Wall. ex Bedd.Family: Combretaceae.
Habitat: Central and southern India.
English: Axle-wood, Button tree, Ghatti tree.Ayurvedic: Dhava, Dhurand- hara, Shakataahya. Indravrksha (A. acuminata Wall. ex Bedd. is a related sp. of Dhava).Unani: Dhaawaa.Siddha/Tamil: Vellaynaga.Folk: Ghatti (Gum).Action: Astringent, cooling, used in diarrhoea, dysentery, ulcers, piles, urinary disorders and dysuria. Gum—used as a tonic after delivery.
The leaves, bark and heartwood yield quinic and shikmik acids; leaves contain gallotannin (90-95% of the tannins). The young leaves and shoots contain 50% tannins (dry basis). The bark contains 12-18% tannins. Heart- wood contains gallic acid, ellagic acid, its derivatives, quercetin and myricetin.The gum is mainly the calcium salt of a complex, high molecular weight polysaccharic acid (ghattic acid). The gum is a substitute for Gum arabic.
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