KP Phyto’s Newsletter

17June 2024

NEWSLETTER

SHARING KNOWLEDGE & HELPING CUSTOMERS EXCEL

Vol 8/2024| Editor: Kerry Hughes, MSc.

Driving the global

supply chain in

Botanical Ingredients.

KP Phyto is positioned to

take on global supply chain

demands, and is the Indian

market leader catered to a

wide range of ingredients for

food, pharma, nutraceutical,

dietary supplements and

cosmetics.Thank you for your

interest in our newsletter &

allowing us to provide you

with deep dive perspectives

on Indian botanicals.

Newsletter Vol 8/2024

Dopamine Beans.

Mucuna pruriens (aka Velvet Bean, Cowhage) is a vigorously

growing tropical legume native to Africa and Asia, and now

naturalized and cultivated in many other areas.

It can climb to over 50 feet and produces young furry leaves

that become smooth as the plant matures.The beans are

borne in very fuzzy seed pods, which cause a severe itch if

they come in contact with the skin. This is due to a protein

produced and present on the hairs called mucunain—

causing them to be used in some brands of ‘itching

powder’."After maturing and processing these itchy hairs no

longer pose a threat. "

The flowers are borne in panicles reaching up to a foot long

and are typical pea flowers, white or purple in color.Mucuna

is an important cover crop in many areas of the world, as it is

capable of fixing nitrogen and fertilizing the soil.

KP Phyto’s Newsletter

17June 2024

The beans (called ‘Benguk’) are also consumed in some

parts of the world, such as Indonesia, where they are eaten

and also fermented into a form of tempe known as Benguk

tempe. The beans are known for their high protein content

(20-29%), as well as containing a good amount of

carbohydrates and minerals.

Traditional Medicine & Constituents

Mucuna pruriens has been long used in both Unani and

Ayurvedic traditional medicine systems and known mostly

for its use in rejuvenation of tissues throughout the body,

male infertility, nervous disorders, and also as an

aphrodisiac. It is known to be especially helpful for vata and

pita doshas with sweet and warming characteristics that

contribute to its nourishing and restorative properties.

As the Mucuna has a high content of L-dopa (between

3-7%), it is also used as a dietary supplement for supporting

the nervous system, men’s health, dopamine production,

mood support, occasional stress, and supporting motor

skills, coordination, cognition and focus.

Other bioactives present in Mucuna include glutathione,

lecithin, gallic acid, beta-sitosterol and beta-,oleic-, linoleic-

and palmitic acids.

The Functional Approach

Mucuna is often used for its beneficial content of L-dopa,

the precursor in the synthesis of Dopamine, a pleasure

producing neurotransmitter in the brain. It is thought that

higher Dopamine levels are associated with happiness, as

Dopamine is responsible for giving us a mood boost when

we achieve a goal, listen to music or do exercise. As

Dopamine is also associated with increased ability to focus,

Newsletter Vol 8/2024

KP Phyto’s Newsletter

17June 2024

Nutrigenomic testing identifies genetic variations in people

(SNPs), such as the rs1800497, associated with lower

dopamine receptor activity translating to an increase in

reward-seeking behaviors for these people.The market is

seeing an increase in functional medicine practitioners or in

personal nutrition who have been recommending nutritional

products with Mucuna for supporting L-dopa for this reason.

Mucuna has long been used as a natural aphrodisiac in

Ayurveda, and with its additional potential benefits to blood

sugar and stress, it is an obvious choice for further clinical

investigation into libido effects. In a study on the use of

Mucuna for promoting fertility in men, Mucuna was found to

promote healthy testosterone levels, luteinizing hormone,

Dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels. Additionally,

Mucuna also benefitted sperm count and motility.

In preclinical research, Mucuna has exhibited potential in

balancing blood sugar. Mucuna is theorized to benefit blood

sugar balance either possibly due to its high mineral content

or possibly due to its content of insulin-like compounds. The

minerals present in Mucuna include calcium, magnesium,

phosphorus, iron, manganese, zinc and copper.

Early clinical research have shown potential benefit for the

use of Mucuna for supporting stressed individuals. In one

trial, it reduced psychological stress and cortisol levels. There

is also some traditional use of Mucuna for supporting sleep,

and in one trial it showed a benefit in combination with

another tropical herb.

Newsletter Vol 8/2024

Mucuna is sometimes used for promoting healthy cognition.

In preclinical research, interestingly, Mucuna was found to

not only support dopamine levels, but also endogenous

production of two other mood neurotransmitters, serotonin

and norepinephrine.

KP Phyto’s Newsletter

17June 2024

The market is seeing an increase in functional medicine

practitioners or in personal nutrition practitioners who have

been recommending nutritional products with Mucuna for

supporting L-dopa for this reason,however, its traditional

uses and bioactives present in Mucuna point to the

potential for further investigation into uses beyond those

where L-Dopa is deemed the active constituent. Indeed,

scientific investigation has found a wide range of activities,

including antioxidant and aphrodisiac activities.As Mucuna

is not only a source of bioactives, with its contents of vital

macromolecules and protein isolates, it is well-poised for

further nutraceutical development.

Newsletter Vol 8/2024

..more information

Visit:

.https://phytoextractskp.com/

or mail us at.

E:Info@phytoextractskp.com

Extractions Pvt Ltd(India)

Notice:-

This content is for

informational and educational

purposes only. It is not

intended to provide medical

advice or to take the place of

such advice or treatment from

a personal physician.

Kerry Hughes, MSc., The Ethnobotanical Explorer,

Kerry Hughes, MSc.,The Ethnobotanical Explorer & principal

for EthnoPharm, is an Ethnobotanist and Registered

Herbalist, with a 20-year record of success in natural product

development. EthnoPharm specializes in innovative product

formulation, education, and nexus-of-market opportunity

identification.