Burning Mukuna (lat. Mucūna prūriens) – a herbaceous plant; a species of the genus Mukuna of the legume family (Fabaceae).

Burning Mukuna native to Africa and Asia, widely acclimatized; also known as “velvet beans”, “stizolobium burning.” It is cultivated as a leguminous crop.

Perennial plant, curly shrub with long shoots that can reach more than 15 m in length. The young plant is almost completely covered with fluffy hairs, the adult – almost without hairs.

The leaves are oval, rhomboid or broadly oval, wrinkled, pointed towards the end. In young plants of burning mucuna, both sides of the leaves are pubescent. Petioles of leaves 2-3 mm long. Stipules about 5 mm long. Inflorescence is a dangling brush with a length of 15 to 32 cm.

Flowers are 2.5 to 5 mm long, perpendicular to the inflorescence axis, with bracts about 12.5 mm long. Calyx bell-shaped silky, 7.5–9 mm. Sepals are white, pale lilac or purple. A boat 1.5 mm long, oars 2.5-3.8 cm.

At the stage of fruit ripening, their length is 4–13 cm, width is 1-2 cm.

The fruit contains up to seven seeds. Seeds are shiny black or brown, flat ellipsoid, 1.0-1.9 cm long, 0.8-1.3 cm wide and 4-6.5 cm thick, covered on the outside with sharp, needle-like orange hairs containing mukunin and Serotonin, in contact with skin, can cause severe irritation, itching, blisters and dermatitis. Weight of 100 seeds from 55 to 85 g.

The range covers almost the whole of Africa with the exception of the north, Madagascar and tropical Asia. The plant has spread almost everywhere in the world. It is grown in culture.

Burning mukuna is used in the form of food dietary supplements (BAA) for athletes, usually a powder.

Burning mucuna is used in dietary supplements because of the high level of the amino acid L-Dopa, which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Another advantage is its increased production of HGH (human growth hormone), which helps build muscle mass and reduce adipose tissue.

Mucuna extract increases sex drive. Studies have shown that burning mucuna enhances the natural secretion of testosterone, while also increasing the secretion of growth hormone. The synergistic effect of both hormones ensures acceleration of muscle growth, and also destroys excess body fat.

The seeds of stinging mucuna were used to treat many disorders in Tibb-e-Unani (unani-medicine), in traditional medicine of the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent.

The plant and its extracts have long been used in tribal communities as an antidote to snakebites. Studies have shown the potential of its use for the treatment of bites of real cobras, efs, smooth muzzle and kraits.

Burning mukuna is used to treat depression, nervous disorders, improve mental activity and as a therapeutic drug in the fight against Parkinson’s disease, also as an aphrodisiac to increase libido in men and women, and can help with erectile dysfunction. The dried leaves of burning mucuna were sometimes smoked; they are used in Siddha medicine, as well as in Ayurvedic Indian medicine for the treatment of various diseases.

In India, West Africa and Central America, burning mucuna is a popular drug. The pods are ground into powder, mixed with honey and used as an anthelmintic, it is also a diuretic, increases tissue strength and improves coordination.

Sizzling Mukuna contains L-DOPA – a precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Seed powder preparations have been studied for the possibility of treating Parkinson’s disease.

In large quantities (dose 30 g), it has been shown that burning mucuna can be as effective as pure levodopa / carbidopa in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, but there is no evidence of long-term efficacy and tolerability.

Studies have shown that burning mucuna is absolutely safe, but it is a powerful drug and should be used with caution, if you feel unwell, you should consult a qualified Ayurveda specialist or stop taking the drugs.

In addition to levodopa, stinging mucuna contains a small amount of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptophan), nicotine, dimethyltryptamine, bufotenin and 5-MeO-DMT. Together, all of these substances can potentially have psychedelic effects.

Mature plant seeds contain about 3.1-6.1% L-DOPA, with a small amount of serotonin, nicotine, DMT-n-oxide, bufotenin, 5-MeO-DMT-n-oxide, and beta-carboline. In one study using 36 seed samples, tryptamines were not found.

Leaves contain about 0.5% L-DOPA, 0.006% dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 0.0025% 5-MeO-DMT, and 0.003% DMT-n-oxide.

Alcoholic extract of burning mucuna leaves has anticaleptic and antiepileptic effects on white mice. Dopamine and serotonin can play a role in this.

It is part of the M-Vita ultra.