Psoralea, Bu Gu Zhi 补骨脂
Scurfpea
Bakuchi, Bakuci, Somaraji (Ayurveda)
Karpoogarisi (Siddha)
Bu Gu Zhi (TCM)
Bakuchi, Bakuci, Somaraji (Ayurveda)
Karpoogarisi (Siddha)
Bu Gu Zhi (TCM)
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, 1803
Botanical name:
Psoralea corylifolia
Parts used:
Seed
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Pungent, Sweet, Bitter
Classification:
N. Tonic
Psoralea corylifolia
Parts used:
Seed
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Pungent, Sweet, Bitter
Classification:
N. Tonic
Uses:
1. Warms the Yang, Strengthens the Kidneys (TCM, Ayurveda):
-Impotence, Premature Ejaculation; Aphrodisiac
-frequent Urination; incomplete or dribbling urine; enuresis in children
-coldness or cold pain of the lower back and limbs; chronic back pain
-consolidates Essence
-'Improves Sight and Hearing' (Da Ming)
-'Damaged and Decayed Bone Marrow'. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-'functions of the Ming Men, warms the Dan Tian' (Li Shi Zhen)
-'Arthralgia and Numbness' (Zhen Quan)
-Uterine Bleeding
-Threatened Miscarriage. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
2. Warms the Yang, Strengthens the Spleen (TCM, Ayurveda):
-Chronic Diarrhea and chronic Indigestion from Cold Stomach and Spleen
-Cold-Phlegm-Damp Abdominal pain
-'good for treating five overstrains and seven damages' (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. Clears Phlegm, Stops Wheezing:
-Asthma from Wind and Phlegm (Ayurveda)
4. Benefits Chronic Skin disease:
-despite being classed as hot, it is important for Blood-heat skin disorders
-Eczema, Psoriasis, Vitiligo, Boils, Itchy red macules, Leprosy
-rough and discolored skin
-Scabies, Ringworm
-for skin diseases, seed powder can be taken, then the patient is exposed to sunlight.
5. Kills Worms
6 . Externally:
-topically as a tincture to Alopecia
-Psoriasis, Eczema, Vitiligo (oil or tincture topically)
-Leucoderma (oil)
DOSE:
1. When treating skin conditions, the powdered seeds are taken and the patient is exposed to sunlight or UV light for a given period each day.
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams (up to 9 grams daily);
Tincture (1:3): 3–15mls.
COMMENT:
Other traditional attributes given to Psoralea:
1. 'Astringes the Spirit and Soul' (Li Shi Zhen)
2. 'links the Fire in the pericardium with that in the Ming Men'. (Li Shi Zhen)
CORRECTIVES:
1. Butter, Ghee, Oil
2. Its effect are corrected and enhanced with Walnut and Sesame seed. (Li Shi Zhen)
PREPARATION:
1. Dry-Fried Psoralea (Chao Bu Gu Zhi):
Dry fry until yellowish but not burnt. This lessens the Bitter and Pungent nature, and makes it better to warms the Kidneys and stop Diarrhea. Some older sources have stated that the drug should always be lightly stir-fried before use.
2. Wine-prepared Psoralea:
Soak the seed in wine overnight, then wash in water and dry in the sun. Lei Xiao recommended steaming after being steeped in alcohol and washed. This moderates its dry nature and slight toxicity.
3. Ginger-prepared Psoralea:
In India the seed is purified by steeping in Ginger juice for 7 days, then drying.
4. Salt-Fried Psoralea (Yan Chao Bu Gu Zhi):
Stand the fruit in salt water for a period, then dry fry or bake until dry. This leads the medicine to the Kidney, making it stronger to tonify and secure Yang Qi in the lower abdomen. Used for Incontinence, Urinary Frequency and Impotence.
SUBSTITUTES:
Cassia tora seed (Unani)
1. When treating skin conditions, the powdered seeds are taken and the patient is exposed to sunlight or UV light for a given period each day.
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams (up to 9 grams daily);
Tincture (1:3): 3–15mls.
COMMENT:
Other traditional attributes given to Psoralea:
1. 'Astringes the Spirit and Soul' (Li Shi Zhen)
2. 'links the Fire in the pericardium with that in the Ming Men'. (Li Shi Zhen)
CORRECTIVES:
1. Butter, Ghee, Oil
2. Its effect are corrected and enhanced with Walnut and Sesame seed. (Li Shi Zhen)
PREPARATION:
1. Dry-Fried Psoralea (Chao Bu Gu Zhi):
Dry fry until yellowish but not burnt. This lessens the Bitter and Pungent nature, and makes it better to warms the Kidneys and stop Diarrhea. Some older sources have stated that the drug should always be lightly stir-fried before use.
2. Wine-prepared Psoralea:
Soak the seed in wine overnight, then wash in water and dry in the sun. Lei Xiao recommended steaming after being steeped in alcohol and washed. This moderates its dry nature and slight toxicity.
3. Ginger-prepared Psoralea:
In India the seed is purified by steeping in Ginger juice for 7 days, then drying.
