Plant Name
Psoralea drupacea Bunge
Botanical Info
A perennial, 70-130cm heigh
Geography:
Central Asia: Balchash, Kara-kum and Kisil-kum deserts, Amu-Darja, Sir-darja, Turkmenia, Pamiro-Alai, Tien Shan. Grows on dry small grained slopes, hills, plains and on foothills.
Chemical Content
An essential oil of 0.04 %., in its composition heneicosane, iota-cymol, pinene, alpha-tujen, r-fenhen, А3-karene myrcene, rho-fellandren, limonene, and alpha- and gamma-terpinene, elemen, a karyophyllene, bizabolen, kurkumene hymacholene, bacuchiole. Vitamins: carotin.
Carbohydrates: sucrose of 1 %. Coumarins: Psoralenum , angelicine. Tannins of 12.34 % . Phenols: drupanole.
Traditional Use and Activity
Roots and leaves have soothing properties. An essential oil and bacuchiole possess strong antibiotic properties depressing the growth of gramme-positive bacteria, viruses, antibiotic-resistant staphilococcuses. Leaves are used in the treatment of carbuncles, furuncles, vitiligo. The essential oil renders an inhibiting effect on viruses of a tobacco mosaic and a grippe. Fruits have molecules that are in “Psoralenum” and “Psoberanum” drugs that are photosensitizing agents for the treatment of vitiligo and nested baldness. Psoralenum has contraceptive and embryotoxic activity in experiments. Seeds are oestrogenic and have confirmed contraceptive activity. It is a honey plant. It is toxic for sheep causing infertility.