It has been reported to have anticancer activity in pre-clinical models, possibly due to its structural similarity with resveratrol. One study in rats suggested that bakuchiol and ethanol extracts of the Chinese medicinal plant Psoralea corylifolia could protect against bone loss. Bakuchiol possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Bakuchiol isolated from P. corylifolia has shown activity against numerous Gram-positive 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 inhibited the growth of cells adhered to a glass surface.

Despite having no structural resemblance to retinol, Bakuchiol was found to have retinol functionality through retinol-like regulation of gene expression*. In 2018, a randomized, double-blind, 12-week clinical study with 44 volunteers demonstrated that Bakuchiol is comparable with retinol in its ability to improve photo-aging (wrinkles, hyperpigmentation) but has a better skin tolerance**.

Bakuchiol has been found to possess antiandrogenic activity in prostate cancer cells, which inhibited cell proliferation***.