Medicinal plant No 7

Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd. Mimosaceae (बब्बुल-कुलम्)

Eng : White babool, Distiller's acacia Hin : Safed bābul, Sarāb ki kikār (7466 algo, pria fer for fore) Kan : Bilijāli (200220) Mal : Veļvēlam, Veļvēlakam (UM CIJE), DUJOJOJA.) San : Arimēdah (3745:) Tam: Velvēlam, Pattaiccārāyamaram

(வெள்வேலம், பட்டைச்சாராயமரம்) Tel : Tellatumma (go)

Distribution: Throughout India, in dry deciduous forests The plant: A moderate sized tree upto 30 m in height with spreading

branches, crooked and gnarled stems, white spines and pale yellowish grey to nearly white bark with pale red inside: leaves bipinnate, 2.5-5 cm long, main rachis pubescent with a cup-shaped gland between each pair of pinnae, 5-15 pairs of pinnae of 12-30 pairs linear-oblong, obtuse; flowers in large terminal tomentose panicles, heads numerous, globose; fruits sessile, thin, flat, slightly curved pods, covered with pale brown tomentum; seeds 10 - 20 per

pod. Parts used: bark Properties and uses: The bark is astringent, bitter, thermogenic, styptic,

alexeteric, anthelmintic, vulnerary, demulcent, constipating, expectorant and antipyretic. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha, bronchitis, cough, inflammation, skin diseases, leucoderma, leprosy, pruritus, erysipelas, vomiting, wounds, ulcers, diarrhoea, dysentery, internal and external haemorrhages, dental caries, oral ulcers, proctoptosis, stomatitis and intermittent fevers.

'अरिमेदो भवेद्वेलो मुखरोगरिपुर्हिमः । Therkenapa Hafferretur: que fa a ll (37.9.) ("Arimēdo bhavēdvēlo mukharogaripurhimaḥ Gödhaskandhaśca sarpāristvaksarāḥ katphalēti ca" (A.ma.)]

"इरिमेदो रिमेदश्च गोधास्कन्धो रिमेदकः । अहिमेदो हिमारश्च पूतिमेदो हिमेदकः ॥ " (रा.नि.)["Irimēdēſrimēdasca gödhāskandhoſrimēdakaḥ Ahimedojhimarasca putimedojhimedakah" (Ra.ni.)]

.

"अरिमेदः कषायोष्णो मुखदन्तगदाम्रजित् । हन्ति कण्डूविषश्ळेष्मकृमिकुष्ठविषव्रणान् ॥ (भा.प्र.) ("Arimēdaḥ kaşāyöşņo mukhadantagadāsrajit Hanti kanduvisasjesmakrmikusthavisavranan" (Bha.pra.)]

'अरिमेदः कषायोष्णस्तिक्तो भूतविनाशकः । शोफातिसारकासघ्नो विषवीसर्पनाशनः || (रा.नि.) ["Arimedaḥ kaşayoşnastikto bhūtavinasakaḥ Sophatisarakasaghno visavisarpanasanah" (Ra.ni.)]

"अरिमेदस्य निर्यासो मधुरस्तु बलप्रदः । धातुवृद्धिकरश्चैव मुनिभिः संप्रभाषितः ॥ * (नि.र.) ["Arimedasya niryāso madhurastu balapradah Dhatuvrddhikarascaiva munibhih samprabhasitab" (Ni.ra.)]

" "रिमः कटुः कषायोष्णस्तीक्ष्णो हन्ति कर्फ कृमीन् । कण्डूरक्तग्रहान् वस्तिमुखदन्तगदानपि । तत्फलं तिक्तमधुरं स्निग्धोष्णं कफवातनुत् । " (कै. नि. ) ["Rimaḥ kațuḥ kaṣāyāşmastikşņā hanti kapham krmin Kaņdūraktagrahān vastimukhadantagadanapi Tatphalam tiktamadhuram snigdhosnam kaphavatanut" (Kai.ni.)]

'इरिमेदो व्रणे पथ्यो मुखदन्तामयापहः || " (सो.नि.) ["lrimedo vrane pathyo mukhadantamayapahab" (So.ni.)]

Remarks : According to some reports, the bark of Acacia ferruginea DC. is also

used as arimēdah in some parts of India.