Acacia

Acacia, Acacia Willd., a genus rich in species of tropical and subtropical trees, less often shrubs, from the family mimosas (Mirnosaceae), mostly with bipinnate leaves and spherical heads of small flowers. Medical significance is found in: 1) African species: A. Senegal W., A. Verek Guill. et Perr., A. vera W., and others, which produce Arabian gum (Gummi arabicum); 2) A. catechu W. (India, Ceylon), A. Sundra and A. Suma (India), from which catechu is obtained by boiling the wood; the latter is used in medicine as an astringent and hemostatic, and as a good tanning agent and dye; 3) A. farnesiana W. (India, Guiana, Algeria) - a tincture is prepared from the flowers; used as an antineuralgic; the fruits are used as an astringent and as a tanning agent; 4) A. adstringens Reise (Brazil) - the root is used as an astringent and as a tanning agent; 5) A. anthelmintica R. (Abyssinia) - from the root, Til isolated an amorphous substance similar to saponins, mussenin; the root is used in Abyssinia as an anthelmintic. The yellow A. (Caragana arborescens Lam.) and white A. (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) growing in our country belong to the legume family and have no medical significance.