Babchi Essential Oil, also known as Bakuchi, is extracted from the seeds and leaves of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. Bakuchi plant is a medicinal herb that is smaller in size. The height of this plant is about 3 to 4 feet. The seeds of this plant are diagonal, flat, and brown which has a bitter taste and an unpleasant smell. Bakuchi grows throughout India and is commonly known as Babchi.

Importance of Babchi Essential Oil in Ayurveda

According to Ayurveda, Babchi essential oil is bitter, hot in nature, destroys Vata- Kapha imbalances, and also beneficial for the heart. It proves beneficial in fever, chronic, leprosy, hemorrhoids, cough, swelling, jaundice, and dental worms. Babchi is antimicrobial. Besides, Babchi Essential Oil contains chemo-protective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, etc. elements. The most effective feature of this plant is that every part of it is useful due to its medicinal properties. But for most disorders, oil made from its seeds is used.

Chemical Constituents of Babchi Essential Oil

The seeds of Babchi are used to extract essential oil through the steam distillation process. The chemical constituents such as bakuchiol, psoralen, linalool, limonene, α-elemene, angelicin, bava chalcone, isopsoralen, corylifol, 6- prenylnaringenin, corylin, isobavachalcone, corylifolium, psoralidin, bava chromanol, methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, and neobava isoflavone in Babchi Oil helps to treat various diseases such as leprosy, leucoderma, vitiligo, stress, and reproductive ailments. Babchi essential oil is very effective in skin diseases such as white spots, scabies, herpes, pimples, and freckles. The presence of the above elements also makes Babchi bactericidal and anthelmintic.

Advantages of Babchi Essential Oil

Beneficial for the skin-

Babchi essential oil is an antimicrobial that is mainly used to remove skin problems. It helps in preventing psoriasis, leukoderma, skin infections, skin rashes, and allergies, etc.

Beneficial in respiratory diseases-

The advantages of Babchi Essential Oil are due to its anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce inflammation and pain of the respiratory tract during infection. It is also beneficial in colds, asthma, dyspnea, nephritis, bronchitis, and various other types of respiratory diseases.

Helpful in Cancer-

The seeds of Bakuchi have anti-cancer properties. Besides, this essential oil contains bavachinin, sorrelan, and sorilifolinine. These elements help to prevent the growth of osteosarcoma and lung cancer cells.

Helps in hair nutrition-

Babchi Essential Oil is a great hair tonic. Therefore, it is used in the treatment of hair problems such as hair loss, alopecia areata, spot baldness (there is no hair in parts of the head). The use of this oil improves the color and quality of the hair.

Beneficial for teeth-

Babchi is an effective medicine to treat tooth decay and other types of dental problems. Use of Bakuchi Churna or Babchi Essential Oil is an excellent remedy for problems like toothache, decay, and pyorrhea. It helps in preventing tooth decay as the antioxidants present in babchi help fight cavities.

Helpful to clean blood-

Babchi Essential Oil has the properties of a natural blood purifier which helps remove impurities (toxins) from the body. Apart from this, immunity can also be boosted by the use of babchi.

Home Remedies with Babchi Oil

• Babchi has been used for centuries for the treatment of Vitiligo (white spots on the skin). Taking one spoon of babchi powder and black sesame with cold water regularly in the morning and applying babchi oil in the morning and evening provides relief in problems like white spots.
• Applying Babchi oil on the teeth daily destroys tooth worms.
• Regular use of Babchi oil in the morning and evening proves effective in curing acne, ringworm, and itching.
• Lumps on any part of the body make the skin look bad. In such a situation, grinding the seeds of babchi and tying it on that knot helps to settle the knot. In addition, applying Babchi Essential Oil to the affected area regularly provides relief.

Precautions while using Bakuchi Oil

• High doses and prolonged use of Bakuchi can lead to hyperacidity and gastritis.
• Some food products like curd, pickle, fish, etc. should be avoided because, in the treatment of problems such as white spots (vitiligo treatment), these products should not be consumed along with Bakuchi Churna. For best results, apply Babchi Essential Oil on the affected area along with the consumption of Bakuchi Churna.
• Excessive consumption of Bakuchi during jaundice can lead to vomiting.
• Breastfeeding women should use it under medical supervision.