Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia) – Properties, Benefits, Uses & Dosage

Bakuchi, Psoralea corylifolia

Plant is small, erect and annual herb growing up to 60-120cm high. Seeds of this plant is oblong, flat and brownish black in color. Seeds are kidney shaped with bitter taste and very unpleasant odor. This plant contains simple, rounded and mucronate leaves at apex. Flowers of this plant are yellow and bluish purple colored. Fruits are small about 5mm long and slightly compressed.

General information

Bakuchi is an important herb used in the Indian medicine system from ancient times and still providing various herbal remedies to mankind. This plant is chemo-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial in nature. Most effective feature of this plant is that every part is useful because of its medicinal properties but seeds are most effective to cure various disorders. Seeds of this plant are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, aphrodisiac, astringent, cardiac, cytotoxic, stimulant and diuretic in nature. It is kusthghan means leprosy destroyer. It is used to relieve various problems like leucoderma, skin rash and infections associated with skin. Plant also has blood purifying properties. Roots are used to cure various tooth disorders. Anti-microbial action of fruits is used to destroy disease causing microbes.

This herb contains various chemicals that may include isopsoralen, psoralen, bavachalcone, dehydriopsoralidin, methyl 4- hydroxybenzoate, psoralidin and corylin.

Habitat of the Plant

Bakuchi is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions throughout world. It is native of china and South Africa. In India this plant is easily available in the plains. Especially it is found in semi-arid regions of India like Rajasthan, eastern part of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. It is also found throughout Himalayan regions.

Classification

Kingdom – Plantae
Order – Rosales
Family – Fabaceae

Names

Hindi name – Bakuchi
Sanskrit name – Bvalguja, Bakuchi, Chanderlekha, Chanderprabha, Kusthahantri, Sitavari, Somraji, Krishnaphala.
Latin name – Posralea corylifolia
Punjabi name – Babchi
Gujarati name – Babacha, Babichi
Marathi Name – Bavachya, Bavachi, Bavchi
Urdu name – Babechi
Assam name – Habucha
Kannada name – Bavanchi, Bavachige
Bengali name – Habchu
Tamil name – Karpokarishi, Karpokarlisi
Telugu name – Bavanchalu
Malayalam name – Karkokil, Kaurkolari
Oriya name – Bakuchi
Sinhala name – Bodi-ata
German name – Bawchan
Bangladesh name – Buckidana
Arabic name – Loelab- el abid, Mahalep
Sri Lanka – Ravoli
Chinese name – Ku-tzu, Cot-chu

Ayurvedic Properties

Hindi / Sanskrit		English
Rasa	Katu, Tikta	Taste	Pungent, Bitter
Guna	Laghu, Ruksha	Physical Property	Light, Dry
Virya	Ushna	Potency	Hot
Vipaka	Katu	Metabolic Property (After Digestion)	Pungent

Effects on Doshas

It balances vata and kapha dosha.

Charak Samhita	Sushrut Samhita	Chakradutta	Bhavprakash
Tiktasaknda – Herbs with bitter taste	Katu varga – Herbs with pungent taste	Shwitr – Herbs used for shwitr roga	Haritkayadi – Herbs of haritaki group

Varieties of Bakuchi

According to chikitsa sathan in Shushrut samhita, there are two types of bakuchi:-

Shweta bakuchi
Krishna bakuchi

Ancient Verse of Bakuchi

According to this shalok avalguj, bakuchi, somraji, suparnika, shashilekha, krishanfala, soma, pootfali, kalmeshi and kusthghni are various synonyms of this herb. It is sweet and bitter in taste, pungent after digestion, aphrodisiac, relieves constipation and it has cold potency. It is appetizer and used to cure diarrhea, kapha roga and bleeding disorders. It has dry properties and used to cure heart disorders, asthma, leprosy, diabetes, fever and worm infestation. Seeds are used to pacify kapha and vata dosha and have bitter taste. Seeds are beneficial for hair and skin and also used in various disorders like worm infestation, asthma, cough, inflammation, indigestion and anemia.

Practical Uses of Posralea corylifolia

One of the amazing fact about this herb is that whole plant is used in medicine system for its medicinal properties. Common name of this herb is kusthghan, it is best ancient remedy used for kusthroga and leucoderma.
This plant is natural blood purifier. It is used to boost immune system and process of detoxification of blood.
It has anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant and anti-hyperglycemic properties.
Seeds of this plant are diuretic, laxative and also used to cure poisoning by scorpion and snake bites.
It is good to cure dyspnoea, asthma, bronchitis and various disorders associated with respiratory tract.
It is used to relieve indigestion and also used to cure worm infestation.
Seeds of this plant are used to cure various skin disorders.
Fruits of this herb are bitter in taste and used to stop vomiting.
Seeds of this herb are also used in tooth and bone decalcification.
Fruits are used to cure anemia, piles and various bleeding disorders.
It improves hair growth and useful in wound and ulcer healing.
It is anti-ageing and help to rejuvenate skin.
It is used to improve quality and luster of hair.
It is also a cardiac tonic and used to cure various problems associated with cardiac system.
It improves taste and used to cure anorexia.
It pacifies vata and kapha dosha.