**Table 1.**

*Different species of* Mucuna *studied till date.*

#### *Parkinsonism and Potential of Mucuna Beans DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92855*

*Bioethics in Medicine and Society*

and epinephrine (adrenaline), together known as catecholamines. The dopamine produced cannot cross the blood–brain barrier but L-DOPA can. Outside the brain, L-DOPA can directly be converted to 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) by catechol-Omethyl transferase (COM T) and then further to vanillactic acid (VLA), which leads to primary same side effect. To avoid this conversion, standard clinical practices use DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor such as carbidopa or benserazide and often a catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitor [16–18]. L-DOPA present in *Mucuna* plant (anti-Parkinson's drug) [19–21] helps to produce dopamine. Along with L-DOPA, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) produced by *Mucuna* are stress-producing free radicals playing a great role in the physiological functioning of the body [21–30]. The content of antioxidant compounds using different solvents in different species of *Mucuna,* the concentration of antioxidants and other phytochemicals are extremely different. Ethanolic extract of *Mucuna* seed shows good antioxidant activity due to high phenolic content as compared to methanol, water, and acetone [31]. Some reports also conclude that water is as universal solvent, which shows the significant quantity of phenolic, flavonoids, and strong antioxidants which have the ability to scavenge free radicals using different assays. LCMS (liquid chromatography mass spectrophotometry) report of four different species **Table 1** shows that there are various components like phenolic flavonoids and bioactive compounds present in the *Mucuna* that are responsible for the production of reactive species [32]. Along with L-DOPA and antioxidants, other secondary metabolites like phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins, enzymes, and protein also have a cumulative effect in the management of PD. Few reports on *Mucuna* show correlation between L-DOPA, protein, and carbohydrates. The use of plants for the treatment of PD is more beneficial than chemically manufactured L-dopa due to its high potential required in the levo and dextro form purification. It is also studied that various compounds present in *Mucuna* are responsible for the antimicrobial action, which can be utilized in dealing with various infectious diseases and ulcers [31, 32, 44]. Experiments on various plant pathogens suggest that methanolic extract of *Mucuna pruriens* seeds showed the highest antimicrobial activity [45]. A similar type of study done by Pujari et al. also determined that methanol extracts of *Mucuna pruriens* seeds were found to have the best inhibiting activity among all scrutinized pathogens as compared to ethanol and acetone solvents. But alcoholic extract of *Mucuna pruriens* (L.) leaves has significant antioxidant and antibacterial

**Sr.no** *Mucuna* **species Reference** *Mucuna imbricata* [32] *Mucuna macrocarpa* [33] *Mucuna monosperma* [34] *Mucuna Bactetia* [35] *Mucuna sanjepee* [36] *Mucuna Autripuria* [37] *Mucuna Latiparica* [5]

8 *Mucuna prurience* [3, 6, 20, 21, 24, 38–43]

9 *M. nigricans* [5] 10 *M. gigentea* [5] 11 *Dhanwantari* [5]

*Different species of* Mucuna *studied till date.*

**138**

**Table 1.**

activity [45]. Dopaminergic agonists or dopamine replacement therapy is a common and most effective way to cure PD. It decreases the signs of disease by sustaining the level of dopamine; however, it cannot regenerate or halt the degeneration. It only replaces or mimics dopamine by inhibiting its breakdown. Apomorphine, bromocriptine, pergolide, piribedil, pramipexole, and ropinirole are some dopaminergic agonists mainly used to heal the PD. All these bioactive compounds present in the *Mucuna* species have cumulative effect in the treatment of PD. *Mucuna pruriens* is a species from the Fabaceae family and Faboideae subfamily. *M. pruriens* is an annual twinning plant in bushes, hedges, and one of the popular medicinal plants indigenous to tropical countries like India [42]. It is useful in relieving inflammation, delirium, neuropathy, cephalalgia, and general debility, nephropathy, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, ulcers, constipation, elephantiasis, consumption, helminthiasis, fever, and dropsy. The trichomes of pods contain serotonin and mucunain. The trichomes are used as anthelmintic. Seeds contain glutathione, gallic acid, levodopa (4-3, 4-dihydroxy phenylalanine), lecithin, prurenine, prurenidine, glycosides, nicotine, minerals, and dark brown viscous oil [42].
