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| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Hindi Name |
Acacia catechu
Willd.
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Cutch Tree |
Khadira |
Khair |
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| History |
Sanskrit writers
mentioned two types of catechu, the dark and pale varieties,
which were available in commerce. It is considered an astringent
with cooling and digestive properties. It was used externally
for ulcers, boils and eruptions on the skin. The juice of the
fresh bark was given for haemoptysis and gonorrhea.
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| Habitat |
It grows throughout
India from the Himalayas to the south of India.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
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It is a small sized tree. The young parts are dark brown or purple
and glabrous. Leaves are 2-pinnate. The main rachis is pubescent.
Glands are present in-between most of the pairs and a large one
is present in the middle of the petiole. The pinnae is 10-30 and
leaflets are 30-50 each. The stipular spine is short and hooked
with a broad base. The calyx is campanulate with hairy outer. Corolla
is 2-3 times larger than the corolla. Pods are stalked flat, thin
and shining with a beak at the apex.
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| Principal
Constituents |
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The chief constituents of the heartwood are catechin and catechutannic
acid. The catechin content varies from 4 to 7 per cent and is distributed
throughout the heartwood from the root to the branches. Another
important constituent is taxifolin.
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| Pharmacology |
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Catechin is biologically highly active. It is used as a hemostatic.
Taxifolin has antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory
and antioxidant properties1.
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| Toxicology |
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Prolonged treatment with catechin can induce several adverse reactions,
most of them immunomediated, such as hemolysis, acute renal failure
and skin rashes.
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| Indications |
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It is regarded as astringent, cooling and digestive. It is part
of a number of compound preparations.
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