Bavachi, Bakuchi

Biological Source

Bakuch consists of dry ripe fruits of Psoralea corylifolia Linn. (Family - Leguminosae), an erect, 0.3-1.8 m high annual herb, distributed throughout India, found commonly in Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Maharashtra.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Avalguja, Somaraji

Assamese :- Habucha

Bengali :- Bakuchi, Somraji, Hakucha Veeja

English :- ---------------

Gujrati :- Bavachi

Hindi :- Babchi, Bavachi, Bakuchi

Kannada :- Bauchige, Bhavantibeeja, Bhavanchigid, Baukuchi

Kashmiri :- Babchi

Malayalam :- Karkokil

Marathi :- Bawchi

Oriya :- Bakuchi

Punjabi :- Babchi, Bavchi

Tamil :- Karpokarisi, Karpogalarisi, Karbogalarisi

Telugu :- Bavanchalu

Urdu :- Babchi

Description

A) Macroscopic

Fruits, dark chocolate to almost black with pericarp adhering to the seed-coat, 3-4.5 mm long, 2-3 mm broad, ovoid-oblong or bean shaped, some what compressed, glabrous rounded or mucronate, closely pitted, seeds campylotropous, nonendospermous, oily and free from starch, odourless, but when chewed smell of a pungent essential oil felt, taste, bitter, unpleasant and acrid.

B) Microscopic

Transverse section of fruit shows periocarp witb prominent ridges and depressions, consisting of collapsed parenchyma and large secretory glands containing oleo-resinous matter testa, an outer layer of palisade epidermis, layer of bearer cells which are much thickened in the inner tangential and basal radial walls and 2-3 layers of parenchyma, cotyledons of polyhedral parenchyma and three layers of palisade cells on the adaxial side.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 8 per cent,

Acid-insoluble ash :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 13 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 11 per cent,

Active Constituents

Essential oil, fixed oil, Psoralen , psoralidin,

isopsoralen and bakuchiol.

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Katu, Tikta

Guna :- Ruksa

Virya :- Sita

Vipaka :- Katu

Karma :- Grahi, Slesmasrapittanut, Vranapaha, Hrdya.

Important Formulations

Somaraji Taila, Avalgujadi Lepa

Therapeutic Uses

Jvara, Krmiroga, Kustha, Meha, Svitra

Dose

3-6 g of the drug in powder form.