Detail:

Rodents cause serious losses to the groundnut (Arachishypogaea) and paddy (Oryzasativa) crops. It thus becomes necessary to control rats from ravaging the crops. One practice has been developed in Dahod by MavabhaiParmar. To control rats, first keep a watch on the movement of rats in the field and their route. On this route, put half-ground groundnuts near the burrows for two days continuously. It becomes a habit and rats feed on the nuts. On the third day, arrange the pods of cowhage (Mucunapruriens) plant at the mouth of the burrow. The rats, while coming out of the burrow, tread on the pods. Now these pods have minute hairs which stick to the legs and body of the rats. These hairs cause itching and irritate the rats no end. The continuous itching causes inflammation on the skin of rats. Blood may flow in serious cases. And some rats may die in the process. The surviving rats quit the field.

Knowledge Provider / Innovator: MavabhaiParmar
Agro-Ecological Zone: Gujarat Plains and Hills Region (XIII)
Address: Mu. DhanpurTalavPaseDhanpur Dahod Gujarat
District: Ahmedabad
State: Gujarat
PIN Code 389382

Crop: Groundnut
Crop Family: Fabaceae
Crop Scientific Name: (Arachis hypogaea)
Crop Vernacular Name: Mngfali, Sing
Ingredients: Pods of cowhage, (Mucuna pruriens), Seeds of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)

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PAS 1:

"Cowhage is the name given to the trichomes or spicules that cover the pods of M. pruriens, which have long been known to evoke itch. [Mucunain, the active pruritogenic proteinase of cowhage.SHELLEY WB, ARTHUR RPScience. 1955 Sep 9; 122(3167):469-70.]"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13255877/

PAS 2:

"The present results reveal that the itch and nociceptive sensations evoked by cowhage are caused by a cysteine protease. We call this protease mucunain and have shown that it is a ligand for PAR2 and PAR4.The protease-activated family of G-protein-coupled receptors includes four members, PAR1–PAR4. PAR1, PAR2, and PAR4 have been implicated in inflammatory nociception, whereas PAR3 may form a dimer with PAR1 (McLaughlin et al., 2007). [Protease-activated receptor-3 (PAR3) regulates PAR1 signaling by receptor dimerization.McLaughlin JN, Patterson MM, Malik AB ProcNatlAcadSci U S A. 2007 Mar 27; 104(13):5662-7. ]"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2659338/

PAS 3:

"In 1955, studies showed that introduction of one spicule through the epidermis with friction or pressure led to a burning itch lasting up to 30 minutes (1). Spicules could be removed from the skin by washing or by applying an adhesive tape. Mucunain, a protein with endopeptidase and dipeptidase activity, was identified as the active pruritic agent. The protein was extractable only from spicules using aqueous solutions and could be inactivated by autoclaving, changing the pH, or using a similar denaturing process that did not change the spicule structure. Further investigations confirmed the biochemical nature of the pruritic agent, identified as a thermolabile protein of molecular weight 40,000 (7). [Epidemiologic Notes and Reports Mucunapruriens- Associated Pruritus -- New Jersey]"
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000646.htm