Kapikacchu: The Brain Medicine

Ancient civilizations throughout the world have survived for so many years, on the wisdom of nature in every field. Natural ways of living and managing disease have been the mainstay of all these cultures. In today’s era too almost 80% of the world population relies on herbal medicine to sustain their health care needs. Herbal medication in the form of folklore medicine or home remedies is the mainstay of disease cure in Asian, African continents as continues to be the first line of treatment in mild to moderately severe illnesses. [1,2] Kapikacchu ( Mucuna pruriens Linn.) is an important herb mentioned in the Ayurvedic medical literature. [3] The plant is beneficial in parkinsonism, male infertility, neurological disorders etc. The negative effects are caused due to the exposure to the pod hair that’s known to cause skin allergy, basically irritation and itching. That explains the name Kapikacchu. M. pruriens is widely used to manage impotency. The aphrodisiac properties of this herb are known to improve the semen quality in terms count and quality, motility etc., [4] and is also useful in the management of diabetes mellitus and known to possess antitumour properties too. The seeds exhibit multi-systemic functions like inflammatory arthritis, diabetes mellitus, neurological disorders like parkinson’s disease, fever and inflammations. [5,6] This review study is an attempted to provide detailed information about this herb collected from various Ayurvedic texts and its corelative studies through the lens of pharmacology in terms of its phytoconstituents and pharmacological actions.


INTRODUCTION
Mucuna pruriens, known by its Sanskrit name kapikacchu, is an adaptogenic tonic, mostly used in treating degenerative neurological and muscular disorders, in boosting reproductive and fertility health and improve the overall emotional status of an individual.
The beautiful herb with its velvety pods is a natural source of levo-dopa.Levo-dopa or L-dopa is the essential precursor to neuro-transmitter dopamine.Owing to this, kapikacchu is also used in many psychological or psychosomatic disorders, to uplift mood and impart a general sense of wellbeing to an individual.According to the clinical texts of Ayurveda, it is cold in potency, nourishing to the tissues, imparts strength and vigour to the mamsa dhatu (muscle tissue), supports the functioning of the majja dhatu (nervous system), and also enhances the functions of the shukra dhatu (the reproductive system).Ayurvedic clinicians, widely use kapikacchu to treat various disorders ranging from Vatavyadhis, Mamsagata vata (muscular atrophies), Karshya (Debility), Vandhyatva (infertility), Daurbalya (weakness/ fatigue) etc. [7]

NIRUKTI OF KAPIKACCHU
The plant is well known by its two Sanskrit names, Kapikacchu, meaning-kapi-a monkey, kacchu-itch.'So the one who induces itching like that of monkey, " Atmagupta, Atma-self, gupta-a secret, which means "secret self, " hinting at the value of the seed concealed within the allergenic seedpod. [7,8]Scientifically it is called as Mucuna pruriens, it belongs to fabaceace and medicinal the seeds are used. [9]

PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Additionally, to the lower levels of sulfur-containing amino acids in M. pruriens seeds, the presence of irritants and toxic factors may overall decrease the nutritional quality of the seeds.These factors mainly comprise of the oligosaccharides, polyphenols, phytate, cyanogenic glycosides, lectins, trypsin inhibitors, saponins, some alkaloids etc. Tannins are able to bind to proteins, thereby bringing down their digestibility.
The oil is known to be heavy, hot in potency, sweet and astringent in properties.The root increases uterine contractions and thereby may induce menstruation or abortion.9] The benefits can be summed as below: • Promotes healthy nervous activity.
• Supports normal brain functions and enhances intellect.
• Enhances mood and overall wellbeing.
• Supports motor skills and coordination.
• Revitalizes the reproductive system.
• Supports healthy digestion and elimination.
• Provides significant nutritional content and maintains blood sugar levels.
• Natural source of levodopa (L-dopa).Dopamine plays an important role in behaviour, cognition, voluntary movements, sleep control, mood, memory, and learning.
• Helps in controlling worms.
• Mucuna helps in improving the libido.
• It is very helpful in increasing the muscle mass of the body naturally.
• It reduces psychological stress and seminal plasma lipid peroxide levels, as well as improving sperm count and motility.
Traditional treatments for several disorders include Mucuna pruriens, and it is used in many different ways in all of its sections.
According to Ayurvedic theory, they are beneficial in conditions where pitta and vata have become imbalanced.Nephropathy, strangury, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, elephantiasis, dropsy, neuropathy, consumption, ulcers, fever, and delirium are some of the conditions that roots are still used to treat in Ayurvedic medicine.

Leaves
The leaves can help with ulcers, inflammation, helminthiasis, cephalalgia, and general debility.They also have aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, and tonic properties.

