause great irritation. They
are found in Asia, America, Africa, and the Fiji Islands.
M. pruriens is a leguminous climbing plant, with long, slender branches, alternate,
lanceolate leaves on hairy petioles, 6 to 12 inches long, with large, white flowers, growing
in clusters of two or three, with a bluish-purple, butterfly-shaped corolla.
The pods or legumes, hairy, thick, and leathery, averaging 4 inches long, are shaped like
violin sound-holes, and contain four to six seeds. They are of a rich dark brown colour,
thickly covered with stiff hairs, about 1/1O inch long, which are the official part. In
commerce they are found in a loose mass mixed with pieces of the pericarp.

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It is an annual vine that grows up to 30 ft. The leaves are alternate with three large, rhomboid-ovate leaflets. The flowers are large white to dark purple color and hang in long racemes. Mucuna pruriens produces clusters of pods that are curved, 4 to 8 cm long covered with very small velvety hairs of reddish-orange color.
The seed are shiny black or brown sea beans. It is found in tropical Africa, India and the Caribbean.

One hundred Mucuna pruriens seeds weigh between 55-85g
When young and tender, the legumes are cooked and eaten in India.

Constituents: The hairs are usually filled with air, but sometimes contain granular
matter, with tannic acid and resin. No tincture or decoction is effective.

Pharmacology: Mucuna pruriens seeds contain high concentrations of levodopa, a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for diseases including Parkinson’s Disease.[2][3] In large amounts (e.g. 30g dose) it has been shown to be as effective as as pure levodopa/carbidopa in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, but no data on long-term efficacy and tolerability is available.[4]

In addition to levodopa, Mucuna also contains 5-HTP, nicotine, N,N-DMT, bufotenine, and 5-MeO-DMT. As such, it would presumably have psychedelic effects, and it has purportedly been used in ayahuasca preparations.

The mature seeds of the plant contain about 3.1-6.1% L-DOPA,[6] also bufotenine, DMT, DMT-n-oxide, 5-MeO-DMT-n-oxide, 6-methoxyharman, beta-carboline, nicotine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. The leaves contain about 0.5% L-DOPA, 0.006% dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 0.0025% 5-MeO-DMT and 0.003% DMT n-oxide

Medicinal Action and Uses: A mechanical anthelmintic. The hairs, mixed with syrup, molasses, or honey, pierce the bodies of intestinal worms, which writhe themselves free from the walls, so that a brisk cathartic will bring them away. It is usually a safe remedy, but enteritis has sometimes followed its use. It has little effect upon tape-worm, but is good for Ascaris lumbricoides and in slightly less degree for the smaller Oxyuris vermicularis. In the form of an ointment, Mucuna has been used as a local stimulant in paralysis and other affections, acting like Croton oil. A decoction of the root or legumes is said to have been used in dropsy as a diuretic and for catarrh, and in some parts of India an infusion is used in cholera.

In history, M. pruriens has been used as an aphrodisiac (hence the species name, pruriens, i.e., prurience/prurient). It is still used to increase libido in both men and women due to its dopamine inducing properties. Dopamine has a profound influence on sexual function.

The hairs lining the seed pods contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) which causes severe itching (erythema). Mucuna pruriens is a common ingredient in itching powder. In Africa these hairs are used to murder people by sprinkling them on to the food of the unsuspeting victim, who would then die from internal bleeding as the sharp hairs slice into the stomach and the intestinal lining.

It is a good medium for the application of such substances as muriate of morphia. In theproportion of 7 to 8 grains of cowhage to an ounce of lard, it should be rubbed in for from10 to 20 minutes. It brings out flat, white pimples, which soon disappear. Oil relieves theheat and irritation caused on the skin.The seeds are said to be aphrodisiac.

Dosage: For an adult, a tablespoonful, and for a child a teaspoonful, for threeconsecutive mornings, after which a brisk cathartic should be given.

Other Specie:
M. urens, [The pulverized bean of M. urens (Horse-ye) macerated in alcohol, is used inhomoeopathy for haemorrhoids.--EDITOR] or Dolichos urens (M. prurita),the seeds of which,called Horse-eye beans, round and brownish, are used as a substitute for Calabar beans. Someauthorities regard this East Indian variety as a distinct species, being larger than M.pruriens.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cowha111.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowhage