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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.
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.
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.
Kingdom
Plantae
Order
Rosales
Family
Fabaceae
Hindi / Sanskrit |
English |
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Rasa |
Katu, Tikta |
Taste |
Pungent, Bitter |
Guna |
Laghu, Ruksha |
Physical Property |
Light, Dry |
Virya |
Ushna |
Potency |
Hot |
Vipaka |
Katu |
Metabolic Property |
Pungent |
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 |
According to chikitsa sathan in Shushrut samhita, there are two types of bakuchi:-
Oil of this herb is very strong and excess use of this oil may cause skin discoloration.