India and its neighbouring countries are major growers of the monotypic genus Pongamia pinnata. Pongamia pinnata’s phytochemistry reveals the presence of several flavonoids, including furanoflavones, furanoflavonols, furanochalcones, and pyranochalcones. The Pongamia pinnata tree, popularly called the Indian beech tree, yields seeds that are used to make pongamol extract.
The seed oil of Pongamia species contains oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids in addition to trace levels of pongamol and karanjin, two naturally occurring sunscreens. Pongamol has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including haemorrhoids, wounds, and skin conditions. Because of their advantages for skin and hair care, Pongamol and Karanjin extracts from Pongamia pinnata seeds—are becoming more and more known for their possible uses in cosmetics.