ACACIA CATECHU

 

ACASIA CATECHU WILD(Khadera)
Gana : kushtaghna,kashayskndh,sansaradigana

Kula : shimbi - leguminoseae

Family : babbul (mimosoidae) sensitivity of the leaves

Latin name : acasia spines - gum tree ,catechu = kachu (kannad) (wild)

Vitkhadri - acasia farniciana (wild) arimeda

English name : catechu tree

Sanskrit name : balpatra, kantaki, dantadhavan, kushthari, bahushalya, bahusar, madhya, kushthaghna, irimed

Botanical description : medium sized tree. trunk - spiny,yellowish from outside and redish from inside. leaves - compound,8 to 10 cms.long,30 to 50 leaflets are seen in pairs.flowers small,yellow,having  3 petals fruit legum-5 to 10 cms.long,thin,slightly smoky in colour and shining, contains 5 to 8 round  seeds.bears leaves in summer ,flowers in rainy season and legumes in autumn.

Habitat : in himalayas at the hight of  5000 ft.and dry climat

Chemical composition 35% catechu,57%catechin

Khadirsar : 5 types
1.white
2,blackish brown
3.brown
4.black
5.vitkhadir - arimeda are irimeda.foul smelling like stools are fats

Properties  : Guna : Laghu, Ruksha
                    Rasa : tikta, kashaya
                    vipak : katu
                    veerya : sheeta
                    prabhev : kushthaghna

karma : kaphapittashamak by tikta , kashaya   rasa and sheeta veerya.so used in kapha pitta diseases

External uses : stambhan and kushthaghna.powder used in wound healing ,& in dental conditions.gargling is useful in cough and hoarseness of voice.in leprosy,bathing with the decoction of khadir is advised used for oral hygiene and pharyngeal ulcurs.

Internal uses :

Digestive system : improves taste,constipative,useful in anorexio,diarrhoea and intestinal parasites.

Carculatory system : it acts haemostatic and haematinic.also reduces oedema.acts galactogouge.juice of fresh bark is used along with asafoetade in haemoptysuis

Respiratory system : reduces kapha by tikta, kashaya rases.useful in kaphaji kasa.alonenge prepared from khadir andcinnamonum is used for cleaning the throat.

Urinary system : kaphghna and reduces urine output so used in diabates.

Reproductive system : due to its astringent properties,it acts asaspermicidal and is used as auterine tonic.it is also used in leucorrhoea and menorrhagia.

Skin : kushthaghna and kandughna so used in all skin diseases and  intes itching.

Temprature : antipyretic being tikta and sheeta. used in chronic fever (kaphaji).

Satmikaran : by reducing meda and other liquid dhatus,it overcomes lethargy.useful in hyperlipidaemia.
Spleen : useful in spleenic enlargement.

Parts used : bark and resin (kath).

Dosage : bark powder -1.5 gms;

Decoction : 30 -50 ml.

kath : 0.5 to 0.75 gms.

Formulations : khadirishta,khadiradi,quath,khadirashtak,khadiradivati,irimedadi taila.(kath is prepared by boiling the banches of khadir in water and then solidifying it.people doing this business are called katkari)

Strtogamitva :

Dosha : reduces pitta, kapha.

Dhatu : rakta,meda (anaemia),shukra.

Mala : urine.

Prabhav : kushthaghna.