Matheran forest tree - Shikakai - Acacia Concinna
www.sbepl.com/acacia-concinna-shikakai.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_concinna
ACACIA CONCINNA [SHIKAKAI]
Common Name : Shikakai
Plant Parts Used : Bark, Leaves, Pods
Description of Acacia Concinna :
A common, prickly, scandent shrub, occuring in tropical jungles
throughout India, especially in the Deccan. Leaves bipinnate; flowers
in yellow, globose, anxillary heads; pods brown, wrinkled and notched
when dry; seeds 6-10 in a pod.
Characteristics and Constituents :
The bark contains saponin, which on hydrolysis yields lupeol,
(-spinasterol and acacic acid lactone. The sugars identified are
glucose, arabinose and rhamnose. It also contains hexacosanol and (-
spinasterone. The saponin of bark shows spermicidal activity against
human semen (Banerji and Nigam, J Indian chem Soc., 1980, 57, 1043;
Banerji et al, Indian Drugs, 1979 - 80, 17,6). The tender leaves,
which are acidic, are used in chutneys. The leaves contain oxalic,
tartaric, citric, succinic and ascorbic acids. They also contain two
alkaloids calyctomine (C12H17O3N, m.p. 138-140oC) and nicotine,
besides rutin and an enzyme tartaric racimase.A new triterpenoid
saponin (C36H48O5, m.p. 295oC) having the basic skeleton of oleanolic
acid.
Other constituents present in the leaves are tannins, amino acids and proteins (Gupta & Nigam, Planta med, 1970-71,19,55).
Actions and Uses :
An infusion of the leaves is used in malarial fever. A decoction of
the pods relieves biliousness and acts as a purgative. It is used to
remove dandruff. An ointment, prepared from the ground pods, is good
for skin diseases. The pods, known as Shikai or Shikakai, are
extensively used as an detergent, and the dry ones are powdered and
perfumed, and sold in the market as soapnut powder. The pods are
reported to be used in north Bengal for poisoning fish. [Nathawat and
Deshpande, loc. Cit.; Nadkarni, I, 16; Bhatnagar et al, J Res Indian
Med, 1973, 8(2), 67].
Comments and faves
egle_k. (34 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Medicinal, Aromatic and Wild (or rare) Edible Plants, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
This photo was invited and added to the Medicinal, Aromatic and Wild (or rare) Edible Plants group.
debibunting added this photo to their favorites. (27 months ago)
pranava2011 (18 months ago | reply)
thanx good photos.can i get some photos of shikakai,Please?