Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia) Overview

Bakuchi, also known as babchi or Psoralea corylifolia, is a traditional medicinal plant used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for treating skin diseases. Its resurgence is due to its effectiveness and fewer side effects compared to modern medicines. It possesses chemoprotective, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Although bakuchi has clinical benefits, toxicology and precautions must be considered.

Research has isolated antioxidative compounds from bakuchi, including flavonoids and coumarins, using high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). These compounds have shown pharmacological activities such as inhibiting the enzyme acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), which is involved in cholesterol metabolism.

One of the primary compounds in bakuchi, psoralidin, exhibited significant antioxidant activity and was found to enhance the estrogen-like effects in lab tests. It has shown the potential to protect against bone loss by activating bone cells and inhibiting the formation of cells that break down bone tissue. Bakuchiol, another key compound, was found to be the most estrogenic, with potential applications in hormone replacement therapy.

In addition to its traditional use, bakuchi has been studied for its effects on bone formation and health, indicating potential treatment for osteoporosis. Furthermore, bakuchiol has been identified as a potent antioxidant, offering protection against oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. It also has dopaminergic neuroprotective effects, which could be beneficial in treating Parkinson's disease.

Bakuchi's antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties have been confirmed, with several new compounds identified that contribute to these effects. However, excessive consumption has been associated with hepatotoxicity and reproductive toxicity, emphasizing the need for caution and proper dosage.

References:

