Medicinal plant No 8

Acacia nilotica (Linn.) Willd.ex Del. ssp. indica (Benth.) Brenan (A.arabica auct.non(Lam.) Willd.) Mimosaceae (बब्बुल-कुलम्)

Eng : Babul, Black babool, Indian gum arabic tree Hin : Babul, Bābur (aa, aig) Kan : Karijali, Baunijali (FONŮ. 23) Mal : Karivēlam (Docjelo) San : Barburaḥ, Vāvari (acht, arat) Tam : Karuvēlam, Karuvēl (1) Comu, 1 Caja) Tel : Nallatumma (Syšo.32)

Distribution: Throughout India, in deciduous forests, also cultivated The plant: A moderate sized tree upto 10 m in height with dark brown or

black longitudinally fissured rough bark and reddish brown heartwood, branchlets slender, pubescent when young; leaves bipinnately compound, main rachis downy, often with glands, stipular spines highly variable, often whitish, straight and sharp, pinnae 4 - 9 pairs, leaflets subsessile, 10 - 25 pairs, nearly glabrous; flowers golden yellow in globose heads, peduncles axillary in fascicles of 2 - 6; fruits stalked, compressed, moniliform pods with constrictions between the seeds; seeds 8–12 per pod.

The 'gum' (gum Arabic) exudes from cuts in the bark in the form of rounded or ovoid 'tears', each drop about 1.25 cm in size. Its

colour varies from pale yellow to black. Parts used: bark, gum Properties and uses: The bark is astringent, acrid, cooling, styptic,

emollient, vulnerary, anthelmintic, constipating, depurative, aphrodisiac, diuretic, expectorant, alexeteric, emetic and nutritive. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, haemorrhages, wounds, ulcers, helminthiasis, ascites, chronic dysentery, diarrhoea, leprosy, leucoderma, skin diseases, burning sensation, strangury, cough, bronchitis, leucorrhoea, haemorrhoids, proctoptosis, seminal weakness, pharyngodynia, uterovesical disorders, oral ulcers and odontopathy.

The gum is sweet, astringent, cooling, emollient, expectorant, constipating, liver tonic, aphrodisiac, haemostatic, antipyretic and tonic. It is useful in vitiated conditions of vāta and pitta, cough, asthma, diarrhoea, dysentery, seminal weakness, haemorrhages,leprosy, pharyngodynia, pneumonosis, haemorrhoids, urinogenital discharges, burns, colic, intermittent fevers and general debility.

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'बबूलः किङ्किरातः स्यात् किङ्कराटः सपीतकः । स एव कथितस्त राभा षड्पदमोदिनी । (भा. प्र.) ("Babūlah kinkirātaḥ syāt kinkarātaḥ sapitakaḥ Sa ēva kathitastajñairābhā șațpadamodini" (Bhā.pra.)]

।

बबुरो युगळाक्षश्च कण्टालुस्तीक्ष्णकण्टकः । गोश्रृंगः पङ्क्तिबीजश्च दीर्घकण्टः कफान्तकः दृढबीजः श्वासभक्ष्यो ज्ञेयश्चेति दशाह्वयः । (रा.नि.) ["Barburo yugaļākşaśca kaņķālustikşnakanțakaḥ Gośrmgah panktibījaśca dirghakanțaḥ kaphāntakaḥ Drdhabijah svasabhaksyojneyasceti dasanvayan" (Ra.ni.)]

बबूलः कफनुद् ग्राही कुष्ठकृमिविषापहः । (भा.प्र.) ["Babulah kaphanud grahi kusthakrmivisapahan" (Bha.pra.)]

बब्दुलस्तु कषायोष्णः कफकासामयापहः । आमरक्तातिसारघ्नः पित्तदाहार्त्तिनाशनः || बब्बुलस्य फलं रूक्षं विशदं स्तंभनं गुरु । बबूलपत्रं संग्राहि पुरुषव्याधिकासजित् ।। रुच्यं कटूष्णं दुर्नामकफमारुतनाशनम् । (कै. नि.) ("Babbulastu kaşayoṣṇaḥ kaphakāsāmayāpahali Amaraktatisāraghnah pittadāhārttinasanah Babbulasya phalam rūkşam visada stambhanam guru Babülapatram samgrāhi puruṣavyādhikäsajit Rucyam katusnam durmamakaphamarutanasanam" (Kai.ni.)]

'बब्बुलस्य तु निर्यासो ग्राही पित्तानिलापहः । रक्तातिसारपित्तासमेहप्रदरनाशनः ॥ भग्नसंधानकः शीतः शोणितस्रुतिवारणः । (आ.वि.) ["Babbulasya tu niryaso grahi pittäniläpahah Raktātisarapittassamēhapradaranasanah Bhagnasamdhanakah sitah sonitasrutivaranah" (A.vi.)]

'बर्बुरस्तु कषायोष्णः कफकासामयापहः । आमरक्तातिसारघ्नः पित्तदाहार्त्तिनाशनः ।। (रा.नि.) ["Barburastu kaşāyāṣṇaḥ kaphakāsāmayāpahaḥ Amaraktatisaraghnah pittadahartinasanah (Ra.ni.)]

'बब्बूलो व्रणकर्णास्यनाडीघ्नः कफहृत् सरः ।कुष्ठघ्नश्च फलं तस्य भेदनं कृमिनाशनम् ॥ (सो.नि.) ("Babbulo vſaņakarņāsyanāļighnaḥ kaphahrt sarah Kusthaghnasca phalam tasya bhedanam krminasanam" (So.ni.)]

बब्बूलस्तिक्तमधुरः स्निग्धः शीतोष्णतूवरः । आमरक्तातिसाराणां नाशनो ग्राहको मतः ।। कर्फ कासं च पित्तं च दाहं रक्तातिसारकम् । वातं प्रमेहं शमयेत् पर्णन्तु ग्राहकं मतम् ।। रुच्यं कटूष्णकासनं वातपुंस्त्वकफार्शनुत् । बब्बूलस्य फलं रूक्षं विशदं स्तंभनं गुरु ॥ कषायं मधुरं शीतं लेखनं कफपितत्तहत् । (नि.र.) ["Babbūlastiktamadhuraḥ snigdhaḥ śitoşnatūvaraḥ Āmaraktātisarāņām nāšano grahako mataḥ Kapham kāsam ca pittam ca dāham raktātisārakam Vātam pramēham samayēt paſſantu grāhakam matam Rucyam kațūşnakasaghnam vātapumstvakaphāršanut Babbulasya phalam rūkşam visadam stambhanam guru Kasayam madhuram sitam lekhanam kaphapittahrt" (Ni.ra.)]