| Botanical name | Mucuna pruriens |
| Part used | Seed |
| In this range | 2 products |
Kaunch beej is the seed of Mucuna pruriens, the velvet bean — a climbing legume whose pods are covered in hairs that cause intense itching, which is where the plant gets most of its other names.
It is pharmacologically the most interesting herb in this list, because the seed contains a genuine quantity of L-DOPA, the direct precursor of dopamine. That is not a folk claim; it is measurable, and it is why the plant has been studied in the context of Parkinson's disease. Traditionally it is used for male vitality and for the nervous system.
Because it carries real L-DOPA, this is one ingredient that can genuinely interact with medication — anything affecting dopamine, and MAO inhibitors especially. If you take psychiatric or neurological medication, check before taking a formulation containing it.
What it is doing in these products
It appears in the men's vitality formulations alongside ashwagandha and safed musli.
Where it appears
2 products with Kaunch Beej
Other ingredients