Abstract
Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae), tropical plant commonly known as "velvet bean" and "atmagupta" in India, is a climbing legume growing in India and in other parts of the tropics. The seed powder of the M. pruriens has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for a number of diseases, including parkinsonism.
The seeds of M. pruriens contain 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA) which is a precursor of catecholamines and effective means to alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The rapid onset of action and longer on time without concomitant increase in dyskinesias suggest that this natural source of L-DOPA might possess advantages over conventional L-DOPA preparations in the long term management of Parkinson disease.