Vaginal Pheromone and Other Compounds in Mung-Bean Aroma

Abstract

This paper reports probably a first attempt to identify the molecules which impart a most desirable, characteristic aroma to certain varieties of mung bean of Bengal — a valuable indigenous natural product that may be on the verge of extinction. In boiled, or fried mung bean of the two best strains, strong evidence for the presence of 2-acetyl-l-pyrroline, the molecule responsible for the aroma of Basmati rice^land one component of tiger pheromone, has been obtained. GCMS analysis and computerized library search further suggested the presence of six volatile compounds in the CCl₄ extracts of even the second grade mung bean samples. Two of these were a male-attracting vaginal pheromone and a puberty-delaying pheromone in rodents.