Mucuna belongs to the family Leguminosae and is native to Africa and tropical Asia. It is an annual climbing shrub that can reach 15 m in length. The leaves are trifoliate, alternate or spiraled. Flowers are dark purple, white or lavender in colour, pea-like but larger, with distinctive curved petals and occur in drooping racemes. Fruits, longitudinal pods are curved, 4 to 6 seeded and about 10 cm long. In Ayurveda, it is used against a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract, neurological, menstruation disorders, constipation, edema, fever, tuberculosis, ulcers, helminthiases. 
 
Ayurvedic significance:
	
Rasa (taste): Madhura, Tikta (Sweet, Bitter)
	
Veerya (nature): Ushna (Hot)
	
Vipaka (taste developed through digestion): Madhura (Sweet)
	
Guna (qualities): Guru, Snigdha (Heavy, Unctuous)
	
Doshas (effect on humors): Balances all three doshas