Acacia is a tree from the legume genus (Fabaceae), which has a dense dark crown. Other names: Common robinia, pseudoacacia, pea tree, caragan.
Description:
White acacia is a tree 25-30 meters high, approximately 12 meters. Trunk diameter up to 0.8 m, covered with black bark with grooves. Leaves 10-25 cm long, consist of 4-8 pairs of light green oblong oval leaflets, pointed at the ends, 1.5 – 3 cm long. Each leaf, as a rule, has a pair of short spines (modified leaves) up to 1.5 cm long. Numerous large fragrant flowers of white or pinkish color are collected in a brush up to 17 cm long. The fruit is an oblong pod 5-10 cm long, containing 4-10 dark-colored seeds. Acacia blooms from May to June, the fruit ripens by September and can hang on the tree all winter. Seeds, bark and roots of the tree are poisonous! It is bred in Russia, the Caucasus, the Far East, and Central Asia. The homeland of the plant is considered to be North America, where it is widely distributed.
Contains active substances:
Acacia flowers contain an essential oil, the components of which are esters of salicylic acid, anthranolic acid methyl ester, heliotropin, linalool, terpineol, as well as flavonoids: robinin, etc. The bark of the plant contains poisonous toxalbumin robin.
Workpiece:
Harvesting should be carried out from May to June during the flowering of acacia. As a medicinal raw material, flowers are used, collected during flowering in a half-blown state. After picking, the flowers should be dried in a well-ventilated place, under a shade shelter or in a dryer at 40-50°C, spreading in a thin layer and turning from time to time.
Medicinal use:
In folk medicine, the bark of young trees is used for exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. In some states (Germany), alcohol tincture is used to treat diseases of the stomach and hyperacidity. Cooked alcohol tincture from the leaves or young shoots of acacia helps with exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. A decoction or infusion is prepared from the flowers, which helps with kidney disease and bladder. With rheumatism, a tincture made from acacia flowers is effective. Also, the flowers are used as an antipyretic, expectorant and antispasmodic.
Cooking:
♦ Bark decoction: Place half a tablespoon of crushed bark in a clean vessel (pot), then pour 500 ml of cold water and boil for 20 minutes. Do not let the broth cool down – strain and bring the volume to the original boiled water. It is necessary to take in small portions within 2 days. ♦ Alcohol tincture from leaves/young shoots: pour leaves and shoots with 40% alcohol, keeping the ratio 1:10. Keep the tincture for 15 days, shaking from time to time. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times daily before meals. ♦ Infusion of flowers: pour 10 g of acacia flowers into 200 ml of boiling water, rise until it cools naturally, then strain. ♦ Decoction of flowers:Place 1 tablespoon of fresh or dried flowers in a clean bowl and pour 500 ml of cold water, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, then cool and strain. Dilute the broth with water, bringing the volume to the original. It will be necessary to take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times every day before meals. ♦ Alcohol tincture of flowers: Fill the flowers with alcohol or vodka. Place the vessel with the tincture in the sun (on the window) and let it brew for 2 weeks. Apply the tincture externally.
Side effects:
Use caution when taking drugs internally from acacia bark, which in turn is poisonous.