identify the Values of mucuna plants

THE mucuna plant has many traditional and medicinal usage including treating abdominal pain, cholera and toothache
. Because of the large amount of levo-dopa in the seed, it is also used for treating parkinson disease. ‘it is still used to increase libido in both men an women due to its dopamine inducing properties’. Dopamine has a profound influence on sexual function.

  Mucuna pruriens, a member of the legume family, is a climbing plant that grows up to 30ft in length. Mucuna pruriens forms compound leaves that grow 4-10 long and is composed of three leaf lets. The pods of the mucuna pruriens contain 2.5 per choster barbed hairs, also called trichomes, that cause an intense stinging irritation to the skin. It is a very prolific and hardy plant in the South.

Botanical Name: Mucuna pruriens

English Name: Cowage, Cowhage, Cow itch

Igbo Name: Agbala

Hausa Name: Esin

Yoruba Name: Kakaka

DESCRIPTION: A variable species, slender, annual or short-lived perennial, training or lianous to 30m high or attaining the forest canopy of grassland, etc

Chemical constituent: Fatty oil, Alkaloids

Actions: Emmenagogne, inflammatory, febrifuge, blennorhoea, anathematic, colic, anti-infective, purgative astringent, toxic.

Parts Used: Leaf, Stem, Fruit, and Root

Medicinal Uses

1. It is applied to syphilitic ulcers and other sores.

2. Infusion is taken to prevent miscarriage and to cure headache.

3. It is anathematic and is used for colic.

4. Leaf sap is put onto aching teeth, a macerate onto burns.

5. Leaf-tisane is drunk for tuberculosis and serves as an anti- infection dressing.

6. Stem is used to treat giddiness.

7. Fruit pods are taken for drops.

8. It promotes the liberation of histamine in the epidermics and this sets up the furious itching.

9. Fruit hair is used to treat skin affected by leprosy.

10. It is criminally used to lace food, the action sets up coughing spasm and then death.

11. It is used to treat swollen and numb areas.

12. Root is used to treat gout and erysipelas.

13. It is purgative and is taken by draught for blennorhoea.

14. It is diuretic and this is a decongestant for urethral obstruction.

15. It is tonic and stimulant and is used for nervous diseases, kidney troubles and dropsy, and is effective in treating cholera and piles.

16. It is used as an antidote.