Herbs - Medicinal plants usage and Identification Data base

Babool

Babool

Acacia arabica Wilid. var. indica Benth.

Synonym A. nilotica (Linn.) Delile subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan.

Family Mimosaceae.





Habitat Throughout the drier parts of India.

English Babul, Black Babul, Indian Gum arabic tree.

Ayurvedic Babbuula, Babbuuri, Baavari, Aabhaa, Shuulikaa, Shitaka, Kinkiraata, Yugmakantaka, Sukshmapatra, Pitapushpaka.

Unani Aqaaqia, Babuul, Kikar, Mughilaan, Samur.

Siddha/Tamil Karu-velamaram, Karuvelei. Velampisin (gum).

Action Stembark—astringent, spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic. Gum—demulcent (soothing agent for inflammatory conditions of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts). Pods—used in urogenital disorders. Seeds—hypoglycaemic in normal rats; no such effect in diabetic rats. Seed oil—antifungal. Flowers, pods and gum resin—used in diarrhoea and dysentery.

Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of stembark in acute diarrhoea and helminthiasis.

Tannin contents of the bark varies considerably (12—20%). Several polyphenolic compounds have been reported in the bark, also in the pods. The whole pod contains 12—19% tannins and 18—27% after the removal of seeds.

The seeds ofA. benthamii, A. nilotica ssp. subulata, probably same as ssp. indica, are considered hypoglycaemic. Some seed components stimulate insulin secretion by beta cells.

The gum contains galactose; l-arabinose, l-rhamnose and aldobiouronic acids, also arabinobioses.

The flowers contain flavonoids— kaempferol-3-glucoside, iso- quercitrin and leucocyanidin.

Dosage Stembark—20—30 g for decoction.