Arimeda
| Section/Chapter | Herb database/Arimeda |
|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Acacia leucophloea Willd. |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Availability | Available |
| Contributors | Team Dravyaguna |
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre |
| DOI | Awaited |
Acacia leucophloea Willd., known in Ayurveda as Arimeda (Irimeda, Vidkhadira), is a moderate-sized deciduous tree characteristic of dry regions, found in the plains of Punjab and in the dry forest tracts throughout India. Its dried stem bark is the official drug part.[1]
English name
--
Therapeutic Use
Shotha (edema), Kasa (cough), Kandu (itching), Kushtha (skin diseases), Meha (urinary disorders including diabetes mellitus), Mukharoga (diseases of the mouth), Visajavrana, Atisara (diarrhoea), Visarpa (erysipelas), Pandu (anaemia), Dantaroga (dental diseases), Krimi (worm infestation), Udarda prashamana[1]
Other Varieties / Other Botanical names
- Vachellia leucophloea (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger (currently accepted name)
- Mimosa leucophloea Roxb.[2]
Synonyms in Charak Samhita
Irimeda, Vidkhadira
Ayurvedic pharmacological properties
| Sr.no. | Pharmacological criteria | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taste (rasa) | Bitter (tikta), Astringent (kashaya) |
| 2 | Potency (veerya) | Cold (sheeta) |
| 3 | Post digestion effect (vipaka) | Pungent (katu) |
| 4 | Qualities (guna) | Light (laghu), Rough (ruksha) |
| 5 | Actions (karma) | Pacify kapha and pitta |
| 6 | Special effect (prabhava) | Kusthaghna (helps in management of leprosy) |
Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions
| Sr.no. | Reference in Charak Samhita | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 4/9(43) | Sheetaprashamana mahakashaya |
| 2 | Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 4/9(48) | Sandnyasthapana mahakashaya |
| 3 | Cha.Sa.Vimana Sthana 8/144 | Kashaya-skandha |
| 4 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 26/206 | As an ingredient of Khadiradi gutika |
Dose
40 g for decoction; 3–5 g in powder form.[1]
Important Formulations
As per A.P.I.[1]
- Khadiradi Gutika (Mukharoga)
- Arimedadi Taila (for external use, i.e. Kavalagraha and Nasya)
Current availability
Available
- In India – Plains of Punjab and dry forest tracts throughout the country.[1]
- Out of India – Native to Asia (Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan); introduced into Africa (Mauritius, Tanzania) and South America (Trinidad and Tobago).[2]
Current researches
Phytochemical Composition
The following constituents are reported from the stem bark of Acacia leucophloea:
- Aliphatic alcohol: n-Hexacosanol.[1]
- Triterpene: β-Amyrin.
- Phytosterol: β-Sitosterol.
- Polyphenols: Tannin.
- Proanthocyanidin: (–)-Fisetinidol-(4α,8)-[(–)-fisetinidol-(4α,6)]-(+)-catechin, a trimeric proanthocyanidin isolated from the bark, which inhibited α-glucosidase in vitro (IC50 102.3 µM).[3]
Pharmacological Activities & Therapeutic Efficacy
Experimental studies on Acacia leucophloea, mostly on the bark, report antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antidiarrheal, bronchorelaxant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and antibacterial activities. The evidence is largely in vitro or in animals, and clinical studies are lacking.[2]
Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects
Ayurvedic correlation: Meha (API therapeutic use) and Medashoshaka karma.
- Observation: The ethanol bark extract was studied in streptozotocin–nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic rats, with glibenclamide as the standard drug.
- Scientific Evidence: The extract (200 mg/kg for 14 days) significantly reduced elevated blood glucose, and a dose of 400 mg/kg reduced raised triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL cholesterol.[4]
Antidiarrheal, Spasmolytic and Bronchorelaxant Effects
Ayurvedic correlation: Atisara and Kasa (API therapeutic uses).
- Mechanism: The methanol bark extract relaxed isolated rabbit jejunum in a pattern similar to nifedipine and dicyclomine, suggesting a calcium-channel blocking mechanism in addition to an anticholinergic effect. It also relaxed guinea-pig ileum and rabbit trachea preparations.
