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Botany
Erect, annual herb branching at the
base, clothed with spreading brownish hairs. Leaves are long-petioled,
compound, with three leaflets that are ovate and entire, broad based
with pointed tips, 8 tto 15 cm long, the lateral ones inequilateral.
The flowers are yellow, about 1 cm long, arranged near the end of the
short stalks. THe pods are linear, hairy, spreading, 6 to 8 cm long,
about 8-10 mm wide. The seeds are 4-6 mm in length.
Chemical
constituents and properties
Seeds are high in carbohydrate
(>45%) and protein (>21%); fair source of calcium, iron,
vitamins A and B. deficient in vitamin C.
Sprouts are a good source of vitamin B.
Seeds are tonic and aperient.
Raw green gram contains trypsin inhibitor which is destroyed by cooking.
Distribution
Cultivated throughout the Philippines.
Uses
Culinary
Extensively used in Philippine cuisine,
in salads or boiled, in soups or stews.
In Chinese cooking, bean sprouts is considered a yin
or cooling food.
Folkloric
Decoction of seeds as diuretic.
The seeds, boiled or raw, used in poultices.
Roots are thought to be narcotic, used for bone pains.
Seeds, internally and externally, used for rheumatism and a variety
of nervous system ailments.
The seeds are used for hemorrhoids and liver afflictions.
Powdered beans used to promote suppuration.
Seeds used in anorexia.
Studies
• Hypotensive
effects:
The study showed all the extracts were hypotensive and contained bioactive
proteinaceous substances and stimulated uriine flow. Combinations of
the extracts showed subtractive or additive effects.
• Anti-irritation / Anti-Inflammatory / Antioxidant /
Cosmetifc Benefits:
Study showed that mung bean extract containing vitexin and isovitexin
had excellent antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities and an anti-irritation
effect that can be applied to cosmetic products.
• Hypolipidemic: (1)
Changes in serum lipids in normal and diabetic guinea pigs on feeding
Phaseolus aureus (Green gram): Results
of the study showed significant decrease of total serum lipids and triglycerides
and a decrease in the total cholesterol / phospholipid ratio indicating
its antiatherogenic nature. (2) Hypercholesterolemic rats supplemented
with Isoflavones biochanin A and formononetin) from three pulses, including
P mungo, and p-coumaric acid showed hypolipidemic activity.
• Cardiovascular Effects: Previous studies have shown the hypotensive effect of green beans, common rue and kelp. In this study, green beans and kelp showed negative chronotropic effects, while rue showed positive chronotropic and inotropic effects. A combination of all three showed subtractive effects on the decrease of atrial rate. The three plants interacted to modify their various cardiovascular effects.
Availability
Wildcrafted and cultivated. |
