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Dietary supplement

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Advance Physician Formulas

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Major
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Major

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg is a dietary supplement by Advance Physician Formulas with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for parkinson's disease symptoms, male fertility and libido, mood and stress support.Based on those ingredients, 193 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated major. The ingredients most likely to interact are Mucuna pruriens seed extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: Mucuna pruriens seed extract, a plant-derived source of levodopa (L-dopa), a compound your body can convert to dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in mood, movement, and motivation. The capsule itself is made from vegetable cellulose.

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Cowhage's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: L-DOPA supplement from Mucuna Pruriens extract.
  • We looked for evidence on: Parkinson disease, dopamine support, motor function, tremor.
  • The closest evidence on file: Cowhage is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Parkinson disease (Natural Medicines).

The evidence we hold shows insufficient reliable data to rate how well Mucuna pruriens works for any of its claimed uses — anxiety, certain skin conditions, elevated prolactin levels, muscle pain, Parkinson disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. That doesn't mean it doesn't work; it means the studies to prove it aren't yet in our data.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Cowhage

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Orally, adverse effects from cowhage appear uncommon, though a complete safety evaluation hasn't been done. The most common side effects reported are diarrhea, flatulence, and mouth irritation; less common are headaches, nausea, and abdominal bloating.

In clinical trials, insomnia occurred in roughly 3% of people taking larger amounts. Because this product contains L-dopa — an active drug-like compound — it should be used carefully and under professional guidance.

The safety data advises against taking this product during pregnancy due to insufficient safety data and its dopamine effects. It's also best avoided while breastfeeding, since L-dopa can lower prolactin and reduce milk supply.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Cowhage

Meds to double-check

Major interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Major identified

At least one ingredient has a documented Major-severity interaction. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Cowhage.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Major.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications; Parkinson's medications.
  • For scale: 193 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, verify with your doctor or pharmacist if you use monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) — the interaction is Major and potentially dangerous. Also double-check methyldopa, levodopa, antidiabetes drugs, antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, guanethidine, or if you're scheduled for surgery (certain anesthetics interact).

The medication checker on this page can help, but a conversation with your own healthcare provider is essential.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Major medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Mucuna pruriens is a potent supplement containing levodopa, not a mild herbal ingredient, and it deserves the same careful medication screening you'd give a prescription. If you take any antidepressants, blood pressure medications, diabetes drugs, or antipsychotics, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting — several interactions are serious.

Pregnant women and those breastfeeding should avoid it.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jul 21, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Advance Physician Formulas
Barcode (UPC) 896996000373
Net contents 60 Vegetable Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jul 21, 2022
DSLD ID 270342
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Veggie Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Veggie Capsule(s)
Servings per container
60
UPC/BARCODE
896996000373
IngredientAmount% DV
Mucuna pruriens seed extract200 mg--

Other ingredients: Vegetable Capsule

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Macuna Pruriens (velvet bean) extract is a dietary supplement that contains standardized levels of L-DOPA. Each 200 mg veggie capsule supplies 30 mg of L-DOPA.

15% L-DOPA Mucuna pruriens 200 mg per serving

Precautions

Warnings: Keep out of reach of children.

Consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to using this product. Sealed for your protection. Do not use if seal is missing or broken.

This product is not manufactured with milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy or gluten. Produced in a third-party registered cGMP compliant facility that may process other products containing these allergens or ingredients.

Storage

Store at room temperature, in a dry place. Protect product from excessive heat, freezing, humidity, and light.

Formulation

This product is not manufactured with milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy or gluten.

Doctor formulated

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: As a dietary supplement, healthy adults take one capsule in the morning with or without food, or as recommended by a qualified healthcare professional.

See for yourself

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Veggie Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Mucuna pruriens seed extract

Interacts with
193 drugs
200 mg per serving Form: L-Dopa

Cowhage (Mucuna pruriens) is a tropical legume best known as a natural source of L-dopa, the compound the body turns into dopamine. It is most studied...

Mucuna pruriens seed extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Vegetable Capsule. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
193Drugs
17 Major 176 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Mucuna pruriens seed extract8 drug types · 193 drugs

Levodopa

Concomitant use can increase the risk of levodopa-related adverse effects.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Some cowhage products have been standardized to contain 75-400 mg of levodopa per dose.

