Linn.
Family: Rubiaceae.
Habitat: Grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
English: Arabian coffee.
Unani: Kahvaa.
Siddha/Tamil: Kaapi, Bannu.
Action: Diuretic, antinarcotic, psychotropic agent, direct heart stimulant (raises blood pressure). Neutralizes therapeutic effects of many herbs; potentiates the action of aspirin and paracetamol; depletes the body of B-vitamins. Charcoal of the outer seed parts—astringent, absorbent.
Key application: Powdered coffee charcoal—in nonspecific, acute diarrhoea; local therapy of mild inflammation of oral and pharyngeal mucosa (average daily dose 9 g). (German Commission E.)According to WHO, coffee drinking is not responsible for breast cancer and may protect against cancer of colon and rectum. Caffeic and chlorogenic acids in coffee act as anticarcinogens.Bronchial asthma is less frequent among coffee drinkers due to caffeine and theophylline.The aroma components include several furfuryl methyl mercaptan derivatives. Coffee extracts yielded organic acids. Atractyloside, several sterols and acids, as well as alkaloids, have been reported. Caffeine is the major alkaloid of coffee. One cup of coffee contains approx. 60-120 mg caffeine; other active constituents include chlorogenic acid, caffeol and diterpenes.Chlorogenic acid in coffee might inhibit glucose-6-phosphatase, which might lower hepatic glucose production caffeine seems to stimulate pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)
Willd. var. indica Benth.
Synonym: A. nilotica (Linn.) Delile subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan.
Family: Mimosaceae.
Habitat: Throughout the drier parts of India.
English: Babul, Black Babul, Indian Gum arabic tree.
Ayurvedic: Babbuula, Babbuuri, Baavari, Aabhaa, Shuulikaa, Shitaka, Kinkiraata, Yugmakantaka, Sukshmapatra, Pitapushpaka.
Unani: Aqaaqia, Babuul, Kikar, Mughilaan, Samur.
Siddha/Tamil: Karu-velamaram, Karuvelei. Velampisin (gum).
Action: Stembark—astringent, spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic. Gum—demulcent (soothing agent for inflammatory conditions of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts). Pods—used in urogenital disorders. Seeds—hypoglycaemic in normal rats; no such effect in diabetic rats. Seed oil—antifungal. Flowers, pods and gum resin—used in diarrhoea and dysentery.
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of stembark in acute diarrhoea and helminthiasis.Tannin contents of the bark varies considerably (12-20%). Several poly- phenolic compounds have been reported in the bark, also in the pods. The whole pod contains 12-19% tannins and 18-27% after the removal of seeds.The seeds of A. benthamii, A. nilotica ssp. subulata, probably same as ssp. indica, are considered hypoglycaemic. Some seed components stimulate insulin secretion by beta cells.The gum contains galactose; l-ara- binose, l-rhamnose and aldobiouronic acids, also arabinobioses.The flowers contain flavonoids— kaempferol-3-glucoside, iso-quercitrin and leucocyanidin.
Dosage: Stembark—20-30 g for decoction. (API Vol. I.)... acacia arabica
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