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| Latin Names |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Hindi Name |
Acacia sinuata
(Lour.) /
A.concinna DC.
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Soap Nut |
Saptala |
Shikakai |
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| History |
The pods are
considered,by native practitioners, as a valuable medicine.
It is commonly ordered in cases of jaundice and other biliary
derangement's, and is used by Indians for washing their hair.
It is also noticed that the pods are used by Hindus for making
sectarian marks on the forehead. The leaves are used as an acid
ingredient instead of tamarind. The bark is used in tanning.
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| Habitat |
It grows in
the tropical jungles of India, especially in the Deccan region.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
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It is a common, prickly, scandent shrub or thorny climber. Leaves
are bipinnate. Yellow flowers are borne in globose and axillary
heads. The pods are brown, wrinkled and notched when dry. Seeds
are 6-10 in a pod.
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| Principal
Constituents |
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Saponins, the major constituent in the fruit, is the mixture of
Acacinin A, Acacinin B1, Acacinin C, Acacinin D and Acacinin
E2.
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| Toxicology |
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There is no adverse effect reported on continuous usage of this
plant.
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| Indications |
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The pods known as Shikai or Shikakai, are extensively used as a
detergent, and the dry ones are powdered, perfumed and sold in the
market as soap nut powder.
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| Product
Range |
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Protein Shampoo for normal hair.
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| References |
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Journal of Indian Chem. Soc., 1973, 50. 544; Indian J. Chem.,
1976, 14B, 228.
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J. Indian Chem. Soc., 1976, 53, 153.
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