1. Psoralea corylifolia Linn.-"Kushtanashini"
2. Isolation of antioxidants from Psoralea corylifolia fruits using high-speed counter-current chromatography guided by thin layer chromatography-antioxidant autographic assay
3. Psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside, two new benzofuran glycosides from Psoralea corylifolia
4. Fingerprint analysis of Psoralea corylifolia L. by HPLC and LC-MS
5. Antifungal activity of phenyl derivative of pyranocoumarin from Psoralea corylifolia L. seeds by inhibition of acetylation activity of trichothecene 3-o-acetyltransferase (Tri101)
6. Simultaneous characterization of prenylated flavonoids and isoflavonoids in Psoralea corylifolia L. by liquid chromatography with diode-array detection and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry
7. Bavachin and isobavachalcone, acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitors from Psoralea corylifolia
8. Estrogenic activities of Psoralea corylifolia L. seed extracts and main constituents
9. Prenylflavones from Psoralea corylifolia inhibit nitric oxide synthase expression through the inhibition of I-kappaB-alpha degradation in activated microglial cells
10. In vitro BACE-1 inhibitory phenolic components from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia
11. Antibacterial prenylflavone derivatives from Psoralea corylifolia, and their structure-activity relationship study
12. [Two new compounds from Psoralea corylifolia L]
13. Neobavaisoflavone stimulates osteogenesis via p38-mediated up-regulation of transcription factors and osteoid genes expression in MC3T3-E1 cells
14. Studies on the chemical constituents of Psoralea corylifolia L
15. Impact of nutrient components on production of the phytoestrogens daidzein and genistein by hairy roots of Psoralea corylifolia
16. [Studies on chemical constituents from seed of Psoralea corylifolia]
17. The presence of three isoflavonoid compounds in Psoralea corylifolia
18. Isolation of a new meroterpene and inhibitors of nitric oxide production from Psoralea corylifolia fruits guided by TLC bioautography
19. Ethanol extract of Psoralea corylifolia L. and its main constituent, bakuchiol, reduce bone loss in ovariectomised Sprague-Dawley rats
20. Antioxidative components of Psoralea corylifolia (Leguminosae)
21. In vitro dopaminergic neuroprotective and in vivo antiparkinsonian-like effects of Delta 3,2-hydroxybakuchiol isolated from Psoralea corylifolia (L.)
22. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and nuclear factor-kappaB inhibitory meroterpene analogues of bakuchiol, a constituent of the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia
23. Cyclobakuchiol C, a new bakuchiol derivative from Psoralea coryllfolia
24. Cytotoxic Fatty Acid glycerides from the seeds of psoralea corylifolia
25. Pre-column derivatization combined with UHPLC-MS/MS for rapid and sensitive quantification of bakuchiol in rat plasma
26. The impact of aqueous solubility and dose on the pharmacokinetic profiles of resveratrol
27. In vivo pharmacokinetics of bakuchiol after oral administration of bakuchiol extraction in rat plasma
28. Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of coumarin components from Psoralea corylifolia L. in rats
29. Physiological parameters in laboratory animals and humans
30. Induction of quinone reductase activity by psoralidin isolated from Psoralea corylifolia in mouse hepa 1c1c7 cells
31. DNA polymerase and topoisomerase II inhibitors from Psoralea corylifolia
32. Inhibition of mitochondrial lipid peroxidation by Bakuchiol, a meroterpene from Psoralea corylifolia
33. Psoralea corylifolia L. inhibits mitochondrial complex I and proteasome activities in SH-SY5Y cells
34. Inhibitive effects of Fructus Psoraleae extract on dopamine transporter and noradrenaline transporter
35. Bakuchiol analogs inhibit monoamine transporters and regulate monoaminergic functions
36. High throughput screening to identify natural human monoamine oxidase B inhibitors
37. Behavioral and biochemical studies of total furocoumarins from seeds of Psoralea corylifolia in the chronic mild stress model of depression in mice
38. Antidepressant-like effects of psoralen isolated from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia in the mouse forced swimming test
39. Antiplatelet flavonoids from seeds of Psoralea corylifolia
40. Bakuchicin induces vascular relaxation via endothelium-dependent NO-cGMP signaling
41. In vitro protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory phenols from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia
42. Bioactive constituents from Chinese natural medicines. XXXIII. Inhibitors from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia on production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages
43. Inhibition of inflammatory mediators by neobavaisoflavone in activated RAW264.7 macrophages
44. Bakuchiol from Psoralea corylifolia inhibits the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene via the inactivation of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB in RAW 264.7 macrophages
45. Phenolic compounds isolated from Psoralea corylifolia inhibit IL-6-induced STAT3 activation
46. Psoralidin, a dual inhibitor of COX-2 and 5-LOX, regulates ionizing radiation (IR)-induced pulmonary inflammation
47. Structure-based drug design on membrane protein targets: human integral membrane protein 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein
48. Induction of nitric oxide & tumour necrosis factor-alpha by Psoralea corylifolia
49. The coumarin psoralidin enhances anticancer effect of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)
50. Selectivity of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis of cancer cells and synergy with drugs: the trail to non-toxic cancer therapeutics (review)
51. The role of dietary polyphenols in tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis for cancer chemoprevention
52. The NO TRAIL to YES TRAIL in cancer therapy (review)
53. Inhibiting TNF-mediated signaling: a novel therapeutic paradigm for androgen independent prostate cancer
54. Enhanced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in prostate cancer cells by the bioactive compounds neobavaisoflavone and psoralidin isolated from Psoralea corylifolia
55. In vitro estrogenic activities of Chinese medicinal plants traditionally used for the management of menopausal symptoms
56. Phytoestrogens from Psoralea corylifolia reveal estrogen receptor-subtype selectivity
57. Sequential analysis of testicular lesions and serum hormone levels in rats treated with a Psoralea corylifolia extract
58. [Effects of isopsoralen on bone marrow stromal stem cells differentiate and proliferate in vitro]
59. Osteoblastic proliferation stimulating activity of Psoralea corylifolia extracts and two of its flavonoids
60. Osteoblastic differentiation bioassay and its application to investigating the activity of fractions and compounds from Psoralea corylifolia L
61. Bavachalcone inhibits osteoclast differentiation through suppression of NFATc1 induction by RANKL
62. Effect of Buguzhi (Psoralea corylifolia fruit) extract on bone formation
63. The osteoprotective effect of psoralen in ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic rats via stimulating the osteoblastic differentiation from bone mesenchymal stem cells
64. Psoralea corylifolia extract ameliorates experimental osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats
65. Psoralea corylifolia protects against testicular torsion/detorsion-induced ischemia/reperfusion injury
66. Effects of Psoralea corylifolia on the cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) expression and spermatogenesis in rats
67. Testis-specific transcription mechanisms promoting male germ-cell differentiation
68. cAMP response element modulator (CREM): an essential factor for spermatogenesis in primates?
69. Gonadal toxicity of an ethanol extract of Psoralea corylifolia in a rat 90-day repeated dose study
70. Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 8-Methoxypsoralen (CAS No. 298-81-7) in F344/N Rats (Gavage Studies)
71. Embryotoxicity of Psoralea corylifolia L.: in vivo and in vitro studies
72. Severe hepatotoxicity by Indian Ayurvedic herbal products: a structured causality assessment
73. A case of acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia (Boh-Gol-Zhee)