Common Name: Bu Gu Zhi

General Information

Cullen corylifolium is an erect, annual or short-lived perennial plant growing up to 1.5 metres tall from a taproot. The plant is commonly branched from the base[].
An important herb in Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, it is normally gathered from the wild but is sometimes cultivated in India[]..

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention of toxicity for this species has been found, at least some members of this genus contain furanocoumarins, these substances can cause photosensitivity in some people[].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Habitat

Warm valleys in Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, China[]. Relatively common in disturbed habitats, such as escarpments roadsides, banks and cropped land, often weedy[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cullen corylifolium is native to the warm temperate to tropical zones of southern Asia. It is not very cold-hardy, tolerating occasional temperatures down to about -4°c, but can be grown as an annual in areas with warm to hot summers.
Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil[]. Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position[].
Plants are very intolerant of root disturbance, they are best planted out into their permanent positions whilst still small[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Seed[]. No further details are given.

Medicinal

Bu Gu Zhi is valued in Chinese herbal medicine as a tonic remedy and is used to improve general vitality[]. Modern research has shown that it is also of value in the treatment of skin disorders, including vitiligo[], and is an important therapeutic agent in Chinese medicine for the treatment of osteoporosis[]..
Some caution should be employed when applying the herb externally, however, since it can sensitize the skin and cause an allergic reaction to sunlight[].

The one-seeded fruits (or the seed plus the seedpod) are highly regarded as an aphrodisiac and tonic to the genital organs[].

The seed is anthelmintic, antibacterial, aphrodisiac, aromatic, astringent, bitter, cardiac, cytotoxic, deobstruent, diaphoretic, diuretic, stimulant, stomachic and tonic[, , , , , , ]. It is used in the treatment of febrile diseases, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, premature ejaculation, impotence, lower back pains, frequent urination, incontinence, bed wetting etc[, , ].
The seed is also used externally to treat various skin ailments including leprosy, leucoderma and hair loss[, , ].
The seed and fruit contain psoralen. This causes the skin to produce new pigment when exposed to sunlight and is used for treating vitiligo and psoriasis[]. The antibacterial action of the fruit inhibits the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculos[].
The fruit is gathered when ripe in the autumn and can be dried for later use[].

The root is emetic[]. It is used for treating dental caries[].

The plant yields a useful medicinal oleoresin, it treats kidney disorders, impotence, premature ejaculation, lumbago etc[, , , ].

The leaves are purgative[].
Remarkably high concentrations (more than 2 g per kg dry weight) of the anticancer metabolite genistein have been found in the leaves[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant has shown promise as a green manure in Sri Lanka[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in individual pots, or pot up the young seedlings as soon as possible in order to avoid root disturbance. Grow them on in the pots until planting out in their final positions. It is usually impossible to transplant this species without fatal damage to the root[].
Division with great care since the plant resents root disturbance. It is virtually impossible to divide this species successfully[].

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