- Scientific Evidence: In mice the extract showed a dose-dependent protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhea.[5]
Anti-inflammatory Action
Ayurvedic correlation: Shotha (API therapeutic use).
- Mechanism: Acetone extract of the stem bark decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production and the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
- Scientific Evidence: The effect was concentration dependent (25, 50 and 75 µg/mL); the study also reported six phenolic components in the A. leucophloea bark extract.[6]
Wound Healing
Ayurvedic correlation: Kushtha, Visarpa and Visajavrana (API therapeutic uses).
- Scientific Evidence: An ointment of the ethanolic bark extract (2% and 5% w/w) was evaluated in excision and incision wound models in Wistar rats against betadine ointment as the standard, and showed marked wound healing activity with improved wound contraction and epithelialization.[7]
Antibacterial Action
Ayurvedic correlation: Mukharoga, Dantaroga and Krimi (API therapeutic uses).
- Scientific Evidence: The methanolic stem bark extract was tested by disc-diffusion and tube-dilution assays against bacterial strains, and a novel isoflavone analogue, acacianol, was isolated and studied by docking against DNA gyrase and in silico ADME-T.[8]
Safety and Dosage
- Standard Therapeutic Dosage (API): 40 g for decoction; 3–5 g in powder form.[1]
- Formal toxicity and clinical safety studies on the bark were not identified in the sources reviewed, so use within classical dosage and under professional supervision is advisable.
Summary of Therapeutic Profile
| Indication | Active Biomolecules | Primary Pharmacological Action |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes and Dyslipidemia | Trimeric proanthocyanidin (bark) | Blood glucose and lipid lowering (rats), α-glucosidase inhibition |
| Diarrhea and Respiratory Spasm | Bark extract (constituents not individually established) | Calcium-channel blockade, anticholinergic spasmolysis |
| Inflammation | Phenolic components of bark | Inhibition of NO, iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α expression |
| Wounds | Bark extract (constituents not individually established) | Improved wound contraction and epithelialization |
| Bacterial Infections | Acacianol (isoflavone analogue) | Antibacterial activity, DNA gyrase docking |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1999; Volume II:15-16
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sathasivampillai, S. V.; Rajamanoharan, P. (2021). "Bioactivities of extracts and isolated compounds of Vachellia leucophloea (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger". Bulletin of Biotechnology. 2 (1): 16–22. doi:10.51539/biotech.948394.
- ↑ Ahmed, S.; Lin, H. C.; Nizam, I.; Khan, N. A.; Lee, S. S.; Khan, N. U. (2014). "A trimeric proanthocyanidin from the bark of Acacia leucophloea Willd.". Records of Natural Products. 8 (3): 294–298.
- ↑ Madhavi, M.; Kiran, S.; Ramesh, D. (2014). "Evaluation of antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of Acacia leucophloea in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type II diabetic rats". Global Journal of Pharmacology. 8 (1): 64–72. doi:10.5829/idosi.gjp.2014.8.1.81218.
- ↑ Imran, I.; Hussain, L.; Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Janbaz, K. H.; Gilani, A. H.; De Feo, V. (2011). "Gastrointestinal and respiratory activities of Acacia leucophloea". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 138 (3): 676–682. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.019.
- ↑ Sowndhararajan, K.; Santhanam, R.; Hong, S.; Jhoo, J. W.; Kim, S. (2016). "Suppressive effects of acetone extract from the stem bark of three Acacia species on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells". Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 6 (8): 658–664. doi:10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.06.005.
- ↑ Suriyamoorthy, S.; Subramaniam, K.; Wahab, F.; Karthikeyan, G. (2012). "Evaluation of wound healing activity of Acacia leucophloea bark in rats". Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 22 (6): 1338–1343. doi:10.1590/S0102-695X2012005000121.
- ↑ Singla, R. K.; Gupta, R.; Joon, S.; Gupta, A. K.; Shen, B. (2021). "Isolation, docking and in silico ADME-T studies of acacianol: novel antibacterial isoflavone analogue isolated from Acacia leucophloea bark". Current Drug Metabolism. 22 (11): 893–904. doi:10.2174/1389200222666211005091417.