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Botany
Branched, spiny shrub
or small tree, reaching a height of 2-4 meters. Zigzagging branches
are lenticellate with sharp stipular spines, 1-4 cm long; branchlet
spines are smaller. Leaves are bipinnate, 5-8 cm long. Pinnae are usually
10-12. Leaflets are linear-oblong, 15-40, fascicled, rounded and about
1 cm diameter. Flowers are numerous, yellow and fragrant. Pods are smooth,
brown, and cylindrical, 5-7 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, straight and curved.
Seeds in two series, embedded in dry spongy tissue.
Chemical
constituents and characteristics
The oil contains benzaldehyde,
benzyl alcohol, a ketone with odor of methone, anisic aldehyde,
decyclic aldehyde, and cuminic aldehyde.
Oil contains 30.9 % salycilic acid methyl ester.
Some studies suggest an alkaloid in the bark gum.
The pod contains a tannin (glucoside of ellagic acid).
The bark likewise is reported to contain a tannin; considered astringent and demulcent.
Distribution
Open grasslands and
thickets at low and medium altitudes esp. in the long dry season.
Parts utilized
Bark, flowers, leaves
Uses
Folkloric
Bark is astringent.
Decoction of bark used in treatment of rectal prolapse.
Poultice of young leaves used for ulcers and sores washed by a decoction
of same leaves.
Decoction of roots has been used in the treatment of tuberculosis.
Lotion of leaves used sores and skin afflictions.
In Martinique, the flowers used as stimulant
and antispasmodic.
In West Tropical Africa, the roots, containing
gum, is chewed for sore throat.
In India, decoction of bark with ginger
used as astringent wash for teeth; also used for bleeding gums.
Bruised tender leaves taken with water for gonorrhea.
In Uruguay, a decoction of flowers used
for diseases of women.
In Mexico, the flowers are used for headaches
and indigestion; a decoction of the green pods used for dysentery and
skin inflammations.
In Guatemala, flower infusion used as stomachic; also used for dyspepsia and neuroses.
In Columbia, bark decoction used for bathing in typhoid.
In Costa Rica, decoction of gum from trunk used for diarrhea; the pod infusion for diarrhea, leucorrhea and uterorrhagia.
Elsewhere, decoction of root used in hot baths for stomach cancer. Plaster from pulp used to alleviate tumors.
Others
Gum arabic: Bark exudes a gum similar
to gum arabic.
Perfume: Cassie perfume used for boquets and hair pomades.
Toothbrush: Woody branches used in India as tooth brushes.
Tanning: The tannin-rich bark is used for tanning leather.
Dye: A black dye is obtained from the pods.
Feed: In Mexico, the pods studied as alternate
feed for sheep. source
Studies
• Antiinflammatory / Cytotoxicity:
Study yielded four new diterpenes–acasiane
B, farnesirane A, farnesirane B with three known diterpenes and eight
flavonboids. Some of the compounds exhibited cytotoxicity to human cancer
cell lines while some showed moderate antiinflammatory activity.
• Vibrio cholera
inhibition: Study of 32 medicinal plants showed the ethanolic
extracts of A farnesiana and Artemisia ludoviciana effectively inhibited
bacterial growth of Cholera vibrio strains, effects on enterotoxin production
and adhesion were also studied.
• Natural Herbicide: In a study screening 6 potentially
allelopathic plant species, the seed extract of A. farnesiana exhibited
32% inhibition of growth of L. aequinoctialis.
• Antiinflammatory: (1) A study of 14 plants of the Mexican
medicinal flora was studied for its antiinflammatory activity. Acacia
farnesiana plant extract showed activity against induced hind-paw edema. (2) Study of ethanolic extract showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in both carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet-induced granulation models.
• Antimalarial: In a study of 10 vegetal extracts,
eight including Acacia farnesiana showed good activity against Plasmodium
falcifarum.
• Essential Oil / Antifungal: Study showed the essential oil of cassia flower was able to inhibit the mycelium growth and spore formation of A brassicola, A flavus, B oryzae, F moniliforme, F proliferatum, P arisea and R solani, indicating its potential as an alternative source of synthetic fungicides to control pathogenic fungi.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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