CATECHU TREE (Acacia catechu Wild)

The catechu tree is medium sized, growing to a height of 9-12 meters.  It has a rough, dark trunk with many spiny branches.  It belongs to the plant family Mimosaceae.  The compound leaves are 8-10 cm. long with 30-50 leaflets arranged in pairs.  The flowers are very small, yellow in color and clustered on spikes that are 5-10 cm. long.  The is a legume, 5-10 cm. long, thin, shiny and light grey in color when mature.  The pod contains 5-8 round seeds.

Medicinal use

·         Healing wounds and dental conditions.

·         Cough and hoarseness of voice.

·         Leprosy.

·         Pharyngeal ulcers and oral hygiene.

·         Anorexia, diarrhea and intestinal parasites.

·         Oedema.

·         Diabetes.

·         Skin disease.

·         Chronic fever

·         Spleen enlargement.

How to use

·         The powdered back is applied over  wounds and it is also rubbed on the gums and teeth for dental conditions.

·         A tablespoon of the powdered back in the warm water makes a good gargle to control cough and hoarseness of voice.

·         To control the early stages of leprosy, bathing with a decoction of the bark is advised.

·         The same decoction is used as a gargle for oral hygiene and pharyngeal ulcers.

·         For anorexia or self-induced starvation, diarrhea and intestinal parasites take the normal decoction of the bark.

·         The same decoction of the bark is also used to take care of the last 5 ailments listed under Medicinal Use

Parts used

The Bark

Dose

Normal