Acacia senegal Willd.

Synonym:

A. verek Guillem and Perr.

Family:

Mimosaceae.

Habitat:

Native to Sudan. Cultivated in dry parts of western India.

English:

Gum arabic tree.

Ayurvedic:

Shveta Babbuula.

Action:

The tree yields the true Gum arabic of commerce. Mucilaginous, demulcent, emulsifying agent. Used as an ingredient in compounds for treatment of diarrhoea, catarrh. Bechic, antihaemorrhagic, anti-inflammatory. Stembark—anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic. Root—used for dysentery and urinary discharges.

The gum consists mainly of arabin. It is the salt of an organic acid, arabic acid, with metals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium.

The stembark gives octacosanol, beta-amyrin, uvaol, beta-stosterol and its glucoside and erthrodiol. An alkaloid, dimethyltryptamine has been isolated from the leaves.