Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Albizia lebbeck (L.) BENTH


English Name : Siris Tree, East indian walnut, Kokko

Family : Mimosaceae

Origin : Tropical Asia

Description
Deciduous tree to 30 m tall, with a dense shade-producing crown. Bark smooth, light whitish or greenish gray. Leaves alternate, twice compound, with 2 to 4 pairs of pinnate pinnae, each with 4 to 10 pairs of leaflets, the ultimate leaflets entire, arcuate, oblong. Flowers white, with greenish stamens, in clusters resembling a white powder puff. Pods flat, reddish brown, several seeds, often rattling in the breeze.

Habitat
Forests and along roads; subHimalayan tract, extending to West Bengal; also in Nicobar, Andaman and southern and central India.

Parts Used : Root, flower, pod and stem bark

Herb Effects
Astringent, tonic, antileprotic and anthelmintic (stem bark); alleviates spasms and stimulates the cardiovasular system (root); hypoglycemic (stem bark and pod); anticancer and spermicidal (root and pod); antiprotozoal (pod).

Active Ingredients
Lebbekanins, albigenim and albigenic and olenic acids (plant).

Medicinal Use
For boils (flower); in leprosy, asthma, skin diseases, leucoderma, sprains, wounds, neuralgia, nightblindness, diarrhoea (stem bark).

Dosage
1:2 liquid extract: 3–6 ml/day

Reference

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