Pharmacological Advances and Recent Insights Into Calopogonium Mucunoides: A Natural Plant Review

Abstract

Calopogonium mucunoides Desv., commonly known as wild groundnut, is a leguminous plant native to tropical America and now widely naturalized across tropical and subtropical regions. Traditionally valued for its forage and soil-enriching properties, C. mucunoides has recently garnered scientific interest for its rich phytochemical profile and broad pharmacological potential.

This review highlights its major bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins, which contribute to a spectrum of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-ulcer, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and urease-inhibitory effects. The presence of isoflavonoids, such as genistein and daidzein, underscores its potential in managing oxidative stress, microbial infections, and inflammatory conditions. Nutritional evaluations also reveal high protein and mineral content, supporting its role in animal nutrition.

Despite its classification as an aggressive weed, Calopogonium mucunoides Desv emerges as a promising candidate for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development. This review consolidates current ethnopharmacological knowledge and experimental findings in pharmacological studies, offering a foundation for future studies and potential therapeutic applications of this underutilized medicinal plant.