Distribution
Cultivated.
Constituents
and properties
• Study on chemical
constituents isolated one new saponin, vignalin, the aglycone part of
which belongs to the oleanane series of triterpenoids identified as
soyasapogenol B. Besides saponin, cycloartenol, stigmasterol and oleanolic
acid acetate and sitosterol ß-D-glycoside were isolated for the
first time.
• Study of dried edible seeds of V. unguiculata were: moisture,
6.20-8.92%; protein, 20.5-31.7%; fat 1.14-3.03%; fiver 1.70-4.5%; carbohydrate
56-65.7%, with varying amounts of cyanide, tannin, total oxalate and
phytate.
Parts
utiliezed
Roots, leaves, seeds.
Uses
Folkloric
No reported
folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
In Africa, the seeds of
V. unguiculata are cook with T. sericea as a soup against schistosomiasis.
In other folkloric medicinal systems, various parts of the cowpea plants
(roots, leaves, and seeds) are used for a variety of medical ailments
including dysmenorrhea, epilepsy, headaches, constipation, chest pains
and bilharzia.
Culinary / Nutrition
• Consumed as vegetable
• Gabi-Paayap Instant Baby Food:
A nutritious baby food from a blend of gabi powder, roasted paayap grits
processed by extrusion cooking, with a 100-gram pack providing 394 kcal
and 19.4 g protein. source
• Kamote-Paayap Weaning / Baby Food:
A rootcrop-legume combo of dried kamote cubes and paayap girts containing
376 kcal and 12.5 g of protein per 100 g.
• Rice-Paayap Sesame Powder:
A blend of 3/4 cup of roasted rice flour and two tablespoons each of
roasted paayap flour and roasted sesame flour, provides 424 Kcal and
14 grams protein per 100 grams. source
Studies
• Report on Flatulence
and Abdominal Discomfort on Ingestion: 1989 report on
abdominal discomfort associated with ingestion of cowpea and the decreased
incidence of side effects with pressure cooking and dehulling.
• Antifungal / Antiviral:
Study presents evidence of multiple proteins with antifungal and antiviral
potency in cowpea seeds. The two proteins, designated alpha-antifungal
and beta-antifunga, were capable of inhibiting HIV reverse transcriptase
and one glycohydrolases associated with HIV infection. The proteins
also retarted the mycelial growth of a variety of fungi, with the alpha-protein
more potent in most cases.
• Protein Source/ Anti-Nutrient
Factors : Study suggests cowpea as a valuable protein
source with the predicted protein deficit in Southern Africa. Unlike
other legumes, VU contain antinutritional factors (ANF) as trypsin inhibitors,
tannins and phytates.
• Anti-Inflammatory:
Study on the anti – inflammatory activity of Vigna unguiculata
seed extract..
• Anti-Bleeding:
Rats on boild white rice dite developed symptoms of severe vitamin K
deficiency and the addition of autoclaved beans of V. unguiculata in
the diet prevented the bleeding syndrome.
• Antifungal / Antibacterial:
Results have indicated antifungal and some antibacterial activity by
cowpea leaf extracts.
• Lipids / Constituents: Dried edible seeds of V unguiculata and P vulgaris grown in Northern Nigeria were studied for its chemical constituents. Iodine values were higher in vigna. Overall, potassium was the most abundant element in the seeds.16 amino acides were identified. Study highlights the safety and high nutritive values of the studied varieties.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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