Seeds
It is used to treat worms, dysentery, diarrhoea, snakebite, sexual debility, cough, tuberculosis, impotence, rheumatic illnesses, muscle soreness, gonorrhoea, sterility, gout, delirium, dysmenorrhea, diabetes, and cancer in Ayurvedic medicine practiced in India.It is utilized in India as an aphrodisiac, emmenagogue, and uterine stimulant.Additionally, it is utilized as a nerve tonic, diuretic, and blood purifier.Nescafé is a substitute for coffee that is made by roasting and crushing Mucuna beans in Central America.This process has been going on for decades.The bean is prepared by cooking it in the same manner as one would prepare a vegetable.In Brazil, people have taken the seed to treat Parkinson's disease, edema, impotence, intestinal gas, and worms.It has also been used to treat edoema.This substance is both a nerve relaxant and a diuretic.
It is applied topically in order to treat ulcers.The seeds have properties that are described as astringent, laxative, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, alexipharmic, and tonic.They are beneficial in the treatment of gonorrhea, consumption, sterility, vata vitiation, and general weakness.Vermifuge properties can be found in both the blossoms and the hairs.Mucuna seed powder is a treatment for Parkinson's disease that is employed in the Ayurvedic medical system.

SOME STUDIES EXHIBITING THE PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS Aphrodisiac Activity
According to the findings of this particular study, taking Kapikacchu Churna causes a significant increase in the number of sperm.There was a discernible rise in the level of improvement seen in seminal parameters such as volume, pH, motility, and so on.It showed a slight change in Non-Progressive sperm (NP), but the slow linear progression of sperm didn't experience a Significant Shift (SLP).On the other hand, there was a discernible rise in the levels of sexual desire, penile rigidity, erection quotient, and duration of ejaculation following an orgasmic experience. [20]tioxidant Activity The many different parts of this plant contain phenols in their total form, which may have some potential as an antioxidant.
When the capability of this plant to scavenge free radicals was evaluated using the method of nitric oxide scavenging, results that were comparable to those obtained were found.The alcohol extract had an antioxidant activity that was comparable to that of normal ascorbate and the total phenol content. [21,22]ti-microbial Activity The anti-bacterial activity of the methanolic extract of the whole plant was demonstrated against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, and Shigella dysenteriae are among the pathogens that are effectively eradicated by this extract.Escherichia coli had a Zone of Inhibition (ZI) that was 2.8 centimeters larger than Bacillus subtilis when the antibacterial potency was measured using the Zone of Inhibition (ZI) (2.1cm).Mucuna, when combined with Carica papaya, was found to be an effective treatment for inhibiting the growth of protozoa in fish, according to the findings of another study. [23,24]

Anti-Parkinson's Activity
Levodopa, a precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine found in its seeds, has been demonstrated to be just as effective in treating Parkinson's disease as pure levodopa/carbidopa.Several in vivo researches that were conducted in rats and humans have shown these results.Hussain et al. studied the significant effect of Mucuna pruriens over L-DOPA in parkinsonism in animal model.7]

Anti-venom activity
Fung et al. (2010) found that the anti-venom activity of M. pruriens seeds reduced the neuromuscular and cardiovascular depressive effects of Naja sputatrix venom in rats that had been pre-treated with the seeds. [28]According to the same group of researchers who conducted the study, the effects of the venom of the Calloselasma rhodostoma were comparable to those of a three-week intra-peritoneal administration of M. pruriens aqueous extract.Following a period of three weeks, intravenous injections of Calloselasma rhodostoma venom were administered to rats in order to conduct research on a variety of pharmacology parameters, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and muscle twitch tension.When compared to the group that served as the control, all of the pharmacological reactions seen in the treated groups were found to have a significantly reduced occurrence.The seed component displayed a potent antivenom effect, which may have been caused by the presence of a greater number of phytochemicals. [29]poglycaemic Activity Using diabetic, normal, and glucose load condition rat models produced with streptozotocin allowed researchers to assess the hypoglycaemic efficacy of seeds aqueous extract.After two hours of oral treatment, the seed extract of M. pruriens decreased the oral glucose load from 127 to 75 mg%.In a different experiment, after 21 days, streptozotocin-diabetic rats' blood glucose levels decreased from approximately 250 to 90 mg%.The results of the earlier study revealed that the dietary fibre content may be responsible for the antidiabetic activity. [17]The increase in blood glucose level is said to be caused by creatinine, urea, and cholesterol.In a related experiment, they noticed that the cholesterol and creatinine levels were lower in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats.They clarified that the cause of this hypo-cholesteric activity is due to Squalene being present. [30]uroprotective effect The application of M. pruriens cotyledon powder to the nigrostriatal tract of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats resulted in a significant increase in the activity of brain mitochondrial complex I (in vitro).
The levels of endogenous levodopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin were significantly restored in the substantia nigra.The neurorestorative effect of M. pruriens cotyledon powder was hypothesized to be caused by an increased complex I activity, in addition to the presence of NADH and co-enzyme Q. [31] Learning and memory enhancement According to the findings of a study conducted by Poornachandra et al. on Wistar male rats, Mucuna pruriens showed significant activity on the development of learning skills and memory.Memory retrieval results on the 17 th day showed an increase of 15% and 35%, respectively, in rats that received extract solely during memory retrieval sessions and animals that got extract during both training and memory retrieval sessions. [32]

