How does Mucuna pruriens work?

For reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s and other conditions related to dopamine deficiency, Mucuna pruriens is thought to work by increasing serum dopamine levels due to its high content of L-DOPA, a natural precursor to dopamine.^[1] The potential beneficial effects of Mucuna pruriens on male fertility and testosterone levels may be due to L-DOPA’s action on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.^[2] The antivenom effects of Mucuna pruriens are likely due to an immune mechanism in which glycoproteins found in the bean are thought to stimulate the production of antibodies that bind to venom proteins, neutralizing the toxic effects of the venom.^[3] Additional research is needed to further understand the potential antidiabetic effects of Mucuna pruriens, but existing evidence indicates the involvement of a compound known as D-chiro-inositol, which is present in the seeds of the plant.^[4]