Botanical Name

Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC

Family

Fabaceae/Leguminosae

Synonyms

Mucuna prurita Wight, Mucuna prurita (L.)Hook, Mucuna axillaris Baker, Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens, Mucuna nivea (Roxb.) DC, Mucuna minima Haines, Dolichos pruriens L.

Regional Name

English : Cowhage, Hindi : Kewanch, Kaunch, Sanskrit : Kapikacchu, Markati, Kandura, Urdu : Kanwach, Konch, Punjabi : Tatgajuli, Kawach, Assamese : Banar Kakua, Gujrati: Kavach, Kaucha, Kannada : Nasugunne, Nasugunnee, Malayalam : Naikuruna, Marathi : Khajkuhilee, Kavach, Oriya : Baikhujnee, Tamil : Poonaikkali, Telugu : Doolagondi, Duradagondi.

Part Used

Seed.

Description

Globally this species is widely distributed in the tropical regions of Asia. Within India it is founds in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kaunch is a slender extensive climbing plant. Seed are ovoid, slightly laterally compressed, with a persistent oblong, funicular hilum, dark brown with spots; usually 1.2-1.8 cm long, 0.8-1.2 cm wide, hard, smooth to touch, not easily breakable; odour is not distinct and sweetish-bitter taste.

Phytoconstituents

Main chemical constituents of Kaunch are Fixed Oil, lipids(6-7%), Alkaloid and 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine and Proteins (20-29%), carbohydrates (50-60%), fiber (8-10%), saponins, sterols and minerals. The chemical constituents of Kaunch contains alkaloids, alkylamines, arachidic acid, behenic acid, betacarboline, beta-sitosterol, bufotenine, cystine, dopamine, fatty acids, flavones, galactose d, gallic acid, genistein, glutamic acid, glutathione, glycine, histidine, hydroxygenistein, 5-hydroxytryptamine, isoleucine, L-dopa(7-10%), linoleic acid, linolenic acid, lysine, mannose d, methionine, 6-methoxyharman, mucunadine, mucunain, mucunine, myristic acid, niacin, nicotine, oleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, phenylalanine, prurienidine, prurienine, riboflavin, saponins, serine, serotonin, stearic acid, stizolamine, threonine, trypsin, tryptamine, tyrosine, valine, and vernolic acid etc.

Ayurvedic Properties

Madhura, Tikta, Guna : Guru, Snigdha, Vipaka : Madhura, Virya : Sita, Karma :  Brhmana, Balya, Kaphanasaka, Pittanasaka, Raktadosanasaka, Vatasamana, Vrsyaa.

Ayurvedic Applications

Dustavrana, Daurbalya, Kampavata, Klaivya, Raktapitta, Vatavyadhi.

Medicinal Uses

Kaunch seeds are used in night dreams, impotency and promote fertility, for sexual Debility, seminal weakness and spermatorrhea, as an aphrodisiac to increase seminal fluid and manly vigour, emmenagogue, antivenin, nervine, for abortion, diarrhea, diabetes, gonorrhea, muscular pain, persistent coughs, pulmonary tuberculosis, rheumatic disorders, scorpion stings and snakebite, worm infestation, sterility and general debility.