L-Dopa makes this herb unique
Mucuna pruriens, commonly known as velvet bean, contains L-Dopa. Mucuna has been used for generations in India to treat Parkinson's disease. L-dopa is used to make dopamine, an important brain chemical involved in mood, sexuality, and movement. Studies in rats show mucuna pruriens supplements increase dopamine content in the cortex of the brain. Mucuna pruriens has antioxidant properties. Parkinson's disease has a low prevalence in India except in the small Parsi community where there is a high prevalence. Parkinson's disease has been known in India since ancient days and the powder of mucuna pruriens seeds has been used for its treatment.

Mucuna Pruriens supplement, formulated by a medical doctor

Mucuna pruriens has been used for centuries for its broad health benefits.


Supplement facts
Mucuna Pruriens - 200 mg
    Mucuna pruriens seed extract

Directions: Take half or 1 mucuna pruriens capsule in the morning or as directed by your health care provider.

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Composition of mucuna pruriens seed
Nutritional analysis reveals mucuna pruriens contains crude protein ranged from 20-29 %, crude lipid 6-7%, total dietary fibre 8-10%, ash 3% and carbohydrates 50-60%.

Mucuna pruriens and dopamine
It is widely believed that mucuna pruriens influences the domapine system, however there may be other factors involved. A study was designed to elucidate the long-term effect of Mucuna pruriens on neurotransmitters in various regions of the rat brain. Mucuna Pruriens at a dose of 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 g/kg/day was mixed with rat chow and fed daily ad lib to Sprague-Dawley rats for 52 weeks. Controls received no mucuna pruriens. The rats were sacrificed at the end of 52 weeks and the neurotransmitters were analyzed in the cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra and striatum. Oral administration of Mucuna pruriens endocarp in the form of HP-200 had a significant effect on dopamine content in the cortex with no significant effect on levodopa, norepinephrine or dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites- HVA, DOPAC and 5-HIAA in the nigrostriatal tract. The failure of Mucuna pruriens endocarp to significantly affect dopamine metabolism in the striatonigral tract along with its ability to improve Parkinsonian symptoms in the 6-hydorxydopamine animal model and humans may suggest that its anti-parkinson effect may be due to components other than levodopa or that it has an levodopa enhancing effect.

Mucuna pruriens plant
Velvetbean ( Mucuna pruriens ) extracts: impact on Meloidogyne incognita survival and on Lycopersicon esculentum and Lactuca sativa germination and growth.
Pest Manag Sci. 2006 Nov;62(11):1122-7. USDA, ARS, Nematology Laboratory, Bldg 011A, Rm 165B, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
Velvetbean Mucuna species is a summer annual that has been used as a cover crop to reduce erosion, fix nitrogen and suppress weeds and plant-parasitic nematodes. Crude aqueous extracts (1:15 dry weight mucuna plant per volume water) were made from velvetbean plant parts, and various concentrations of the mucuna extracts were evaluated in vitro for toxicities to different stages of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and for suppression of hypocotyl and root growth and inhibition of germination of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Germination was only affected by the full-strength extract from leaf blades. Lettuce root growth was the most sensitive indicator of allelopathic activity of the plant part extracts. Lettuce and tomato root growth was more sensitive to the extract from main roots than to extracts of other plant parts. Meloidogyne incognita egg hatch was less sensitive to extracts from velvetbean than the juvenile stage. Based on LC50 values, the extract from fine roots was the least toxic to J2 (LC50 39.9%), and the extract from vines the most toxic (LC50 7.8%). The effects of the extracts were nematicidal because LC50 values did not change when the extracts were removed and replaced with water.

Protection against snake venom
The protective effects of Mucuna pruriens seed extract against histopathological changes induced by Malayan cobra (Naja sputatrix) venom in rats.
Trop Biomed. 2009 Apr; Fung SY, Tan NH, Liew SH, Sim SM, Aguiyi JC. Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50602 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Seed of Mucuna pruriens (Velvet beans) has been prescribed by traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria as a prophylactic oral antisnake remedy. In the present studies, we investigated the protective effects of M. pruriens seed extract (MPE) against histopathological changes induced by intravenous injection of Naja sputatrix (Malayan cobra) venom in rats pretreated with the seed extract. Examination by light microscope revealed that the venom induced histopathological changes in heart and blood vessels in liver, but no effect on brain, lung, kidney and spleen. The induced changes were prevented by pretreatment of the rats with MPE. Our results suggest that MPE pretreatment protects rat heart and liver blood vessels against cobra venom-induced damages.

