Bakuchi (Babchi) Oil for Psoriasis: Tradition, Evidence and Sun Safety

Babchi (bakuchi) oil comes from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, a plant long used in Ayurveda for skin conditions. It may help soothe dry, rough psoriasis-prone skin as part of a gentle routine, but there are no good human trials showing it works for psoriasis, and it contains psoralens that make skin react strongly to sunlight. If you use it, use a diluted product, keep it off sun-exposed skin, and tell your doctor.

This guide is part of our evidence-graded review of natural psoriasis treatments. Here we look at what tradition says, what the science actually shows, and how to stay safe in the strong Indian sun.

What is babchi, and why is it linked to psoriasis?

Babchi, also spelled bakuchi or bavchi, is a small plant that grows across India. Its dark, bean-like seeds are sold whole, powdered or as oil at pansari shops, Ayurvedic pharmacies and online. A review in Pharmacognosy Reviews describes its long use in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for skin diseases, including leucoderma, psoriasis and leprosy [1].

In Ayurveda, babchi is classed among herbs for kushtha, the broad group of skin disorders that includes conditions resembling psoriasis. It is usually used in combination with other herbs and oils rather than on its own, and the oil is traditionally mixed into a base oil before application.

What is in the seeds?

A large review in Chinese Medicine counted roughly 163 chemical components in the plant, with psoralen, isopsoralen and bakuchiol among the most important [2]. Two of these matter most for you:

• Psoralen and isopsoralen are furocoumarins. They make skin temporarily very sensitive to ultraviolet A (UVA) light. This is the basis of both their possible benefit and their main danger.
• Bakuchiol is the compound you may have seen in "retinol alternative" face serums. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in lab work, but the same review notes it is also one of the plant's toxic components when taken in excess [2].

What does the evidence say?

Here is the honest picture. Most research on babchi is laboratory or animal work. The Chinese Medicine review itself notes that many studies were done on cells in the lab and calls for more animal and clinical work [2].

The PUVA connection

Dermatologists have used psoralens for decades in PUVA (psoralen plus UVA) phototherapy. In PUVA, a measured dose of a purified psoralen such as 8-MOP (methoxsalen) is combined with a carefully timed dose of UVA in a clinic. DermNet notes that psoralens are found in many plants and have been used for skin disease since ancient times [7]. An Indian review in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology (IJDVL) explains how PUVA is dosed and monitored, including eye protection and long-term skin cancer risk [6].

The key difference: in PUVA, both the psoralen dose and the light dose are measured. With babchi oil and sunlight at home, neither is controlled. That is why home "babchi plus sun" routines can cause burns.

Lab and animal studies

A 2018 study in the European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences tested compounds from Psoralea corylifolia on psoriasis-like skin in mice. When combined with UVA, isopsoralen reduced skin thickening and water loss in this model [3]. This is interesting early science, but mouse skin is not human skin, and the study used purified compounds with controlled UVA, not babchi oil and sunshine.

Human evidence

We could not find a well-designed human trial testing babchi oil on its own for plaque psoriasis. That does not mean it does nothing. It means we cannot say how well it helps, for whom, or at what strength. Be cautious of any website or seller promising results.

Question	What we know
Traditional use for skin disease	Well documented in Ayurveda [1]
Active compounds identified	Yes: psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol and more [2]
Effect on psoriasis-like skin in animals	Some promising findings with UVA [3]
Good human trials for psoriasis	None found
Phototoxic burn risk on skin	Clearly documented in case reports [4][5]
Liver risk when taken by mouth	Documented in case reports [8]

Sun safety: the most important part

Babchi's psoralens can turn ordinary sunlight into a burn. Two published cases show how quickly it happens:

• A doctor in India reported a 36-year-old woman who applied crushed babchi seeds mixed with coconut oil to vitiligo patches, then sat in the sun for about 5 minutes. Within 30 minutes she had redness, intense burning pain and then fluid-filled blisters [5].
• A UK burns team described a 32-year-old woman who applied babchi oil and sunbathed for under two hours on a mild day. She developed blistering burns over about 4% of her body and needed hospital burn care [4].

Both patients had vitiligo, but the reaction is chemical, not disease-specific. Psoriasis plaques and the thin skin around them can react the same way. In much of India, the sun is strong through most of the year, so the risk is higher here than in cooler countries.

Practical rules if you use a babchi-containing product

• Never use raw seed paste or undiluted babchi oil. Use only a properly diluted, labelled product.
• Apply at night, and wash the area in the morning before going out.
• Keep treated skin covered with loose cotton clothing if you go outdoors the same day. Do not deliberately "sun" the skin after applying it.
• Patch test first: apply a small amount to the inner forearm for 2 to 3 days, away from sunlight, and watch for redness or itching.
• Avoid combining with PUVA, narrowband UVB or other photosensitising medicines unless your dermatologist agrees.
• Keep it away from the eyes, lips and broken or weeping skin.

