230 /COTTON TREE PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINESACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Water-soluble polysaccharides: partially-acetylated, acidic
heteroglycansEFFECTS
The drug (acetylized acid polysaccharide) is laxative in
effect.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: The drug is used in folk medicine for
constipation and sluggishness of the bowels.Indian Medicine: Uses include coughs, diarrhea, dysentery,
pharyngitis and venereal disease.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards are known in conjunction with the proper
administration of designated therapeutic dosages, nor with
the drug's use as a pharmaceutical vehicle.
DOSAGE
Preparation: There is no information in the literature.
Daily Dose: A single dose of 3 g drug with plenty of liquid
LITERATURE
Blaschek W, Hansel R, Keller K, Reichling J, Rimpler G,
Schneider G (Eds), Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen
Praxis. Folgeb nde 1 und 2. Drogen A-Z. Springer. Berlin,
Heidelberg 1998.Gowhage
Mucuna pruriens
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts of the plant are the
hairs on the pod and the seeds.
Flower and Fruit: The flowers grow in racemes in twos and
threes. They are large and white, with a bluish-purple
papilionaceous corolla. The pod is pubescent, thick and
leathery and averages about 10 cm in length. Pods have the
shape of the sound opening in a violin. They are dark brown,
covered with 0.25 cm long stiff hairs and contain 4 to 6
seeds. The seeds are made up of conical, sharply acuminate
cells less than 1 mm in diameter and barbed at the apex.
They are extremely irritating to the skin and must be handled
with caution.Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is a climbing legume with
long, thin branches and opposite, lanceolate leaves 15 to 30
cm in length. The petioles are pubescent.
Habitat: The plant is indigenous to tropical regions, especial-
ly India and the West Indies.
j Production: Cowhage bean pods are the bean pods of
Mucuna pruriens. The drug is derived from the hair of the
pods.
Other Names: Cowitch, Couhage, Kiwach
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Serotonin: 5-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine
EFFECTS
Externally, Cowhage is a cutaneous stimulant and rubefa-
cient. Internally, the drug has an anthelmintic effect.
Carminative, hypotensive, hypoglycemic and cholesterol-
reducing effects have also been described.Experiments carried out on frogs demonstrated that prurieni-
nin slowed down the heart rate, lowered blood pressure and
stimulated intestinal peristalisis. The reduction in blood
pressure was caused by the release of histamines; the
spasmolysis of smooth muscle by indole bases.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: The drug is used externally for rheumatic
disorders and muscular pain, and internally for the treatment
of worm infestation.
Indian Medicine: Uses in Indian medicine include gonor-
rhea, sterility and general debility.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
Once in contact with the skin, the stinging hairs lead to
extremely aggressive itching and burning, accompanied by
long-lasting inflammation, caused by the injection-like
introduction of serotonin and proteins (mucunain, proteolytic
enzyme). The intake of the hairs for the purpose of fighting
intestinal worms should be avoided. Internal administration
of the drug in the form of extracts may be harmless due to
the difficulty involved in resorbing the active ingredients.
DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: The drug is used internally in
extract form and powder form.
LITERATURE
Bell EA, Jansen DH, (1971) Nature 229:136.
Ghosal S et al., (1971) Planta Med 24:434.
Hegnauer R, Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen, Bde 1-11,
Birkhauser Verlag Basel, Boston, Berlin 1962-1997.
Infante ME, Perez AM, Simao MR, Manda F, Baquete EF,
Fernandes AM, Cliff JL, Outbreak of acute toxic psychosis
attributed to Mucuna pruriens. Lancet, 29:1129. Nov 3, 1990.
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,
Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.