Mucuna pruriens is an herbaceous, twining climber with trifoliate leaves. The seeds are astringent and tonic; they possess mild insecticidal activity. The leaves of the plant are applied to ulcers. The seeds contain the bioactive alkaloids mucunine, mucunadine, mucuadinine, pruriendine and nicotine, as well as Ã?-sitosterol, glutathione, lecithin, oils, venolic and gallic acids. The seed with its coat showed the presence of a number of bioactive subtances including tryptamine, alkylamines, steroids, flavonoids, coumarins, cardenolides, etc.
