Mucunain Explained

The proteolytic enzyme mucunain is a protein in the tissues of certain legumes of the genus Mucuna, especially velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens).^{[1] [2] [3]}

In these species the mucunain is found in stiff hairs, or trichomes, covering the seed pods. When the hairs rub off and come in contact with skin they cause severe itching and irritation.^{[1] [3] [4]}

Notes and References

1. 10.2340/00015555-2146 . Human Surrogate Models of Histaminergic and Non-histaminergic Itch . 2015 . Andersen . Hjalte Holm . Elberling . Jesper P.. Lars Arendt-Nielsen . Arendt-Nielsen . Lars . Acta Dermato-Venereologica . 95. 7 . 26015312 . 771–7. free .
2. NCBI Protein database mucunain (Mucuna pruriens) GenBank: ACB87490.1
3. Reddy . V.B. . etal . 2008 . Cowhage-evoked itch is mediated by a novel cysteine protease: a ligand of protease-activated receptors . J. Neurosci. . 28 . 17. 4331–4335 . 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0716-08.2008 . 18434511 . 2659338.
4. Shelley . WB . Arthur . RP . 1955 . Mucunain, the active pruritogenic proteinase of cowhage . Science . 122 . 3167. 469–470 . 13255877 . 10.1126/science.122.3167.469. 1955Sci...122..469S .