Acacia spp yield valuable pharamceutical preparation while growing in arid regions
By Ashwani Kumar
| September 12th 2009 06:07 AM | Print
3. Acacia catechu Willd. ‘Katha , khadira , khair’ (Catechu tree) :- Kols tribe of Uttar Pradesh use its leaves for blood dysentery (Chakravarthy et al., 1983). The extract of leaves is taken with milk (Maheshwari and Singh, 1987). Seeds exhibit antiviral, antiimflammatory, hepatoprotective and spasmolytic activity (Nirmal et al., 1985). The wood is very hard, durable, takes a fine polish, and is resistant to ants. It is used for house posts, boat buildings, cart construction, wells, agricultural implements, tool handles, rice pestles, oil and sugarcane mills etc. Goldsmiths prize the wood as fire wood. The tree is an important source of vitamin P, cutch, katha and kheersal (Dastur, 1964).
4. Acacia concinna DC. ‘Ritha , Shikakai’ :- Pods are detergent. They are used for washing the head, and silk and woolen fabrics and for cleaning tarnished silver plate. A decoction of the pod is an insecticide and is used for killing head lice. The bark is used for dyeing and tanning fishing lines (Dastur, 1964).
5. Acacia chundra Willd. Syn. A. Sundra DC. ‘kari’ ( Red cutch ) :- Bhils, Nayakas and other tribal communities of Gujrat state use its wood for leucoderma. Paste of wood is applied locally (Bhatt and Sabnis, 1987).
6. Acacia farnesiana Willd. ‘Wilayati Kikar , Divana Babul’ (Cassie flower, scented Babul) :- Well known cassie perfume is distilled from the flowers ; it is extensively used in perfumery and pomades. The bark and the pods are used for tanning and dyeing leather.
7. Acacia lecuophloea Willd. ‘Hiwar , saved kikar’ (Reunja, White – Valem bark ) :- Wood is used for posts, agricultural implements, oil mills, cart wheels and turnery. It is an excellent fuel. The bark fibre is strong and it is used for fishing ropes. The bark is used to flavour spirits prepared from sugarcane and palm juice. It is used as a tan and a black dye ; it can be used as a substitute for wattle bark in the tanning of skins.
8. Acacia pennata Willd. ‘Shembi , ‘Aila’ :- Bark and fruits are used for tanning fishing nets. The stem yields a long, strong fiber suitable for cordage, fishing gear etc.; the charred fiber is used for cleaning mirrors. The twigs and roots are used for cleaning teeth and also beads and ornaments.
9. Acacia senegal Willd. ‘Kher , Kumta’ :- The tree yields the true gum Arabic of commerce ; it is used in manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations, blacking, ink and confectionary in calico printing and dyeing of silk and crepe, and for thickening colours and mordants. It is also mixed with pigments used for colouring pottery. The fiber extracted from the bark is used for cordage.