Bakuchiol (BKC)

Bakuchiol is a meroterpene (a chemical compound having a partial terpenoid structure) in the class terpenophenol. It is found in Psoralea corylifolia and in Otholobium pubescens. One study in rats suggested that bakuchiol and ethanol extracts of the Chinese medicinal plant Psoralea corylifolia could protect against bone loss. Bakuchiol isolated from P. corylifolia has shown activity against numerous Grampositive and Gram-negative oral pathogens. It was able to inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans under a range of sucrose concentrations, pH values and in the presence of organic acids in a temperature-dependent manner and also inhibited the growth of cells adhered to a glass surface. Bakuchiol was isolated from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, a tree native to China with various uses in traditional medicine, followed by extraction with ether and column chromatography combined with silica gel and octyldecyl silane.