mucuna pruriens or kaucha

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Mucuna Pruriens or Kaucha

By MM.Chinoy

Mucuna pruriens is a shrub which uses it vines as support to climb and grow. WhenMucuna pruriens are young they are covered with hair which disappears as the plant gets

old. The leaves of Mucuna pruriens are of various shapes like ovate, tripinnate and

rhombus shape. The tips of the leaves are pointed and the sides are grooved. When theMucuna pruriens plants are young, you can find hairs on both sides of the leaves. The plant

grows well in tropical areas of India, West Indies and Africa. There are many regions in

Africa where the quality of the soil is degraded because of intensified agriculture. Mucunapruriens grows in these areas to weed out infestation and restore soil fertility.

It is common to find purple, white and lavender flowers on Mucuna pruriens. Avoid

touching the seed pod of Mucuna pruriens plants as it s known to cause severe itch. The

pod is about 10 cm long and is covered with orange hairs. The itch caused by the pod is dueto the presence of proteins serotonin and mucunain.

The benefits of mucuna pruriens are numerous. The amazing herbal adaptogen that is

mucuna pruriens is well known for it's wide range of tonifying, strengthening and allaround beneficial properties. Perhaps it is best known as a potent herbal aphrodisiac. This

Indian herb is known by many names, some of which are cowitch, cowhage, velvet beans,

sea beans, buffalo beans, Kapikachu, Atmagupta and many more!

The prickly orange hairs on the outside of the pod cause severe itching when they come incontact with the skin. The doctrine of signatures can give us a clue here since the velvet

bean's pods can be used to treat snake bite! The main medicinal effects attributed to

mucuna pruriens come from the seeds, but the pod and its hairs and the plant's roots can

also be used in herbal preparations. The velvet beans are "drift seeds", which is a namegiven to any seeds that can float away on ocean currents to grow in other regions of the

world.

Traditional properties:

~Sweet, bitter and hot


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~Heavy and unctuous (oily or greasing quality)

~Balancing to all three doshas! (a rare quality even amongst herbal adaptogens, ginseng

and gotu kola are also known for this)

~Builds fertility in men (Increases semen volume, sperm count andsperm motility, betterdouble up boys...)

~Very potent at increasing libido for both men and women

~Treats leucorrhoea (vaginal discharge), menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding) and

spermatorrhoea (involuntary ejaculation) which are all signs of leakage of Jing/Ojas, whichis the foundational essence of health

~Helps men last longer sexually

~Used to build muscle in those who are weak

~Helps women increase lactation when breastfeeding

~Prevents and or lowers the effects of poisonous snake bites

~Treats Parkinson's disease

~Treats depression

~Treats insomnia and generally deepens sleep

~The hairs on the mucuna pod are used to treat several species of parasitic worms

(excluding tapeworms)

~Helps digestion without increasing pitta (fire)
http://www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com/gotu-kola-facts.htmlhttp://www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com/gotu-kola-facts.html


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Scientific properties:

Mucuna pruriens contains 40mg/g of a compound called L-DOPA which is a direct

precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine works as one of the best natural hghreleasers (human growth hormone) by stimulating the pituitary gland to increase it's

production. High levels throughout life of the body's own natural growth hormone (not

hormones from the synthetic injections) is known as a major key for human longevity.

Dopamine also increases other youth hormones such as testosterone (it must be mentionedthat these increases are never throwing the endocrine system out of balance, merely

improving levels which tend to decrease over time in the average person). These resulting

increased levels of these hormones from the use of mucuna pruriens extracts, powdersand/or raw herbs explains its association with increasing libido, fertility, lean muscle mass,

reducing signs of aging such as wrinkles and body fat, increasing bone density and even

boosting overall energy levels.

Animal studies have shown powerful results such as a ten fold increase in mounting

frequency by male rats! Also a decrease in post ejaculatory intervals have been observed,meaning that the animals being studied are more quickly able to return to "the task at

hand". This could be due to the fact that mucuna pruriens extract basically cures prematureejaculation and the amount of downtown between ejaculations by reducing hypersensitivity

in the genitals.

L-DOPA from mucuna pruriens has been shown to be safer and more effective for

controlling Parkinson's disease than the pharmaceutical drugs Levodopa and Carbidopa.This is because the vast array of other chemical constituents that accompany L-DOPA in

the unprocessed plant also play a role in its ability to manage Parkinson's disease. Since

Parkinson's is in large part a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine, this adaptogenic

herb is crucial for anyone looking to manage this disease. It also looks to be very promisingas a treatment for recovering drug addicts and people suffering from depression related

illness, since these people have deficiencies of the neurotransmitters serotonin and

dopamine (which the velvet beans contain and help balance in the human body).


