Acacia nilotica

Fabaceae

Commonly known as babul; Other names are “Kikar”, “Acacia Arabica”, and “Babool”

Species of this plant grow in Asia, Australia, Africa and America. Occurring on soils with a high clay content and sandy loams providing there is sufficient moisture, waterways and seasonally flooded plains including saline areas.

The pods and leaves.

It is a plant with an umbrella formed crown with low branches, which are often scattered. It grows to a height of 3 to 5 meters.

• This plant has bioactive components such as gallic, eleagic acid, isoquercetin, leucocianidolum, Kaempferol 3, 7-diglucoside, glucopyranoside, rutin, derivatives of (+)-catechin-5-gallate, apigenin-6, 8-bis-C-glucopyranoside, m-catechol and their derivatives.
• It has been demonstrated that different parts of the A. nilotica have tannins, stearic acid, ascorbic acid, carotene, protein, fiber, arabin, Ca, Mg and selenium.

An exhaustive survey of literature has revealed that tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, fatty acids and polysaccharides (gums) constitute major classes of phytoconstituents of this plant.

It is an important ornamental and medicinal plant of tropical and sub-tropical regions.

• This plant has anti-microbial, anti-plasmodial and antioxidant activity and used for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and cancer. It is useful for treatment of venereal diseases, nausea, burns and wounds, stomachache and diarrhea.
• Boiled leaf extract used for curing chest pain or pneumonia, powerlessness and chest illnesses, fever, malaria, headache, coughs, painful joints, backache, stomach ulcers are among many other medicinal uses of this plant.
• The fresh pods are effective in sexual disorders such as spermatorrhoea, loss of viscidity of sperm and recurrent night discharges. Acacia nilotica is beneficial to prevent of premature ejaculation, relieve irritation in acute gonorrhea and leucorrhoea, urine-genital disorder such as pelvic prolapse.
• Plants contain tannins and steroids were effective in improving POP and vaginal relaxation syndrome (VRS).
• Some studies and documents were shown the effectiveness of A. nilotica in decreasing the pelvic prolapse, and in improving the quality of life that women suffering from this disease, and it is useful to drive back the uterus and anus when they come out.