Leaves are popular potherbs and are used as a fodder crop. Leaves are useful in ulcers, inflammation, cephalagia and general debility.
The trichomes of pods contain mucunain and serotonin and as a result pod causes itching, blisters, and dermatitis. Pods are also used as vegetable. Pod hairs (trichomes) are used as anthelmintic. Hairs mixed with honey have been used as vermifuge. As ointment prepared with hairs act as a local stimulant and mild vesicant. (Shastry and Kavathekar 1990; Chandra 1993; Shastry 1995) Beside medicinal properties, Mucuna fixes nitrogen and is as a green manure and covercrop.
Seeds contain L-DoPA (4-3,4-dihydroxy phenylalanine), glutathione, lecithin, gallic acid, glycosides, nicotine, prurenine, prurenidine, dark brown viscous oil. It is a source of minerals (Rastogi and Mehrotra 1991a,b; Singh et al. 1995). According to Ayurveda, seeds are astringent, laxative, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, alexipharmic and tonic.
The seed pods, about 4 inch long, are covered with very small velvety hairs that can be very painful on contact with the skin. The seeds resemble the eye of a bull; they are often collected and made into lovely necklaces and bracelets.
The seeds of nescafe in the pods are rich in amino acid L dopa, precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine.It is applied to patients suffering from Parkinson disease.
L Dopa stimulates human growth hormone released by the pituitary gland. Mucuna pruriens increases testosterone levels.