**1. Introduction**

Evolution, expansion and transformation of several wild crops via domestication and breeding have blessed the humans and animals with never ending wide

varieties of plant-based foods around the globe [1]. Nevertheless, ~ 1 billion population around the world combat with hunger and malnutrition as they are unable to consume important vitamins/minerals thus affecting food and nutritional security in many developing countries [2]. These nutritional deficiencies could be due to the increased inclination towards consumption of specific crops as majority of the peoples relies on wheat, rice and maize for their food [1]. Several lines of literatures have documented that around 50% of total world population relies on above crops for catering while other crops like legumes are cultivated and consumed by marginal communities [3]. The crops cultivated by marginal communities are referred as neglected and underutilised crop species (NUCS) and rich source of vitamins, minerals and secondary metabolites having pharmaceutical properties [4]. These NUCS have the potential to counteract malnutrition by ensuring health/nutritional security, alleviate poverty by increasing resilience and sustainability to the farming systems [1]. However, compare to mainstream crops, less focused have been given towards the genetic improvement of NUCS.

Hyacinth bean (*Lablab purpureus* L.) which comes under the NUCS category is also an underutilised legume crops with great potential. The notable properties of hyacinth bean are (i) great adaptability under wide range of environmental conditions, (ii) rich source of protein, fibre and secondary metabolites like tyrosinase which is used in the treatment of various chronic diseases (iii) being stress tolerant, it require low cultivation/maintenance cost which could help smallholder farmers and their communities to generate more income [5, 6]. In Asia and Africa, hyacinth bean is also extensively consumed both as pulse and vegetable and is also exploited as green manure, forage/fodder for livestock, ornamental or medicinal herb [6]. The crop is ancient origin of which dates back to 1500 B.C. in Africa and later on introduce to India where it is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions and commonly known as "Sem" [7]. Besides, hyacinth bean possesses remarkable therapeutic potential for pharmaceutical application therefore, also considered as medicinal legume [5–7]. Consequently, hyacinth bean is tremendously used by therapeutic/pharmaceutical industries like for the large-scale production of drugs and skin ointments as it is rich source of aloe-emodin, rhein, chrysophanol, alkaloids, flavonoids and tyrosinase with broad spectrum pharmacological activities [8].

Furthermore, the seeds of hyacinth bean are also abundant in carbohydrate myoinositol that are exceptional in ovarian function in women by controlling oligomenorrhea and polycystic syndrome [8]. Additionally, the seeds also contain brassinolide which is a steroid which is clinically proven to cure prostate cancer in humans. The alkaloid spermidine found in hyacinth bean seeds is comprehensively used as a biomarker for the perception of skin cancer where as another alkaloid spermine is commonly used in the treatment of cancer/tumours [9]. Trigonelline another alkaloid found in its seed has demonstrated its role in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and also possess antimicrobial property against *Salmonella enterica* [8, 10]. Further, pantothenic acid obtained from hyacinth bean leaf have shown potential to combat aponeurosis thereby by stimulating fibroblast content in early postoperative period in rabbits [10, 11]. Flt3 receptor interacting lectin (FRIL) isolated from hyacinth bean seeds are exclusively employed as preservatives and has been used for preserving human cord blood for 1–2 months [12]. The hyacinth bean is also a rich source of flavonoids like isoflavone, kievitone and genistein which are phenomenal in reducing breast cancer progression in humans [12].

Despite of its pharmaceutical/therapeutic importance and catering food requirements of both humans and animals, hyacinth bean still lack focused research for its genomic improvement as compared to other mainstream crops (wheat, rice maize etc.). The genomic improvement through state-of -the art tools and techniques will

*Unlocking Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential of Hyacinth Bean (*Lablab purpureus *L.)… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99345*

not only reform its architectural growth but will also pave the way for rewiring the biosynthesis of imperative metabolites which will significantly impact its growth, yield and therapeutic potential. Therefore, this chapter provides valuable insights about the different state-of -the art tools and techniques that can be employed for the genetic improvement of hyacinth bean and how they can be exploited to inspire its therapeutic potential. Further, role of biotic and abiotic elicitors in stimulating the production of important metabolites in hyacinth bean has also been critically reviewed.
