irimeda

Irimeda (Acacia farnesiana) is an ethnomedicinal ayurvedic plant. It is widely used in traditional medicines to treat various oral and mouth problems, relaxing muscles and balances tridoshas. Also, in modern medicine, various properties of Irimeda are discovered such as Antidysenterica, Antiulcer, Antidiabetics, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, antioxidant etc. It is also used in biofuel production.

Vernacular Names

Hindi – Irimeda, Arimeda
English – Sweet Acacia, The cassie flower, Needle bush
Malaysia – Bunga siam
Gujarati – Ganthalo khar
Bengali – Guyababla
Marathi – Gikikar
China – Ya zo shu pi

Taxonomical Classification

Kingdom
Plantae

Order
Fabales

Family
Fabaceae

Sub-Family
Mimosaceae

Genus
Acacia

Species
A.farnesiana

Phylum
Spermatophyta

Class
Dicotyledonae

Habitat

Irimeda is a tropical and subtropical species, found in places where the annual mean temperature range is 15°-30°C. It is a versatile, drought-hardy species, and grows on a wide range of well drained soils. It is a full sunlight shrub and it survives in the fires and regrows from its basal roots. It is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent as also in tropical Africa, Burma, Srilanka.

Chemical Composition

Irimeda has various phytochemicals due to these compounds, it shows a variety of pharmacognostic activities. These are:

Part of the Plant	Phytonutrients	Properties
Leaves	Diterpenoids, aromadendrin, Lipids. Carotenoids, reducing and nonreducing sugars.	Anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetics, demulcent.
Bark	Polyphenols: gallic acid, ellagic acid, digallic acid, Kaempferol, atomadendrin and naringenin and rutin.	Demulcent, antidysenteric, anti-inflammatory, stomatitis, ulcers, swollen gums, dental caries, skin diseases, anti-tubercular, antiseptic.
Flowers	Volatile compounds: methyl salicylate, anisaldehyde, geraniol, benzaldehyde.	Muscle relaxant, anthelmintic, cardiac depressant, sedative, anti-oxidant.
Seeds	Rich in amino acid: lysine, arginine,glycine, methionine.	Clotting agent, Anti-inflammatory.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa (Taste) – Kashya (astringent), tikta (bitter)
Guna (Quality) – Laghu (light to digest), Ruksha (dry)
Vipaka(after digestion) – Katu(pungent)
Effect Of Tridosha – Kapha pitta shamak (reduces the vitiated kapha and pitta dosha)

Practical Uses

Irimeda is a valuable multipurpose species and all parts of the shrub can be used. Their uses are following:

In conventional medicines, bark is used to treat cough and acts as an astringent.
In past times, women who give birth used cassia flower as an emetic
In the Philippines, it is used as an injection to treat leucorrhoea.
For sore throat, the roots are chewed, and decoction of them is used to treat tuberculosis.
To treat gonorrhea and bladder ailments, the delicate leaves are crushed with little water and ten consumed.
Blossoms are used as a stimulant and an antispasmodic.
Green fruit is extremely astringent and used in a decoction to treat inflammation.
Decoction of bark is used to treat diarrhea.
The paste of seeds is used to control bleeding from wounds.
Bark and pods are useful for dyeing and tannins.
The flowers have essential oils which are used in perfumes.
The leaves and pods are palatable to livestock.