L-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is a known allelochemical exuded from the roots of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens L. Fabaceae). In the current work, we analyzed the effects of L-DOPA on the growth, the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), and peroxidase (POD), and the contents of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and lignin in maize (Zea mays) roots. Three-d...

In the present study, we investigated the effects of dopamine, an allelochemical exuded from the velvetbean (Mucuna pruriens L DC. var utilis), on the growth and cell viability of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) roots. We analyzed the effects of dopamine on superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and cell wall-bound peroxidase activities as well as its effects on lignin contents in t...

The effect of feeding velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens L.) meal on the performance and lipid profile in broilers was investigated. Fourteen days old 200 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design and feeding was continued for four weeks. Maize and soybean meal based control feed, and four test diets produced from the control feed by incorpora...

L-Dopa is the drug of choice in the treatment of Parkinson's disease but it has dose related adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, orthostatic hypotension, end of dose deterioration, on off phenomena and on chronic therapy motor complications synonymous to parkinsonism. Mucuna pruriens (M.P) commonly known as velvet beans or cowitch are used in case of spasms associated with Parkins onism. ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the neuropsychopharmacological effect of a polyherbal formulation (PHF) on the learning and memory processes in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS PHF contains Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), Nardostachys jatamansi (Jatamansi), Rauwolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha), Evolvulus alsinoides (Shankhpushpi), Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari), Emblica officinalis (Amalki), Mucuna prur...

Two samples of seed materials of the Indian tribal pulse, Mucuna pruriens var.utilis were collected from Karaiyar, Tirunelveli district, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu .The seeds of another tribal pulse, M.deeringiana were collected from Marunthuvazhmalai, Kanyakumari district, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. The mature seed samples were analysed for proximate and mineral compositions, vitamins (niacin a...