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United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
   

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Potential Phytochemicals

from the Agricultural Research Service Special-Purpose Legume Collection

Legume

Source of—

Used to/as—

Coffee senna
(Senna occidentalis)

Aloe-emodin

Fight leukemia, tuberculosis, tumors; antiseptic; pesticide

------------

Anthraquinone

Laxative

------------

Chrysophanol

Arrest bleeding; antiseptic; pesticide

------------

Emodin

Fight inflammation, cellular mutation, breast cancer

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Physcion

Antiseptic; pesticide

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Rhein

Fight tumors, carcinomas; antiseptic

Common Indigo
(Indigofera tinctoria)

Indigotin

Antiseptic; wound-cleaner; pesticide

Fish poison bean
(Tephrosia vogelii)

Deguelin

Kill unwanted cells; pesticide

------------

Rotenone

Fight tumors; pesticide

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Tephrosin

Kill unwanted cells; pesticide

Hyacinth bean
(Lablab purpureus)

Tyrosinase

Lower blood pressure

Jack Bean
(Canavalia ensiformis)

Betonicine

Arrest bleeding

------------

Canavanine

Fight flu, viruses, bacteria, fungi

------------

Trigonelline

Fight cervical, liver cancer; lower blood sugar

Kudzu
(Pueraria montana var. lobata)

Daidzein

Fight inflammation, microbial infections; dilate coronary arteries; promote estrous cycle; relax muscles

Ringworm Bush
(Senna alata)

Aloe-emodin

Fight tumors, leukemia, tuberculosis; antiseptic; pesticide

------------

Chrysophanol

Arrest bleeding; antiseptic; pesticide

------------

Emodin

Fight inflammation, cellular mutation, breast cancer; antiseptic

------------

Rhein

Fight tumors, carcinomas; antiseptic

Snout Bean
(Rhynchosia minima)

Prodelphinidin

Antibiotic

Sunn hemp
(Crotalaria juncea)
Senecionine Fight tumors; lower blood pressure

------------

Seneciphylline Fight tumors
Sunn hemp
(Crotalaria Retusa)
Monocrotaline Fight tumors, leukemia; lower vital heart function, blood pressure; pesticide

------------

Retusin Fight tumors
Tephrosia purpurea Lupeol Fight tumors, rheumatic problems; kill unwanted cells

------------

Rotenone Fight tumors; pesticide

------------

Tephrosin Kill unwanted cells; pesticide
Velvet bean (Cowitch)
(Mucuna pruriens)
Bufotenine Reduce cholinesterase enzyme

------------

Dopamine Treat Parkinson's disease

------------

Mucunain Treat parasitic intestinal worms; pesticide

------------

Serotonin Reduce cholinesterase enzyme, intestinal gas; relax muscles; clotting agent
White tephrosia
(Tephrosia candida)
Rotenone Fight tumors; pesticide

------------

Tephrosin Kill unwanted cells; pesticide
Winged bean
(Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)
Erucic acid Fight tumors

------------

Polyunsaturated fatty acids Treat muscular sclerosis, acne, eczema; fight nerve inflammation

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Last Modified: 11/25/2009