**2.2 Bioactive compounds from leaves and roots of** *Mucuna*

The root extract of *Mucuna* has various activities like stimulant, thermogenic, purgative, emollient, diuretic anthelmintic, emmenagogue and tonic; hence, they are used in the vitiated circumstances in Veda and Ayurveda [39]. l-Dopa content of leaves and roots is as much as 1% and 4–7% in *Mucuna* plant [40]. *Mucuna* plants release secondary chemical compounds called allelochemical in the form of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) in the surrounding environment which show an impact on growth of nearby plants, either negatively or positively. These substances are produced through its roots, seeds or leaves [41]. These secondary chemical agents play a role in damaging root growth, terminating seedling growth, inhibiting plantlet growth or suppressing seed germination of other plants [42]. Plant-box bioassay explains that the secondary chemical compound produced from the root of *Mucuna* is l-dopa [40], which affects the cell and root of various plant seedlings [41]. Leaf extracts are used to treat various complications like Anticataleptic, antiepileptic, aphrodisiac, antimicrobial, tonic and ulcers are some applications in which *Mucuna* leaves were reported being used previously [8, 20, 43, 44].