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This herbal adaptogen can also be used by anyone simply wanting to have fun. The

abundance of bliss chemicals combined with the velvet beans adept ability at helping menlast longer sexually and increasing libido for both genders makes this a safe and hilariouslyfun herb to use recreationally. It is also quickly becoming popular as a natural

bodybuilding hgh secretagogue. This is much safer to use than synthetic human growth

hormone which is quickly gaining a reputation as a carcinogenic "steroid-like" performance

enhancer. The great thing with this herb is that it gets your body to make growth hormoneitself and thus control the amount it makes and avoid the problems associated with elevated

levels of hgh.

One of the most important secrets of longevity is maintaining optimal levels of keyhormones as well as other phytochemical factors in your bloodstream. This article has

already covered how mucuna pruriens is a natural growth hormone secretagogue (hgh) aswell as a booster of other hormones of youth that tend to diminish with time. It has been

found that blood plasma levels of some of the top antioxidants such as superoxidedismutase (SOD), catalase (an enzyme that prevents your hair from going gray!),

glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are kept elevated in those who take this

adaptogenic herbal aphrodisiac

The powerful benefits of mucuna pruriens extract and whole herb should be temporarilyavoided while pregnant or suffering from diabetes (it has blood sugar lowering properties).

It should also be avoided by anyone with schizophrenia. If you choose to use adaptogenic

herbs to manage or reverse any disease or disorder, always work with a knowledgeable

health care practitioner. There is no specifically determined dosage for this herbalaphrodisiac, however most people agree on 15-30 grams a day for adults as a safe and

effective amount.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinesh_valke/3012740987/


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How to Grow Mucuna Pruriens Seeds

The Mucuna Pruriens is a species of plant that is indigenous to tropical climates. It is an

annual shrub with climbing tendencies, belonging to the Fabaceae family. Mucuna Pruriens

grows a legume-style fruit and the plant is often referred to as Velvet bean, Cowhage, Pica

(or Pica-Pica), Cowitch, or Yoruba. Growing Mucuna Pruriens isn't particularly difficult ifyou know when and where to plant it and how to cultivate it

Instructions

Start your Mucuna Pruriens seeds indoors, in pots, unless you live in a

tropical climate. You'll need to pot the plants in early Spring and thentransplant them outdoors after all threat of frost is gone unless you live in a

very warm climate.


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Choose a moderately-shaded area for planting. Mucuna Pruriens plants do like a lot of sun,

but too much can burn them, especially when they're young. Remember, some plants can

have vines that reach up to 15 feet in length, so they'll definitely reach towards the sun andget more sunlight as they grow.

Prepare the soil in the area you've chosen by tilling a large amount of compost under andmaking sure that the soil is very rich. Remember, as a tropical plant Mucuna Pruriens

prefers a dark, rich soil and will struggle without it.

Place a trellis along the area where you'll be planting your Mucuna Pruriens. These

climbing shrubs needs something to hold on to in order to grow tall and strong.

Plant the seeds about an inch or so from your trellis, roughly 3/4-inch under the soil, andwater the area liberally until the ground is thoroughly soaked. Leave at least 6 inches

between each plant.

Keep your Mucuna Pruriens plants well-watered, watering at least every other day. This isespecially crucial when they're young and just beginning to develop

Indoor Germinating for Mucuna

Pruriens

Mucuna pruriens is commonly called cowitch or velvet bean. It is a tropical vining legume

that produces purple or white flowers followed by 2- to 5-inch long bean pods. Velvet beanis commonly grown as a green manure crop or for animal feed. While usually seededdirectly into the garden or field, Mucuna pruriens seeds can be germinated indoors.

Soil Temperature

Mucuna pruriens seeds need warm soil temperatures to germinate. In cold-winter

climates with short growing seasons, they are not likely to germinate unless theyare planted in late spring or early summer. The soil must be 65 to 70 degrees F. and

remain at those temperatures or higher for the seed to germinate. Start the seed

indoors in late winter or early spring and transplant the seedlings outdoors after alldanger of frost has passed.

Scarifying

Mucuna pruriens seeds are in a dormant state when they are sold. In order to

overcome this dormant state, their hard outer coating must be scarified to allow theseeds to germinate. Many types of seeds are scarified by simply nicking the outer


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coating with a sharp knife and then soaking the seeds in water. This technique is not

reliably successful with Mucuna pruriens seeds. The most reliable technique for

these seeds is sanding the outer shell for about 20 minutes with fine-grit sandpaper.They should not be soaked prior to sowing as this will commonly cause these seeds

to rot.

