Popular names: false acacia robinia, pea tree, caragan.
WHITE ACACIA (Acacia alba L., Robinia pseudoacacia L.)Tree of the legume family (Fabaceae), up to 25-30 m (about 12 m) in height, with a spreading crown, thick, dark, deeply furrowed bark. Acacia white has a very powerful root system, the roots of which penetrate to a depth of 20 meters or more. The leaves are pinnate, on short petioles, which in the direction of the branch are modified into cartilaginous false sheaths. The leaf is from 4 to 8 pairs of elliptical, light green, soft, entire leaflets. Thorns (modified leaves) – strong, woody, with a very sharp end, sickle-shaped. The flowers are numerous, fragrant, white, large, in drooping racemes. The fruit is a flat bean up to 10 cm long, with dark seeds. Blossoms in May – June, the fruits ripen in September and remain hanging on the tree all winter. Life expectancy – up to 50 years or more. Grows along roadsides, in gardens and parks. The plant is poisonous (seeds, bark, roots)! Homeland – North America, where it is found in the northeastern and northern states from Pennsylvania to Dakota, Iowa, Montana and Oklahoma. In 1804, the seeds of this plant were first planted in Russia, in 1813 it appeared in the Crimea in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.
COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
Medicinal raw materials are white acacia flowers, which are collected at the beginning of flowering in a half-blown state. Dried in the shade under a canopy, in a well-ventilated room or in dryers at a temperature of 40-50 ° C, scattering in a thin layer and often turning over. The bark and leaves are collected throughout the growing season.
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
When studying the pharmacological properties of products prepared on the basis of robinin, their pronounced diuretic and hypoazotemic effect was revealed.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Bark (of young trees). In folk medicine, a decoction is used for exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. In Bulgaria and Germany, alcohol tincture – with increased acidity of gastric juice and other diseases of the stomach. It has the same application in homeopathy. Leaves, young shoots. In folk medicine, tincture – with exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Flowers. In folk medicine, infusion, decoction – for diseases of the kidneys and bladder. Tincture externally – for rheumatism. White acacia flowers are used in a mixture with bearberry leaves, common tansy flowers, blue cornflower flowers, licorice root (as a diuretic collection). In Bulgaria, the infusion is used as an expectorant and antipyretic.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
♦ Decoction of acacia bark: 1/2 tablespoon of crushed raw material is poured into 500 ml of water, boiled for 20 minutes, filtered hot and brought to the initial volume with boiled water. Take in small portions for 2 days. With good tolerance, you can drink throughout the day, preferably in a warm form.♦ Tincture of leaves and young shoots of acacia: raw materials insist on 40% alcohol in a ratio of 1:10, keeping for 15 days, shaking occasionally. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times every day before meals.♦ Infusion of acacia flowers: 10 g of raw material is poured into 200 ml of boiling water, insisted, then filtered.♦ Decoction of acacia flowers: 1 tablespoon of fresh or dried raw material is poured into 500 ml of water, boiled for 3 minutes , filter and bring the volume to the original. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times daily before meals.♦ Acacia flower tincture: raw materials are poured with alcohol or vodka and insisted for 2 weeks in the sun. Applied externally. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: for internal use of medicinal forms (seeds, bark, roots), care should be taken due to toxicity. Acute poisoning, which is accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache or drowsiness, can also occur during the harvesting of wood. * Horses are especially sensitive to acacia alkaloids. When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). CONTRAINDICATIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: for internal use of medicinal forms (seeds, bark, roots), care should be taken due to toxicity. Acute poisoning, which is accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache or drowsiness, can also occur during the harvesting of wood. * Horses are especially sensitive to acacia alkaloids. When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). CONTRAINDICATIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: for internal use of medicinal forms (seeds, bark, roots), care should be taken due to toxicity. Acute poisoning, which is accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache or drowsiness, can also occur during the harvesting of wood. * Horses are especially sensitive to acacia alkaloids. When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). roots) care must be taken due to toxicity. Acute poisoning, which is accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache or drowsiness, can also occur during the harvesting of wood. * Horses are especially sensitive to acacia alkaloids. When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). roots) care must be taken due to toxicity. Acute poisoning, which is accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, headache or drowsiness, can also occur during the harvesting of wood. * Horses are especially sensitive to acacia alkaloids. When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents). When poisoned, animals show severe pain in the abdomen. They have a powerful excitation, trembling, convulsions, weakness of cardiac activity. First aid consists in gastric lavage, the appointment of adsorbing agents, the use of symptomatic treatment (stimulating, cardiac and other agents).
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
It is used in the food, paint and varnish industry and in perfumery. The leaves are fodder for livestock. Parquet made of white acacia wood is not inferior in quality to oak. It is widely used in landscape gardening construction as an ornamental and fragrant plant. Suitable for field-protective plantings, fixing ravines, slopes, banks. Excellent honey plant. The largest amount of nectar is released in the morning at a temperature of 18-24°C. The flower secretes nectar for 3-4 days. In the nectar of one flower – up to 2 mg of sugar. A strong bee family can collect up to 8 kg of honey from one tree. Acacia honey is very light, transparent, crystallizes very slowly. In Ukraine, white acacia produces up to 600-800 kg of honey per hectare.