Linn.
Family: Caesalpiniaceae, Mi- mosaceae
Habitat: Native to tropical America and the West Indies. Grown in Indian gardens.
English: Logwood, Peachwood, Compeachy tree.
Ayurvedic: Pattanga, Patraanga, Bakam (substitute). (Caesalpinia sappan is also equated with Pattanga.)
Unani: Buqqam, Bakam-Hindi.
Action: Astringent. Used for atonic dyspepsia, diarrhoea, summer diarrhoea, dysentery, internal haemorrhages, menorrhagia, leucorrhoea. (It imparts red colour to urine and stool. Incompatible with chalk or lime-water.)
The wood contains about 10% hae- matoxylon, a red-brown phenolic dye, tannins, resin and volatile oil.Haematoxylin exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in the carra- geenan-induced oedema test.The seed contains crude protein 29.1, pentosan 6.6, and water-soluble gum 3.2%.
Dr Desmartis, in a paper to The American Academy of Sciences announced that Logwood, (Haematoxylum campechianum) was an antiseptic of value in cancer. This was discovered by accident. Having under his care several cancer patients presenting ulcerative sores ‘emitting a nauseous odour’, he composed a plaster of equal parts of Extract of Logwood and hog’s lard. To his surprise, on application the fetter immediately disappeared. ... cancer – to neutralise odour
n. a colourless crystalline compound extracted from logwood (Haematoxylon campechianum) and used in various histological stains. When oxidized haematoxylin is converted to haematein, which imparts a blue colour to certain parts of cells, especially cell nuclei. Heidenhain’s iron haematoxylin is used to stain sections that are to be photographed, since it gives great clarity at high magnification.... haematoxylin
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