TYPES OF KAPIKACCHU
Here are two kinds of Kapikacchu plants: wild and cultivated, with the wild version having higher clinical value than the cultivated equivalent.Some clinical texts define the two categories as Sveta Bija (white seeded) and Krisnabija (yellow seeded) (Black seeded). [33]ASSICAL CATEGORIZATION OF KAPIKACCHU [7] CHARAK SAMHITA -Balya group of herbs (tonics), Madhuraskandha (sweet tasting herbs).

ADULTERATION
Although adulteration was uncommon, Mucuna utilis was frequently utilised as a replacement in different parts of India where Mucuna pruriens is grown. [34]XICITY STUDIES The acetone extract of the root was 1.93 times more poisonous to insects than the extract of Jatropha curcas Linn.seeds.On touch, the hairs on fresh/dry pods can cause severe irritation.Mucanin may potentially cause blisters/dermatitis.The use of unprocessed, raw VB in human and chicken diets is frequently accompanied by harmful effects.Neurotoxicity, behavioural abnormalities, and severe vomiting have been observed in humans by Infante et al. [35] and Miller et al. [36] SOME IMPORTANT PREPARATION [37] Reproductive disorders-Mushalyadi churna, Manamath Rasa, Ikshuradi lehyam, Vanari vatika, Kameshwar modak Ashwagandha ghritam, Shatavaradi modak, Mahakameshwar modak Rativallabh modak Godhumadya ghrita.

SOME CASE STUDIES
The case study demonstrates the utility of Ayurvedic therapeutic options in the management of Parkinson's disease.Panchakarma procedures, particularly Madhutailika vasti, are very advantageous in such manifestations, successfully improving musculoskeletal flexibility and motions.It alleviates the weakness and impairment caused by Parkinson's disease.The medications utilised in this study, principally Kapikacchu, are totally herbal in nature, have no side effects, are easily available, efficacious, safe, and produce good results. [38] this case study, a 27-year-old woman sought Ayurvedic treatment after being anxious to conceive for two years after a regular and satisfying marital relationship.She was diagnosed with unexplained hyperprolactinemia and hyperemic cervix.Agnimandhya detected the participation of vitiated Vata and Kapha based on a detailed history.Orally, she was given samshamani vati and kapikacchu churna, as well as panchavalkal taila yonipichu. [39]

CONCLUSION
The study of herbal medicine encompasses the subject of pharmacology, which is the study of "Drugs," including their origin, physical and chemical characteristics, modes of action, absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion, and therapeutic applications.In many different domains, the pharmacological examination of herbal medicine is still in its relatively early stages.According to the findings of this review, the pharmacologically active plant known as Mucuna pruriens is being researched for a variety of different applications.With the exception of L-DOPA and a few alkaloids, there are still only a small number of mechanisms and bioactive principles that underlie the activity.
The use of plant extracts and the composition of those extracts necessitates the quality assurance of herbal treatments to ensure that they are both safe and effective.Even though there have been significant advancements made in the production of herbal products, the quality control aspects of many herbal medicines, both in their raw and processed forms, are still in their infancy.This is the case despite the fact that there have been significant improvements.This is due to the complexity of the components that make up plants.
It is possible for the concentration of a single element in herbal remedies to vary significantly depending on factors such as their geographical origin, climate, soil, harvest season, processing methods, and other variables.In the realm of analyzing the efficacy of herbal remedies, chromatographic techniques are typically applied solely to the determination of a small number of constituents.
One of the most powerful Rasayanas in all of Ayurveda is called Kapikacchu.A nutritive tonic known as kapicchu is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine both as an aphrodisiac and to promote healthy functioning of the reproductive system.It does this while also bolstering and toning the reproductive organs, which leads to an increase in sexual vitality.The use of Kapikacchu has been shown to increase a man's virility, stamina, and overall control.It raises testosterone levels, which in turn increases the number of sperm in the body.It helps women maintain a healthy libido as well as their fertility.The vitality of Kapikacchu nourishes the whole body and soothes the nerves, making it an effective vata rejuvenator.In addition to this, it is a natural source of the precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine known as levodopa (L-dopa).As a result of the fact that it can act in multiple directions, it is possible to demonstrate that a magical pharmaceutical product does in fact exist.