Velvet Bean

Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens L.) is a climbing plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family (or also called Leguminosae), you are other beans and legumes in general. It grows in the wild in African and South Asian tropical regions, especially in India, and the Caribbean. It now also grows in other parts of the world. It has deep redish purple flowers. Some of them have stinging hairs on the pod that cause itching which is caused by what is known as "pruriens". Velvet bean is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat erectile dysfunction; additionally, it has antioxidant properties. Velvet bean extract is rich in L-Dopa, a stinging precursor of melanin (skin pigmentation).