Likelihood Likely Evidence D
Methyldopa (Aldomet)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and methyldopa might increase the risk of hypotension.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with methyldopa might cause additive hypotension. In addition, methyldopa may inhibit peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa and increase levodopa levels in the central nervous system; avoid using.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (Maois)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and non-selective MAOIs might increase the risk of hypertensive crisis.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with non-selective MAOIs might cause hypertensive crisis. However, this interaction has not been reported with MAO-B selective inhibitors such as selegiline.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Anesthesia

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and anesthesia might increase the risk of arrhythmias.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with cyclopropane or halogenated hydrocarbon anesthesia has led to arrhythmias. Other anesthetics have not been implicated. Use other anesthetics in patients taking cowhage or tell patients to stop taking cowhage at least 2 weeks before surgery.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research shows that cowhage might have hypoglycemic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antipsychotic Drugs

Theoretically, use of cowhage might decrease the clinical effects of antipsychotic drugs.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa might counteract the antidopaminergic effects of antipsychotic medications.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Guanethidine (Ismelin)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and guanethidine might increase the risk of hypotension.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with guanethidine might cause additive hypotension; avoid using.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Tricyclic Antidepressants (Tcas)

Theoretically, use of TCAs might reduce the levels and clinical effects of cowhage.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of TCAs might reduce the absorption of levodopa. Some case reports describe patients that developed hypertension and dyskinesia when taking both levodopa and TCAs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg, from the product label.

Advance Physician Formulas

See all Advance Physician Formulas products
Name
Advance Physician Formulas, Inc.
Street Address
17165 Von Karman Ave. Suite 109
City
Irvine
State
CA
ZipCode
92614
Web Address
physicianformulas.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas: Common Questions

Does Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg by Advance Physician Formulas interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg has a known interaction with 193 medications, including 17 rated major. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is levodopa (L-dopa), and why is it in this product?
Levodopa is a compound your body converts to dopamine, a brain chemical involved in mood, movement, and motivation. Mucuna pruriens seeds naturally contain levodopa, which is why this product is marketed for conditions thought to involve dopamine — like Parkinson disease and low mood. It's a potent, drug-like substance, not just an inert herb.
Will this product help my anxiety?
We don't have reliable evidence in our data to rate whether it works for anxiety. You'd want to talk with your doctor about whether it's appropriate for you and how it might fit with any other treatments you're using.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
No — the safety data advises against it during pregnancy because there isn't enough safety information and its dopamine effects are a concern. While breastfeeding, it's also best avoided, since L-dopa can lower prolactin and reduce milk supply. Talk with your doctor about alternatives.
What side effects might I experience?
The most common are diarrhea, flatulence, and mouth irritation. Less common are headaches, nausea, and abdominal bloating. In clinical trials, about 3% of people reported insomnia. Serious side effects are rare, but because this contains an active drug-like compound, any new or troubling symptoms should be reported to your doctor.
I take an antidepressant — is it safe with this product?
It depends on the type of antidepressant. Some classes — especially MAOIs (older medications) and tricyclic antidepressants — have documented interactions with levodopa that range from Major to Moderate severity. Don't start this product without checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Mucuna Pruriens 200 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 12 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Cowhage 12 references
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  3. Anon. Epidemiological notes and reports: Mucuna pruriens-associated pruritus--New Jersey. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1985;34:732-3.
  4. HP-200 in Parkinson's Disease study group. An alternative medicine treatment for Parkinson's disease: Results of a multicenter clinical trial. J Alt Comp Med 1995;1:249-55. DOI
  5. Infante ME, Perez AM, Simao MR, et al. Outbreak of acute toxic psychosis attributed to Mucuna pruriens. Lancet 1990;336:1129. PubMed
  6. Vaidya AB, Rajagopalan TG, Mankodi NA, et al. Treatment of Parkinson's disease with the cowhage plant-Mucuna pruriens Bak. Neurol India 1978;26:171-6.
  7. Vadivel V, Janardhanan K. Nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of velvet bean: an under-utilized food legume in south India. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2000;51:279-87. PubMed
  8. Akhtar MS, Qureshi AQ, Iqbal J. Antidiabetic evaluation of Mucuna pruriens, Linn seeds. J Pak Med Assoc 1990;40:147-50.
  9. Prakash, D., Niranjan, A., and Tewari, S. K. Some nutritional properties of the seeds of three Mucuna species. Int.J.Food Sci.Nutr. 2001;52(1):79-82.
  10. Vadivel, V. and Janardhanan, K. Nutritional and antinutritional characteristics of seven South Indian wild legumes. Plant Foods Hum.Nutr 2005;60(2):69-75. PubMed
  11. Creapure (Creatine Monohydrate). Toxicological Datasheet. Degussa BioActives. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/DOCKETS/.../95s-0316-rpt0154-54-Ref-50-vol112.pdf.
  12. Pulikkalpura H, Kurup R, Mathew PJ, Baby S. Levodopa in Mucuna pruriens and its degradation. Sci Rep 2015;5:11078. PubMed

See these in context on the Cowhage monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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