Botanical name – Psoralea corylifolia Linn.
Family - Fabaceae
Hindi name - Bavachi
English name - Purple fleabane
Sanskrit names - Avalguja, Krishnaphala, Pootiphali, Kushtaghni,
Somarekha, Shashanklekha, Somaragi, Chandralekha, Bakuchi, Somavalli,
Yendavi, Twakdoshaghni.
Botanical Description - Bakuchi is a Seasonal plant 0.5 to 1.5 mt. in height.
Trunk straight and branches are strong and elastic. Leaves - 2.5 to 8 cm.
long, round or heart shaped, border is undulate. Flowers yellow, blue 1-30
flowers in branches appear on a long stalk. Fruits - blackish in bundles.
Seeds –black, small, tender and give a peculiar scent on rubbing in fingers or
hand.
Habitat - India and Sri lanka. Predominantly found in Assam and Uttar
Pradesh.
Classical categorization -
Ch. Samhita – Tikta skandhas
Su. Samhita – not mentioned
Bhava Prakasha Nighantu – Haritakyadi varga
Chemical composition - It contains a volatile yellow oil 20.15 %, stable oil,
resin, alkaloids (7.5%), albumin, sugar, manganese and vermonine.
Therapeutics Properties -
Guna (qualities) - Laghu( Light to digest), ruksha(dryness)
Rasa(Taste) - Katu( pungent),Tikta (bitter)
Veerya- Ushna(Hot potency)
Vipak - Katu (taste conversion after digestion pungent)
Dosha - kaphavata shaman.
Uses-
External uses - It is useful in skin diseases for wound healing and improves
hair growth. Powdered bakuchi or oil prepared from it is used locally in leucoderma, dermatosis, wounds and alopecia.
A mixture of bakuchi, karanj and lime juice is used in eczema.
Oil of bakuchi and karanj + vaseline is used in chronic skin diseases. White
spots of leucoderma turn red in colour after prolonged application of bakuchi.
Internal uses –
Nervous system - Since it is a nervine tonic, it is useful in vata disorders.
Digestive system - Bakuchi -katu and ushna properties it acts as deepan,
pachan, anuloman, anthelmintic and liver stimulant. Hence it is used in
indigestion, ama and constipation.
It is useful in all types of worms especially round worms. Being a liver stimulant it is useful in piles.
Circulatory system - Since it stimulates the heart and the circulatory system, it is used in cardiac failure and oedema produced by it.
Respiratory system - Used in cough and asthma since it reduces kapha by its katu rasa and ushna veerya.
Urinary system - Useful in diabetes .
Reproductive system - Since it is a stimulant and an aphrodisiac, it is used in impotency.
Skin - Diaphoretic and Kusthaghna. Its oil has a specific irritant action on the skin and mucous membrane. On applying the oil on leucoderma, the skin becomes reddish and occassionally blisters may occur. But it does not create any alterations in the normal colour of the skin. The oil acts in leucoderma by activating the melanoblastic cells of the skin. It is useful in all skin diseases. leucoderma, the oil must be so applied that it only produces a change in colour and not blisters. All commercially available preparations for leucoderma contain bakuchi.
Parts used - Seeds, oil.
Dosage – Seed powder- 1 to 3 gms . for worms- 4 to 6 gms.
Purification - The seeds of bakuchi are purified by keeping them in cow's urine or juice of ardrak for seven days.
Special action - Bakuchi is the best medicine for leukoderma.
Formulations - Avalgujadi lepa, Pancha nimba churna, Somaraji oil.
References –
बाकुची कटुतिक्तोष्णा कृमिकुष्ठकफापहा ।
त्वग्दोषविषकण्डूर्तिश्वित्रप्रशमनी परा ।। (रा.नि.)
तत्फलं पित्तलं कुष्ठकफानिलहरं कटु ।
केश्यं त्वच्यंवमिश्वासकासशोथामपाण्डुनुत् ।। (भा.प्र.)
(Reference - Ayurvedic pharmacology & Therapeutic uses of Medicinal plants) for more information about health and ayurveda ,stay connected with us
