CATECHU Acacia catechu
Mimosaceae
San:Khadirah; Hin:Khair, Khaira; Ben: Kuth; Mal: Karingali; Tam: Karunkali;
Tel: Sandra, Khandiramu; Kan: Kaggali
Importance
Catechu is a medium deciduous tree commonly used as a blood purifier and for
leoprosy and leucoderma. Catechu or Cutch tree bark is useful in melancholia, conjunctivitis
and haemoptysis. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, catarrh, cough, pruritus,
leprosy, leucoderma, skin diseases, helminthiasis, anorexia, diarrhoea, dysentery, foul ulcers
and wounds, haemoptysis, haematemesis, haemorrhages, intermittent fever, inflammations,
odontopathy, anaemia, diabetes, splenomegaly and pharyngodyna. The gummy extract of the
wood (kath) is useful in laryngopathy, flatulence, anorexia, ulcers, wounds, helminthiasis,
leucoderma, leoprosy, skin diseases, urorrhea, colporrhagia, erysipelas and odontopathy. For
leprosy, root, leaf, flower, bark and fruits are made into a decoction which is given orally as
well as for external dressing. In Unani system it is used in “Marham Kharish Jadid” for skin
diseases. “Khadirarisht” is an oral medicine, while “Marham” is for external application.
Distribution
It is widely distributed in tropical countries. In India, it is observed from the Indus
eastwards to Assam and throughout Peninsular India.
Botany
The genus Acacia belonging to the family Mimosaceae consists of a number of
species. The important ones are listed as below:
A. catechu Willd.
A. caesia Willd.
A. arabica Willd.
A. concinna DC.
A. farnesiana Willd.
A. ferruginea DC.
A. instia W. & A. syn. A. caesia Willd.
A. jacquemontii Benth.
A. leucophloea Willd.
A. modesta Wall.
A. pinnata (Linn.) Willd.
A. pycnantha Benth.
A. senegal Willd.
A. suma Buch-Ham. syn. A. suma Kurz.
A. catechu is a moderate sized deciduous tree, 9-12m in height with dark greyish or
brown rough bark and hooked short spines. Leaves are bipinnately compound, leaflets 30- 50
pairs, main rachis pubescent with a large conspicuous gland near the middle of the rachis.
Flowers are pale yellow, sessile in peduncled axiallary spikes. Fruits are flat brown pods,
shiny and with a triangular beak at the apex and narrowed at the base. Seeds are 3-10 per pod.
The gummy extract of the wood is commercially known as ‘ Kath’ or ‘Cutch’. The
cutch available in the market is brittle, of different shapes and dark brown in colour. On
breaking, it is found to be shiny and form crystal like pieces (Warrier et al, 1993).
Agrotechnology
Catechu is suited to hilly areas and rocky places. The plant is propagated by seeds.
Seeds are soaked in water for 6 hours and sown in seedbeds. Seeds germinate within a month.
At four-leaf stage, seedlings are planted in polybags. Two months old seedlings from the
polybags are used for transplanting. Pits of size 50cm cube are taken at a distance of 4-5m
between plants and filled with topsoil, sand and dried cowdung in 1:1:1 ratio. Seedlings are
planted in these pits. Application of organic manure every year during the rainy season is
beneficial. Regular weeding is to be carried out. Pruning of branches and tender shoots