Senegalia catechu (L. f.) P.J.H.Hurter & Mabb. - syn.Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd.; Acacia catechuoides Wall.; Mimosa catechuoides Roxb.; Mimosa sundra Roxb. - Fabaceae \\
(black) catechu, cutchtree, black cutch, **Katechu**, Gerberakazie

Small, thorny tree, native tree to India, Birma; bark brown; leaves long petioled (15cm), pinnate; flowers yellow,small; inflorescence a axillary spike.

Acacia catechu extract, Catechu, black catechu, catechu black, cachou, Catechu nigrum: Catechu is an extract, prepared from the heartwood of Acacia catechu. Is composed chiefly of condensed oligomeric procyanidins (25-35%), catechin (2-10%) and quercetin. Extract (as tincture) has been used as astringent to treat diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding and stomatitis, also in mouthwashes.

"Tannins and other phenolic compounds have astrinegnt qualities and make the product useful in the treatment of diarrhoea. They stop bleeding and may be used as an antibiotic to treat mucosal infalmmations of the mouth and gum." \\
[Medicinal Plants of the World. Ben-Erik Van Wyk and Michael Wink, Pretoria 2004, 28]

{{:acacia_catechu.jpg?500}} \\
Kohl, F.G., Die officinellen Pflanzen der Pharmacopoea Germanica, t.113 (1891-1895) [F.G.Kohl] \\
[[http://plantgenera.org/species.php?id_species=1255616]]