Our guide to psoriasis and sun exposure explains why some sunlight can be helpful while too much can trigger new plaques. If you are curious about supervised light treatment, read our comparison of narrowband UVB and PUVA.

Other safety notes: liver, pregnancy and children

Do not take babchi by mouth on your own

Some people take babchi powder or tablets internally. A 2019 case report and literature review in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine described a woman who took an oral Psoralea product for about seven months and died of acute liver failure. The authors found several earlier reports of liver injury and urged caution with this herb [8]. If an Ayurvedic doctor prescribes oral babchi, ask about liver function tests, and report yellow eyes, dark urine, nausea or tiredness immediately.

Other popular herbs need the same care: giloy, for example, has been linked to liver injury reports in India. Always tell your doctor about every herbal product you take.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The Chinese Medicine review lists reproductive toxicity among the plant's risks with long-term or excessive use [2], and PUVA itself is avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding [6]. Please avoid babchi in any form during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Children

Children's skin is thinner, they spend more time playing outdoors, and they cannot always tell you early that their skin is burning. PUVA itself is generally avoided in young children [6]. Do not use babchi on children unless a paediatric dermatologist advises it.

How babchi fits into a sensible routine

If you like Ayurvedic skincare, babchi is best thought of as one small part of a multi-ingredient blend, not a stand-alone remedy. Traditional formulas usually pair it with soothing base oils such as sesame or coconut, and with herbs like neem. You can read more about the wider tradition in Ayurveda and psoriasis: traditional approaches explained.

For example, our Xpsoria Psoriasis Cream includes babchi oil alongside sesame, black cumin, chaulmoogra, karanja and tamanu oils and herb-infused pippali and olive oils. Because it contains babchi, the same night-time and sun-safety advice above applies to it.

Whatever you use, the basics matter most: moisturise daily, bathe in lukewarm water, avoid scratching, and keep up any treatment your dermatologist has prescribed. Topical steroids, vitamin D creams, phototherapy and biologics all have a real place under medical care. Do not stop a prescribed treatment to try babchi.

When to see a doctor

• Redness, burning, pain or blisters after using babchi and going into the sun. Wash the area, stay out of sunlight and see a doctor the same day; large blisters need medical care.
• Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools, vomiting or unusual tiredness after taking any herbal product by mouth.
• Psoriasis spreading quickly, or red, painful skin covering large areas of the body.
• Pus-filled bumps, fever or chills with a flare.
• Joint pain, swelling or morning stiffness, which may point to psoriatic arthritis.
• No improvement after several weeks of home care, or psoriasis affecting your sleep, work or mood.

Frequently asked questions

Can babchi oil cure psoriasis?

No. Psoriasis is a long-term condition with no known cure. Babchi is traditionally used for skin disease, but there are no good human trials showing it works for psoriasis. At best, a diluted babchi-containing product may help soothe dryness as part of a wider routine.

Can I apply babchi oil and sit in the sun?

Please don't. Home "babchi plus sun" routines have caused painful blistering burns within minutes [4][5]. Supervised PUVA in a clinic is different because both the psoralen and the light are measured.

Is babchi the same as bakuchiol?

No. Bakuchiol is one compound taken from babchi seeds. Babchi oil contains bakuchiol plus psoralens. Bakuchiol face products use the purified compound, which is different from whole babchi oil. If you are unsure what a product contains, check the label or ask the brand.

Can I eat babchi seeds for psoriasis?

Not without a qualified doctor's supervision. Oral Psoralea products have been linked to serious liver injury [8], and they also increase sun sensitivity.

Is babchi oil safe during pregnancy?

It is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to your obstetrician and dermatologist about safer moisturisers and treatments.

Sources

1. Khushboo PS, Jadhav VM, Kadam VJ, Sathe NS. Psoralea corylifolia Linn. – "Kushtanashini". Pharmacognosy Reviews, 2010.
2. Psoralea corylifolia L.: a comprehensive review of its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, quality control and pharmacokinetics. Chinese Medicine.
3. Alalaiwe A, et al. The active compounds derived from Psoralea corylifolia for photochemotherapy against psoriasis-like lesions. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2018.
4. Faulkner J, Uthayakumar AK, Atkins J. Babchi oil-induced phytophotodermatitis mimicking burn injury. JPRAS Open, 2021.
5. Jha N. Phototoxic reaction to Bakuchi seeds tried as home remedy in a patient of vitiligo. Dermatology Online Journal, 2020.
6. Shenoi SD, Prabhu S. Photochemotherapy (PUVA) in psoriasis and vitiligo. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2014.
7. DermNet. PUVA (photochemotherapy).
8. Acute liver failure associated with Fructus Psoraleae: a case report and literature review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified dermatologist or Ayurvedic doctor for diagnosis and treatment.