4. Salt-Fried Psoralea (Yan Chao Bu Gu Zhi):
Stand the fruit in salt water for a period, then dry fry or bake until dry. This leads the medicine to the Kidney, making it stronger to tonify and secure Yang Qi in the lower abdomen. Used for Incontinence, Urinary Frequency and Impotence.
SUBSTITUTES:
Cassia tora seed (Unani)
Main Combinations:
1. Skin diseases:
i. Psoralea with Madder, Neem and Picrorrhiza (Ayurveda)
ii. Obstinate skin diseases, Psoralea with Madder, Plumbago and Shilajit
2. Vitiligo, take Psoralea seed powder with a decoction of Belleric Myrobalan.
3. Ringworm, combine 1 part Sesame seed with 2 parts Psoralea (Ayurveda
4. Chronic Diarrhea from Cold and weak Kidneys:
i. Psoralea with Nutmeg and Chebulic Myrobalan (Ayurveda)
ii. Psoralea with Nutmeg and Costus Mu Xiang (Li Shi Zhen)
iii. Psoralea with Nutmeg, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi and Evodia Wu Zhu Yu. (TCM)
5. Urinary frequency:
i. Psoralea with Fennel seed (TCM)
ii. Psoralea with Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi) (TCM)
iii. Psoralea with Tribulus terrestris (Ayurveda)
iv. Psoralea with Chebulic Myrobalan and Tribulus terrestris (Ayurveda)
6. Male Infertility:
i. Psoralea with Withania and Sida cordifolia Bala (Ayurveda)
ii. Psoralea, Walnut, Ginseng, Dioscorea Shan Yao (TCM)
7. Impotence, Psoralea with Epimedium Yin Yang Huo
8. Kidney weakness with lower Back pain, Impotence and Premature Ejaculation:
i. Psoralea (1 part), Walnut (2 parts). Powder, mix with honey to an electuary. Take 1 spoonful every morning with wine or hot water. It warms and strengthens the Yang. Protracted taking makes one happy, improves eyesight, increase strength and promotes long life. (Su Song)
ii. Psoralea with Walnut, Eucommia Du Zhong
Iii. Psoralea, Walnut, Licorice (Azure Exellent Pills, from Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
9. Kidney deficiency:
i. with Spermatorrhea, Impotence, Lumbago, Psoralea, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Ginseng, Lycium Gou Qi Zi, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi
ii. with Impotence, cold and weak lower back and kness, Psoralea with Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Walnut
10. To nourish Dan Tian ('Sea of Qi'), Psoralea (1 part) with Walnut (2 parts)
11. Rheumatism, Psoralea with Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Zanthoxylum Hua Jiao, Fennel seed (Xiao Hui Xiang)
12. Cough, Wheezing, Psoralea with Long Pepper, Withania and Licorice (Ayurveda)
13. Tonic, and for Trauma and Wounds, Psoralea with Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Walnut, Frankincense, Myrrh, Aloeswood, powdered and made into pills with Honey. (Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
14. As an ointment for chronic Skin diseases, Psoralea with Turmeric, Barberry, Rock Salt, boiled in Coconut milk (Siddha)
Major Formulas:
Wish-fulfilling Jewel (Bsam phel nor bu) (Tibetan Medicine)
Catechu 25 (Seng ldeng 25) (Tibetan Medicine)
Oil for Skin Diseases (Siddha)
Cautions:
1. Use with caution during Pregnancy
2. Avoid in Hot / Bile constitutions or Yin deficiency
3. Photo-sensitization occurs with excess use.
4. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, malaise, headache, purging, and gastric irritation.
Main Preparations used:
1. Use with caution during Pregnancy
2. Avoid in Hot / Bile constitutions or Yin deficiency
3. Photo-sensitization occurs with excess use.
4. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, malaise, headache, purging, and gastric irritation.
Main Preparations used:
History
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'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 which depend upon a vitiated state of the blood, and are given internally and applied externally as a plaster; they are also said to be useful in bilious affections and as an anthelmintic. Ainslie mentions their use in Southern India as a stomachic and deobstruent, and says that they are prescribed in lepra and other inveterate cutaneous affections. He gives Vakoochie as the Sanskrit name. Recently they have been extensively tried in Bombay by Bhao Daji and others as a remedy in leprosy, and I believe with some success. An oleature of Bawachi is prepared and sold by Messrs. Kemp and Co., of Bombay. The plant is a common weed in the Deccan and Bombay, and the, seeds are used in the Concan in making a perfumed oil which is applied to the skin. Dr. Kanny Loll Dey strongly recommends the oleo-resinons
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extract of the seeds diluted with simple unguents as an application in Leucoderma. He says:— "After application for some days the white patches appear to become red or vascular; sometimes a slightly painful sensation 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 ultimately coalesce with each other, and thus the whole patch disappears. It is also remarkable that the appearance of fresh patches is arrested by its application."—(Phar. Journ., III. Ser., Sept. 24th 1881.)
Several species of Psoralia have been used medicinally in America, and have been found to act as gentle, stimulating, and tonic nervines. (Stille and Maisch., Nat. Disp.) |