Potting Mix

A peat-based potting mix that contains compost, organic matter and sand, perlite or

vermiculite for good drainage should be used for germinating the Mucuna pruriens

seeds. Cowitch plants are fairly tolerant of sandy soils that are low in nutrients;however, they grow best in fertile soil that is high in organic matter. Germinating

the seeds in a potting mix that is high in nutrients and organic matter will give the

seedlings a good, strong start. Moisten the potting mix thoroughly before plantingthe seeds.

Seed Planting

Either 3-inch pots or a rectangular 3- to 4-inch deep flat with drain holes in the

bottom can be used as containers to germinate the seeds. The seeds should be

planted 1/4- to 1/2-deep in the potting mix with the eye on the seed facing down.Space the seeds three to four inches apart when planting them in a flat or

rectangular container. The soil must be kept warm, which may require a heat coil or

warming mat beneath the containers. Warming can also be accomplished by settingthe containers on an appliance that stays warm or by placing lights below the

containers. Consistent soil temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees F are best for

quick germination.

Light and Water

The containers should be kept in a bright location but not in direct sunlight. Water

them from below when the top of the soil begins to dry. Growers should do this by

setting the containers in a few inches of warm water until the water soaks up to thetop of the soil. The water should be 75 to 80 degrees F to avoid chilling the soil.

The Mucuna pruriens seeds may germinate within two weeks but can take as long

as three months.

Sexual Enhancement

Mucuna might increase sexual desire because of its ability to produce dopamine inthe body. Dopamine is involved with the brain's pleasure system and enhances a

person's urge to experience pleasure, including sexual intercourse. Mucuna has

been used in folk medicine to increase libido and stamina, as well as sexualsensations.


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Those who sell mucuna pruriens as a dietary supplement purport that it increases sexual

performance and boosts libido, although there is no research to support these claims.Additionally, mucuna pruriens purportedly permits males to sustain sexual activity for

longer periods of time, delaying premature ejaculation. This is because mucuna pruriens

has central depressant qualities that result in decreased sensitivity of the genital area.Unsubstantiated claims have been made that mucuna pruriens increases testosterone levels,

leading to higher sperm count and increased testicle size.

Other Health Claims

Mucuna pruriens claims to stimulate growth hormones that result in increased

muscle growth. It purportedly also helps the body burn fat.

Mucuna Vine Plants

The mucuna variety is a family of special vines that love hot, humid climates. Although the

vines are not a true parasite, they are almost always found twisting around trees and

branches to gain more elevation. There are several species found throughout the world. Themucuna vine cannot usually be transplanted and does not grow well outside of its natural

habitat, although it is sometimes used in semi-tropical zones as a garden adornment.

Definition

The mucuna vine is actually a legume, defined by the large seed pods it creates

after pollination. The vine is made mostly of a woody stem known as a liana thattwists through the lower branches of tropical trees. It is typically a lighter color of

green than the surrounding trees and can be picked up easily by its hanging flowersand seed pods, suspended many feet above the ground.

Pollination and Pods

The mucuna vine produces hanging flower clusters that are pollinated by jungle

bats, which flit back and forth from the flowers in search of food. Once pollinated,the flowers produce long, jagged pods filled with seeds. These pods are extremely

well protected, and those that do not have spines discouraging foragers have small,

needle-like hairs known as tricomes that stick and sting any creatures that come incontact with them.

Seeds

The seeds of the mucuna vine are round or oval, dark and very hard. Many have adark scar running around the outside of the shell. These very tough seeds are known


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sometimes as "sea beans" for their ability to float on water (using inner air pockets)

until they reach a suitable environment.

Uses

The mucuna vine is sometimes used for garden decoration, but unlike some

legumes its pods and seeds are not edible. Sometimes the stinging hairs of the pods

are made into concoctions to treat stomach diseases.

The side effects of taking Mucuna pruriens are not yet known. Mucuna pruriens beans

should not be taken by pregnant women as it causes a rise in body temperature which

could cause harm to both the baby and the mother. So before you take Mucuna pruriens

beans consult your doctor.

The beans of Mucuna pruriens is being used on sportspersons to increase their muscle

mass. These seeds also help in improving the memory power and help to gain weightwhich is lost due to excessive exercise.

Mucuna pruriens have been long used to increase the sexual libido in both men andwomen. Prolactin is a hormone released by the pituitary gland which is considered to

be the cause for erection failure in men. The beans of Mucuna pruriens are known to

release L-dopa which combines with dopamine to restrict the release of prolactinhormone by the pituitary glands. Oral intake of Mucuna pruriens seed helps in

promoting fertility and improves erection. Some people also use Mucuna pruriens seeds

for treating intestinal gas, diarrhea, cough, rheumatic disorder, muscular pain, diabetes,

menstrual pain and tuberculosis

By MMChinoy.

mucuna pruriens or kaucha

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