Botanical Name

Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Family

Fabaceae

Synonyms

Dolichos sofa L., Dolichos soja L.m, Glycine angustifolia Miq., Glycine gracilis Skvortsov, Glycine hispida (Moench) Maxim., Phalseolus max L., Soja angustifolia Miq., Soja hispida Moench, Soja japonica Savi., Soja max (L.) Piper, Soja soja H.Karst., Soja viridis Savi.

Regional Name

English : Bean curd, soja, soy or soya bean, tau foo, tofu, Hindi : Bhat, bhatwar, bhetmas, ramkurthi, soyabean. Japanese : Daizu, Marathi : Soyabean, Nepali : Bhatmas.

Part Used

Seed.

Description

The soybean is an erect leguminous plant, up to 1 m high. A fast growing herbaceous annual, it is native to Asia but currently grown worldwide. It is now produced in almost all continents between 53°N to 53°S, and from sea level up to an altitude of 2000 m. The main producing countries are the USA, Brazil, Argentina, China and India. The soybean plant is usually an erect bush with woody stems and alternately arranged leaves. The leaves possess three individual leaflets which are oval or lance-like in shape, growing to a length of 3–10 cm. The soybean plant produces small white or purple flowers and curved seed pods which are 3–15 cm in length and can contain between 1 and 5 seeds. The seeds can be a variety of colors including yellow, green, brown, black or a mottled combination.

Phytoconstituents

Soyabean Containing fixed oil, 14-22&; protein, 50%; carbohydrates, 16.2%; diastase, urease, lipase, allantoinase, peroxidase, pentosan, sojasterol, sitosterin, and phasin. The two primary isoflavones are daidzein and genistein; others are puerarin, genistin and daidzin. Soybean proteins have two major components: beta-conglycinin (vicilin class) and glycinin (legumin class), accounting for 390-40% of total seed proteins.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Kasaya , Guna : Guru, Ruksa, Virya : Sita , Vipaka : Katu , Karma : Varnya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Soybean can be useful for Vata women during menopause. For Pitta and Kapha constitutions, the estrongenic nature of soy products might cause tender breasts during menstruation and thickening of uterine tissue.

Medicinal Uses

Soyabean helps in maintaining a healthy heart by lowering the cholesterol levels. Soybean prevention the Cardiovascular Disorders. Soyabean protein has its effects on the risk factors such as high total blood cholesterol, low levels of HDL, increased LDL, and increase in the triglycerides, high blood pressure, hyperglycemias and obesity. It is useful in the treatment of menopause and post-menopausal conditions, cancer, Prostate cancer, Lung, Breast and Colon cancers, hypertension, aging, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.