Medicinal plant no 6

Acacia catechu (Linn.f.) Willd. Mimosaceae (बब्बुल-कुलम्)

Eng : Cutch tree Hin : Khair, Khaira (ch, d) Kan : Kaļu (Fess) Mal : Karinnāli (10760130en) San : Khadiraḥ (ufc :) Tam: Karunkāli (5(685) Tel : Podalimänu (2OS555)

Distribution : Eastern slopes of Western Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,

Punjab and Himalayas upto an elevation of 1,500 m The plant: A moderate sized deciduous tree, 9–12 m in height with dark

greyish or brown rough bark and hooked short spines, leaves bipinnately compound, leaflets 30 - 50 pairs, main rachis pubescent with a large conspicuous gland near the middle of the rachis; flowers pale yellow, sessile in peduncled axillary spikes; fruits flat brown pods, shiny and with a triangular beak at the apex and narrowed at the base; seeds 3-10 per pod.

The gummy extract of the wood is commercially known as 'kath' or cutch'. The cutch available in the market is brittle of different shapes and dark brown in colour. On breaking, it is found to be shiny

and forms crystal-like pieces. Parts used: bark, heartwood, kath Properties and uses: The bark is useful in melancholia, conjunctivitis and

haemoptysis. The heartwood is bitter, astringent, acrid, cooling, depurative, anthelmintic, antiseptic, antidysenteric, antipyretic, appetiser, haemostatic, haematinic, anti-inflammatory and tonic. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, catarrh, cough, pruritus, leprosy, leucoderma. skin diseases, helminthiasis, anorexia, diarrhoea, dysentery, foul ulc rs and wounds, haemoptysis, haematemesis, haemorrhages, intermittent fever, inflammations, odontopathy, anaemia, diabe':es, splenomegaly and pharyngodynia..

The kath is acrid, bitter, thermogenic, digestive, appetiser, aphrodisiac, vulnerary, anthelmintic, depurative and tonic. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vāta, laryngopathy, flatulence,anorexia, ulcers, wounds, helminthiasis, leucoderma, leprosy, skin diseases, urorrhea, colporrhagia, erysipelas and odontopathy.

खदिरो गायत्र्याह्व क्षिति क्षमी दन्तधावनः शल्यः । कुष्ठो होमतरुः सकण्टको रक्तसारश्च ।। प्रोच्यते बालपत्रो ज्झो बालः कुटिलकण्टकः । जिह्मशल्यो होमवृक्षः शब्दैः पर्यायवाचकैः ॥ (अ.म.) ["Khadiro gāyatryāhvaḥ kṣiti kşami dantadhāvanaḥ salyaḥ Kuşthagno nomatarun sakantako raktasarasca Procyatē bālapatrālijho bālaḥ kutilakanţakah Jihmasalyo homavrksah sabdaih paryayavācakaih" (A.ma.)]

खदिरो बालपत्रश्च खाद्यः पत्री क्षिति क्षमा । सुशल्यो वक्रकण्टश्च यज्ञांगो दन्तधावनः ॥ गायत्री जिह्मशल्यश्च कण्टी सारदुमस्तथा । कुष्ठारिर्बहुसारश्च मेध्यः सप्तदशाह्वयः ॥ (रा. नि. ) ["Khadiro bālapatrasca khadyaḥ patri kşiti kşamā Susalyo vakrakanțasca.yajñamgo dantadhāvanaḥ Gayatri jihmasalyaśca kanti saradrumastatha Kustharirbahusarasca medhyah saptadasahvayah (Ra.ni.)]

खदिरः शतिळो दन्त्यः कण्डूकासारुचिप्रणुत् । तिक्तः कषायो मेदोघ्नः कृमिमेहज्वरव्रणान् ॥ श्वित्रशोफामपित्ताम्रपाण्डुकुष्ठकफान् हरेत् । " (भा.प्र.) [Khadiraḥ śita! dantyaḥ kanqūkāsārucippanut Tiktaḥ kaşāyo medoghnaḥ krmimēhajvaravranan Svitrasophamapittasrapandukusthakaphan haret" (Bha.pra.)]

'खदिरः स्याद् रसे तिक्तो हिमः पित्तकफास्रनुत् । कुष्ठामकासकण्डूतिकृमिदोषहरः स्मृतः ॥ “ (ध.नि.) ["Khadirah syad rasē tikto himah pittakaphassanut Kusthamakasakandutikrmidosaharah smrtan" (Dha.ni.)]

खदिर कुष्ठनानाम् (च.सू.२५) [Khadirah kusthaghnanam" (Ca.Su.25.)]

शनैर्मेहिनं खदिरकषायम् (सु.चि. २२) ["Sanairmehinam khadirakasayam" (Su.Ci.22.)]'ചവർത്തുമധുരിച്ചുളളു കരിങ്ങാലിയുടെ രസം സർവ്വകുഷ്ഠപ്രമേഹഞ്ച മേദസ്സും പിത്തവും കഫം ഇവ വർദ്ധിക്കിലനേരം ശമിപ്പാനുമിതുത്തമം" (ഗു.പാ) ["Cavarttumadhuriccu!!u karinnāliyuțe rasam Sarvakusthapramehañca mēdassum pittavum kapham Iva varddhikkilanneram samippanumituttamam" (Gu.pa.)]

Remarks: The gummy extract of the wood is known as cutch.

Eng : Cutch, Catechu Hin : Kattha (कत्था) Kan : Kaļusära (FYSATO) Mal : Kattu(B0000) San : Khadirasarah (खदिरसारः) Tam : Kacukkatti (Bामऊंगा) Tel : Kodiramu (g)

खादिरः खदिरोद्भूतः तत्सारो रंगतः स्मृतः । ज्ञेयः खदिरसारश्च तथा रंगः षडाह्वयः ॥ (रा.नि.) ("Khădiraḥ khadirodbhūtaḥ tatsaro ramgadaḥ smrtaḥ Jheyah khadirasarasca tatha ramgah sadahvayah" (Ra.ni.)]

कटुकः खदिरसारः तिक्तोष्णः कफवातहत् । व्रणकण्ठामयघ्नश्च रुचिकृद्दीपनः परः ॥ (रा. नि.) ("Kațukaḥ khadirasāraḥ tiktoşņaḥ kaphavatahrt Vranakanthamayaghnasca rucikrddipanah parah (Ra.ni.)]

निर्यासस्तस्य मधुरो बल्यः शुक्ळविवर्द्धनः । सारस्तु विशदो व्रण्यो मुखरोगकफास्रजित् ।। (म.वि.) ("Niryasastasya madhuro balyaḥ śukļavivarddhanah Sarastuvisadivranyo mukharogakaphasrajit." (Ma.vi.)]