Adverse events, allergy
Can you tell me if the Mucuna Pruriens that I ordered for my husband can cause a skin rash? He has what looks like an allergic reaction red rash over much of his body. It just started this week end after more than 3 weeks of the supplement.
   We have not had this adverse event reported to us before, but it is possible that unusual reactions or allergies can occur in some people to medications or supplements. The only way to find out is to stop the supplement, wait for the rash to go, and then reintroduce it to see if the skin rash returns. This would be done with medical approval.
      My husband's rash finally disappeared - it does not seem to be related to the supplement which he is taking again with no adverse effects. I think that he may have had a reaction to an over-the-counter decongestant that he took at the same time as he took Tylenol.

Mucuna pruriens product emails
Q. I am a certified nutrition specialist with a private practice in New Jersey. My husband seems to have early stage Parkinson's and I have been giving him a lot of nutrients to attempt to slow his progression. (So far his only symptom is a tremor in his right hand.) I am interested him trying mucuna puriens. Can you refer me to more research info on mucuna puriens?
   A. There is a mucuna pruriens product formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D. and the doctor discusses this herb.

Q. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson disease four years ago and for the past year have been taking mucuna puriens ; the tremor in my hand has slightly decreased and in my leg almost totally disappeared ; I take mucuna puriens at 200mg / 50%L-dopa delivered by Anastor. Is it safe to use? should I make breaks?
   A. We are glad you are having a good response. We can only give general information but can't give individual advice just to say that, in low dosages, mucuna pruriens supplement is safe to use for most people and it is a good idea to take a day or two off a week.

Q. Is there an problem taking mucuna pruriens if the patient has frequent headaches and migraines?
   A. We have not had any feedback from any mucuna pruriens users who have mentioned any increase in headache from using this product, however, it is possible that some migraine patients could be affected by it. It may be wise to at first use only a third of a mucuna pruriens capsule.

Q. I am interested in using mucuna pruriens to help combat Parkinson's like symptoms I am getting after being prescribed opiates for chronic pain. I believe its healthy action on neurotransmitters may make a very positive difference for me. I am having trouble with my eyesight. Part of this is probably also due to opiates. What I am wondering is, if I started taking the Eyesight Rx, can I take the mucuna pruriens at the same time and/or how much would I need to adjust the dosage of the mucuna pruriens capsule on the days I am taking the Eyesight Rx, so that I am not taking too much of this?
   A. Both Eyesight Rx and mucuna pruriens are potent supplement. We suggest to first try each one by itself for a few days, and once you understand how each one makes you feel by itself, then you can combine them, but no more than a third of a capsule or tablet together.

have you had any positive reports of elderly Parkinson’s patients currently using the pharmaceuticals Stalevo, Azilect, Sertraline, Amantadine and Levothyroxine who added small doses of the herb mucana pruriens?
   Stalevo is a prescription treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease. In addition to carbidopa and levodopa (active ingredients in Sinemet), Stalevo has entacapone (active ingredient in Comtan), a medicine that enhances the benefits of levodopa. Sertraline is an antidepressant. Amantadine ( Symmetrel ) is an antiviral drug used both as an antiviral and an anti Parkinson's drug. Azilect, rasagiline, is an oral drug that is used for treating Parkinson's disease. It belongs to a class of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) that also includes selegiline and tranylcypromine. There can be unexpected side effects when mucuna pruriens is combined with these drugs. If one plans to use mucuna pruriens as an addition to these medications, it would be best to take only a third or half a capsule of the mucuna pruriens and to lower the dosage of one or more of the medications. Your doctor would have to make the final decision. No clear guidelines exist on how to combine mucuna pruriens herb with Stalevo, Azilect, sertraline, amantadine and thyroid medications. Mucuna pruriens is a potent herb and needs to be treated with respect, just as a pharmaceutical medication.

