Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Psoralea corylifolia L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Psoralea corylifolia L. [Kirtikar,
Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia
Introduction
Based on Ethnobotanical
surveys since year 1990 in different parts of India Pankaj Oudhia has
documented vital information about Medicinal Plants mentioned in the famous
publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918). Through this research document Pankaj
Oudhia has tried to present original document with additional notes. For
complete paper with pictures, Interactive Tables, Video and Audio clips please
visit pankajoudhia.com
For original publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918) please visit https://archive.org/details/indianmedicinalp01kirt
358. Psoralea corylifolia,- Linn* h.f.b.i., ii. 103,
Roxb. 588.
Sans. : — Sugandha, kantak, avalgiga, vakuchi, sonia-raj.
Vern. : — Buckchi, babchi (H.); Hakuch (B.j; Bawachi (Bomb.);
Karpoo-garishi, karpngan, karu, bogi-vittulu (Tain.) ; Kour-
gestum, bapungie (Tel.) ; Kourkoal (Mai.) ; Bawchan (Duk.) ;
Babehi (Pb.).
Habitat : — Plains ; from the Himalayas throughout India
proper.
An erect, annual, herbaceous under-shrub, l-3ft. high. Bran-
ches firm, copiously gland-dotted. The plant under preser-
vation lives for several years, six or seven or even more,
reaching a height of 6 or 7 ft. Leaves simple, distinctly
petioled,
roundish, l-3in. long, inciso-repand, firm in texture, both
sides conspicuously dotted with black dots, very glabrescent.
Racemes dense, short. Flowers 10-30, in dense, copious, long-
peduncled heads. Calyx nearly sessile, Jin., teeth lanceolate,
long, the lowest long. Corolla yellow, a liktle exserted. Pod
small, black, sub-globose, glabrous.
Use : —Native works on Materia Medica describe the seeds
as hot and dry, or, according to some, cold and dry,
laxative,
stimulant and aphrodisiac. They are recommended in leprosy,
and other chronic skin diseases, and are given internally and
applied externally as a plaster ; they are also said to- be-
useful
in bilious affections and as an anthelmintic (Dymock). : .
In southern India, they are used as a stomachic and deob-
struent, and prescribed in lepra and other cutaneous diseases
(AinsIieV
An oleature of Bavchi for use in leprosy internally and
externally was once prepared by Mr. D. S. Kemp, so far back
as 1870.
In the Concan, the seeds, are used in making a' perfumed
oil which is applied to the skin (Dymock.). Rai Bahadur K. L.
Dey speaks highly of the oleo-resinous extract of the seeds,
diluted with simple ointment, as an application to
leucoderma.
After application for some days the white patches appear to
become red or vascular ; sometimes a slightly painful
sensation
414 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
is felt. Occasionally some small vesicles or pimples appear ;
and if these be allowed to remain undisturbed they dry up,
leaving a dark spot of pigmentary matter, which forms as it
were a nucleus. From this point, as well as from the margin
of the patch, pigmentary matters gradually develop which
ulti-
mately coalesce with each other, and thus the whole patch
disappears. It is also remarkable that fresh patches are
arrest-
ed by its application (Ph. J., Sept. 24th, 1881). Extensively
tried in Bombay by Bhao Daji and others as a remedy in
leprosy,
and, I believe, with some success- Several species of
Psoralea
have been used medicinally in America, and have been found
to act as gently stimulating and tonic nervines. Tried in
leprosy with a certain amount of success (Dymock.)
[Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: In over 550,000 Traditional Herbal Formulations used for
treatment of different types of skin diseases Psoralea is added as important
ingredient. Not only seeds but also Allelopathically enriched all parts are
used in different combination. The place of collection plays vital role in
making the Formulations effective. Also the stage of collection of plant parts.
Out of thousands of popular Formulations very few are known to modern science
and modern researchers have done much work on Psoralea as single herb instead
of conducting research on Psoralea based Formulations specially complex herbal
formulations in which 200 plus herbs are added and Psoralea plays key role.
I
have documnted information about over 200,000 Formulations in which seeds are
added as tertiary ingredient. These Formulations are known for aphrodisac
properties.
Psoralea
roots are added in over 45,000 Formulations as nonary ingredient. These
Formulations are used for blood diseases.
Please
see Tables Psora-1 to Psora-500 for exhaustive details about importance of this
species in Traditional Healing.]
The seeds yield 20*15 per cent, of a thick, reddish-brown oil
to ether.
Fat : Specific gravity at 100°, 0*9107 ; acid value, 3918 ;
saponification value,
204*6 ; Reichert-Meissl value, 6*9 ; iodine value, 79*9 ;
unsaponificable, 1*73 ;
butyro-refractometer at 25°, 79*5°.
Fatty acids (insoluble) : per cent 88*3 ; melting point, 32-8
; iodine value,
83*06 ; neutralisation value, 192*4 ; mean molecular weight,
291*5. (A. K. Menon.)
{Agricultural Ledger 1911-12— No. 5, p. 139.)
E-documents on Psoralea
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Psoralea
corylifolia L.
[Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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