Major interaction on record — check this product against your medications before combining. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Mucuna Pruriens Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Weyland Brain Nutrition

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

Mucuna Pruriens is a dietary supplement by Weyland Brain Nutrition 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 extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition

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.

Weyland Brain Nutrition's Mucuna Pruriens is a single-ingredient product: an extract of the mucuna pruriens plant, also called cowhage. This plant naturally contains levodopa, an active compound your body converts to dopamine — a brain chemical involved in movement, mood, and motivation.

The capsule itself contains pullulan as an inactive ingredient (a binding agent).

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: support dopamine levels and neurotransmitters.
  • We looked for evidence on: Parkinson disease, dopamine dysregulation, mood regulation, motor function.
  • The closest evidence on file: Cowhage is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Parkinson disease (Natural Medicines).

The evidence we hold on file shows insufficient reliable evidence to rate mucuna pruriens for any of its claimed uses — anxiety, skin redness, high prolactin levels, muscle pain, Parkinson disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. That means the scientific studies so far haven't been robust enough to say whether it works for these purposes.

If you're considering it for a specific condition, talk with your doctor about whether the available evidence supports a trial.

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.

Because mucuna pruriens contains levodopa — a potent, drug-like compound — it should be used carefully under professional guidance rather than as a casual supplement. The most common side effects when taken by mouth are digestive: diarrhea, flatulence, mucosal irritation, and in some users nausea, abdominal bloating, vomiting, dry mouth, and headaches.

A small number of trial participants reported insomnia. A thorough safety evaluation hasn't been completed, so unexpected effects are possible.

The safety data advises against use during pregnancy due to lack of safety data and levodopa's dopamine effects. During breastfeeding, levodopa can lower prolactin (the hormone that triggers milk production) and reduce milk supply, so it should be avoided.

If you're pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, discuss this product with your doctor or pharmacist before use.

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, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) — especially non-selective types — methyldopa, levodopa, antipsychotic drugs, antidiabetes medications, tricyclic antidepressants, or guanethidine. Also mention it if you're scheduled for surgery using cyclopropane or halogenated anesthesia.

These interactions are documented and potentially serious.

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 levodopa-containing extract used in traditional medicine, but evidence for its effectiveness in the claims listed isn't established in our data. More importantly, its levodopa content makes it risky alongside many medications — especially MAOIs, methyldopa, prescription levodopa, blood pressure drugs, and diabetes medications.

If you take any regular medications or are considering this for a health concern, check with your doctor or pharmacist first and bring your medication list to the conversation.

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 May 19, 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, straight from the product label.

Brand Weyland Brain Nutrition
Barcode (UPC) X001USYMYR
Net contents 100 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD May 19, 2022
DSLD ID 265232
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Organic, 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 by Weyland Brain Nutrition, 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 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
X001USYMYR
IngredientAmount% DV
Mucuna pruriens extract1000 mg--

Other ingredients: Pullulan

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.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use As a dietary supplement, take 1 to 2 capsules daily, as needed or as recommended by your qualified healthcare professional. Best when taken early in the day.

Formula

About Organic Mucuna Pruriens is a precursor of multiple neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline). It also helps support dopamine levels.

Made with organic Mucuna Pruriens

Seals/Symbols

CCOF Certified Organic

Formulation

CCOF Certified Organic

Plantcaps

Gluten free

All Weyland Brain Nutrition products are manufactured in the USA at an FDA inspected, cGMP compliant, and 3rd party rated facility.

A precursor of multiple neurotransmitters, and helps support dopamine levels.

Contains No: Dairy, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, tree nuts, soy, wheat or yeast, no artificial flavor or colors.

Certified Organic by CCOF

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Precautions

Warning: If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or have a known medical condition consult a qualified medical processional before taking Mucuna Pruriens.

Keep out of reach of children.

Do not use if seal under cap is broken or missing.

General Statements

Recyclable bottle

Recycle

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

See for yourself

Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition

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

Serving size1 Vegetarian Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Mucuna pruriens extract

Interacts with
193 drugs
1000 mg per serving

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 extract monograph & interactions

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

Interaction report

Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Mucuna Pruriens?

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 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 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, from the product label.

Weyland Brain Nutrition

See all Weyland Brain Nutrition products
Name
Enjoy Nutrition, LLC
City
Tustin
State
CA
ZipCode
92781
Phone Number
(415) 658-6035
Web Address
GETWEYLAND.COM
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition: Common Questions

Does Mucuna Pruriens by Weyland Brain Nutrition interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Mucuna Pruriens 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 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 mucuna pruriens and why is it in this product?
Mucuna pruriens, also called cowhage, is a tropical plant that naturally contains levodopa — a compound your body converts to dopamine, a brain chemical involved in movement and mood. This product is marketed for various uses, though the evidence supporting it isn't established in the data we hold.
Can I take this if I'm on an MAOI for depression?
No — not without talking to your doctor first. Mucuna pruriens contains levodopa, which can trigger a hypertensive crisis (dangerously high blood pressure) if combined with non-selective MAOIs. This is a major interaction. Tell your prescriber about any supplement you're thinking of adding.
What are the most common side effects?
Digestive upset is most common: diarrhea, flatulence, and mucosal irritation. Some users report nausea, bloating, vomiting, dry mouth, and headaches. A small number report insomnia. A full safety evaluation hasn't been done, so other effects are possible.
Is it safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding?
No — the safety data advises against use during pregnancy due to lack of safety information and levodopa's dopamine effects. During breastfeeding, levodopa can lower prolactin and reduce milk supply, so it should also be avoided. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you're in either situation.
Does this product actually work for what it claims?
The evidence we hold shows insufficient reliable evidence to rate mucuna pruriens for the uses listed — anxiety, skin redness, high prolactin, muscle pain, Parkinson disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. The studies haven't been thorough enough to say yes or no. Your doctor can discuss whether a trial makes sense for your situation.

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

Not sure if Mucuna Pruriens is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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 label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Mucuna Pruriens'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

Keep exploring