Q. I was reading about mucuna pruriens product. I would like to try it, but am concerned about physical dependency. Do you know if I were to take mucuna [ruriens and my dopamine levels increased, do you know what would happen if I stopped taking the herb? Would my body have stopped naturally making dopamine to the same level as before so that when I stop, my dopamine levels would be depressed?
   A. We have no indication that using mucuna pruriens is addictive or has withdrawal symptoms. There are many substances in mucuna pruriens besided the dopamine effect, so it is not like taking a direct dopamine precursor.

Q. I quit smoking 8 days ago, fighting it, took mucuna pruriens today, feel so less tired and like a million bucks, now I find out it seems to contain nicotine? OMG, just great. A herb with nicotine? IS that correct? Seems some sites call it NADH instead of nicotine? PLEASE help, smoking kills.
   A. We are not sure exactly how much nicotine is in mucuna pruriens. As of May 2008, we did not find a reference in Medline regarding the nicotine content of mucuna pruriens but we doubt it is significant. There is one reference in Wikipedia regarding the nicotine content in mucuna pruriens. The mechanism of action of mucuna pruriens is not likely due to its nicotine content. There appears to be NADH in mucuna pruriens. NADH is the coenzyme of vitamin B3.

Q. This question is in regard to the mucuna supplement. I have read several reports and seen several forum posts online regarding the testosterone-increasing effects of mucuna supplement, as a result of the supposed human growth hormones it contains. Even as a 24 yr old male, I have no interest in gaining big bulky muscle mass and am mainly interested in mucuna plant for the dopamine enhancing effects. Some of the reports I read even stated a discontinuation of use due to overwhelming muscle gain. Could you possibly tell me whether or not mucuna supplement has any significant effects on testosterone production and human growth hormones (HGH)? I understand some mucuna pruriens products have different extraction forms etc and thus will vary from one to the other, so it is possible yours might be different from other brands such as Himalaya and Nutraceutics Rx. Also, I see that the mucuna L-dopa content is only 15% whereas other manufacturers are listed as between 30% and 60%. Might this amount still be effective for producing the supposed dopamine increasing effects?
   A. There are many substances in mucuna pruriens herb, besides L Dopa, that have a clinical effect. The enhancement of dopamine is only one of many ways mucuna pruriens herb influences the body and mind. Not enough human trials have been done with these supplements to determine its influence on human growth hormone and testosterone levels. There are quite a number of different mucuna pruriens supplements on the market with varying levels of l dopa percentages and other constituents within the herb. The only way to tell if a mucuna pruriens supplement will work for your needs is to try each different product since you may get different results from each one. Higher l dopa concentrations may not necessarily be a better option.

Q. I have just started taking mucuna pruriens as an anti-aging supplement. I'm taking Nutraceutics RX Mucuna Pruriens 40% L-Dopa, 625 mg capsules. I haven't noticed anything particularly positive yet. However, I have broken out in a skin rash resembling the initial outbreak of poison oak. I stopped taking it this morning and I can already feel my skin gradually returning to normal. The dosage has been one capsule before bed and one upon arising.
   A. We have not heard of a skin rash due to mucuna pruriens, but sometimes rare side effects can occur with supplements, or it can be due to some ingredient in the supplement.

I was wondering if it's okay to take Mucuna Pruriens product with other supplements like aminos, vitamins, and minerals. I am currently taking a supplement called Neuroplete that contains about 5,000 MG of Tyrosine a day which I know is a precursor to L-Dopa. Does the Tyrosine interact with the L-Dopa in the Mucuna Pruriens, and can I take them both together?
    Each person is different in how they respond to combination of supplements and medications. We suggest learning how each supplement works by itself before combining.

Is it safe to take 400mg daily of mucuna pruriens daily? Will it cause too much dopamine? Also can this possibly lead to schizophrenia?
    As a general rule it is a good idea to take a few days off a month from supplements. The extract potency of the mucuna could make a difference, so can the individual physiology of the person using it and what other supplements and medications they may be on, their age, activity level, etc. We have not seen any studies that mucuna pruriens herbal use leads to schizophrenia.

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