Kapikachhu
Mucuna pruriens
Kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens, Fabaceae) is the seed and root drug also called Atmagupta, Markati, and Kaunch in Hindi. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India carries two monographs for it, seed and root, both headed ATMAGUPTA. Madhura rasa, snigdha guna, ushna virya, madhura vipaka; the seed carries L-DOPA at 3 to 6 per cent.
| Botanical name | Mucuna pruriens |
|---|---|
| Family | Fabaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Fabales |
| Sanskrit name | Atmagupta, Kapikacchu, Markati |
| Also known as | Kapikachhu, Atmagupta, Markati, Kaunch, Kaunch Beej, Velvet Bean |
| Pharmacopoeia status | Two monographs in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, for seed and for root, both headed ATMAGUPTA (Mucuna prurita Hook. syn. M. pruriens); no dedicated WHO monograph |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2951499 · Wikidata Q953611 · NCBI Taxonomy 157652 |
| Sanskrit | आत्मगुप्ता (ātmaguptā), कपिकच्छुः (kapikacchuḥ), मर्कटी (markaṭī) |
|---|---|
| Hindi | कौंच (kauṃca), किवांच (kivāṃca) |
| Tamil | பூனைக்காலி |
Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, ATMAGUPTA monographs (Mucuna pruriens), Hindi slots "Kewanch, Kaunch" and "Kevanch, Kaunch, Khujanee"; Names of Plants in India:: Mucuna pruriens also lists Kauncha; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, ATMAGUPTA monographs (Mucuna pruriens), Sanskrit slots "Kapikacchu, Markati, Kandura"; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, ATMAGUPTA monographs (Mucuna prurita Hook. syn. M. pruriens), Sanskrit slots "Kapikacchu, Markati, Kandura" and "Kapikacchu, Markai, Kandura, Sukasimbi, Kapiprabha"; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, ATMAGUPTA monographs (Mucuna prurita Hook. syn. M. pruriens), Tamil slots "Poonaikkali" and "Punaik-Kalee, Punaikkalee, Punaippidukkam"; Names of Plants in India:: Mucuna pruriens gives Tamil "Poonaikaali (பூனைக்காலி)".; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, both monographs for Mucuna prurita Hook. syn. M. pruriens (seed, api-all.txt line 37197; root, line 56834) are headed ATMAGUPTA; Names of Plants in India:: Mucuna pruriens gives Sanskrit "आत्मगुप्ता (Atmagupta)"; Names of Plants in India:: Mucuna pruriens, Hindi names include "किवांच (Kivanch), कवांच (Kavanch), केवांच (Kevanch)"; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, ATMAGUPTA monographs (seed, api-all.txt line 37197; root, line 56834) give Hindi "Kewanch, Kaunch" and "Kevanch, Kaunch, Khujanee".. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2018 to 2026, every one with a DOI.
- 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- 2Randomised controlled trials
- 9Other clinical studies and reviews
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Kapikachhu |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Snigdha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Capsule, Tablet, Kwatha (decoction), Granules, Beeja Churna (seed powder)
Standard Dosage: 3-6 g seed powder twice daily with milk or warm water; 500 mg standardized extract capsule twice daily
Optimal Timing: With meals (preferably with warm milk) to reduce nausea; for Parkinsonism support, timed dosing to complement medication schedule; evening dosing for reproductive health
Storage: Store in nitrogen-flushed, airtight, light-resistant containers at 15-25°C. L-DOPA degrades rapidly in presence of oxygen, moisture, and light. Desiccant mandatory. Shelf-life testing should monitor L-DOPA content at 3-month intervals.
Marker Compounds: L-DOPA (Levodopa), 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan), Mucunine, Mucunadine, Prurienine, Beta-sitosterol, Serotonin
Synergistic Combinations
- Ashwagandha for male reproductive health and stress adaptation
- Gokshura for aphrodisiac and urinary health synergy
- Shatavari for comprehensive reproductive tonic
- Vidarikanda for anabolic and rejuvenative effects
- Safed Musli for spermatogenic potentiation
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1
- 2025. Levodopa and Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds in Parkinson's Disease: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Future PerspectivesCNS neuroscience & therapeutics. PMID 40808332 · doi:10.1111/cns.70540
Randomised controlled trials2
- 2025. Comparative efficacy of Mucuna pruriens and conventional levodopa in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial on pharmacokinetics and clinical perspectives from AsiaJournal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996). PMID 40137945 · doi:10.1007/s00702-025-02914-2
- 2018. Daily intake of Mucuna pruriens in advanced Parkinson's disease: A 16-week, noninferiority, randomized, crossover, pilot studyParkinsonism & related disorders. PMID 29352722 · doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2018.01.014
Other clinical studies and reviews9
- 2026. A Comprehensive Review of the Therapeutic Potential of Mucuna PruriensMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 41828855 · doi:10.3390/molecules31050868
- 2025. Mucuna pruriens Treatment for Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review of Clinical TrialsParkinson's disease. PMID 40860042 · doi:10.1155/padi/1319419
- 2025. Phytochemicals in Parkinson's Disease: a Pathway to Neuroprotection and Personalized MedicineCell biochemistry and biophysics. PMID 39537915 · doi:10.1007/s12013-024-01607-z
- 2024. Mucuna pruriens, a Possible Treatment for Depressive DisordersNeurology international. PMID 39585071 · doi:10.3390/neurolint16060112
- 2024. Mucuna pruriens to treat Parkinson's disease in low-income countries: Recommendations and practical guidelines from the farmer to clinical trials. Paving the way for future use in clinical practiceParkinsonism & related disorders. PMID 38797572 · doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106983
- 2022. Neuroprotection by Mucuna pruriens in Neurodegenerative DiseasesNeurochemical research. PMID 35380400 · doi:10.1007/s11064-022-03591-3
- 2020. Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson's and in some other diseases: recent advancement and future prospective3 Biotech. PMID 33194526 · doi:10.1007/s13205-020-02532-7
- 2020. An assessment of potential nutritive and medicinal properties of Mucuna pruriens: a natural food legume3 Biotech. PMID 32477848 · doi:10.1007/s13205-020-02253-x
- 2019. Beyond tribulus (Tribulus terrestris L.): The effects of phytotherapics on testosterone, sperm and prostate parametersJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 30790614 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.02.033
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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