ACACIA (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.)BOTANYAcacia is a large umbraculiform tree growing to a height of 20 to 25 meters. Bark is rough and furrowed. Branches are widespread. Leaves are evenl bipinnate and hair underneath. !innae are " to #2 and #5 centimeters long or less. Lea$ets are #2 to #% in the upper pinnae& % to #0 in the lower ones& decreasing in si'e downward& hair beneath& with the mid(nerve diagonal& and oblong(rhomboid& #.5 to ) centimeters long. *lowers are pink& borne in dense& peduncled& a+illar& solitar& fascicled heads. *ruits are pods& straight&somewhat $esh& indehiscent& #5 to 20 centimeters long& 2 centimeters wide& with a pulp sweet mesocarp.DISTRIBUTION( ,hroughout the !hilippines in waste places along roads and trails in fallow& rice paddies& etc.( -idel planted as a shade tree.( .n some places& spontaneous.( .ntroduced here about #"%0 from tropical America.( /ow pantropic in cultivation.CONSTITUENTS0 1aponin(like alkaloid pithecolobin has been isolated from the bark and the seed. 0 Alkaloids are said to be abundant in the bark& stems& leaves& and seeds. 0 Leaves and stems have saponin and tannin2 gum from the trunk.0 !ods are rich in starch and sugar& with a fair proportion of albuminoid substances.0 Bark has no tannin. ,runk ields an inferior gum.PROPERTIES( 1lightl acidic tasting& cooling. ( Antipretic& antimicrobial& stomachic& astringent& antidermatoses& la+ative& antimalarial& sedative.PARTS UTILIZED0 3ntire plant.0 4ollect from 5a to 6ctober. 0 7inse and sun(dr.USESEdibility 5esocarp of the fruit is sweetish& sometimes eaten b children.Folkloric 0 .n the !hilippines& a decoction of the inner bark or fresh cambium and leaves is used to treat diarrhea. 0 Acute bacillar dsenter& enteritis& diarrhea8 use #5 to 90 gms dried material in decoction.0 Also for colds& sore throat& headache.0 A decoction of the inner bark or fresh cambium and leaves is used to treat diarrhea. 0 Anaphlactic dermatitis& ec'ema& skin pruritus8 use decoction of fresh material and appl as e+ternal wash.0 Late+ used as gum arabic for gluing.0 1eeds chewed for sore throat2 inner bark decoction and fresh leaves used for colds and diarrhea.0 .n !akistan infusion of leaves used as la+ative. :ecoction of inner bark usedfor diarrhea& colds& and intestinal ailments.0 .n ;amaica leaf infusion used for treating blood pressure.0 .n ,ropical Africa seeds are chewed for treating gum and throat in$ammations.0 .n !reliminar phtochemical screening and antimicrobial activit of 1amaneasaman8 A stud of the a?ueous plant e+tract on three organisms (3scherichiacoli& 1taphlococcus aureus and 4andida albicans) showed inhibitor activit against all the tested organisms. !htochemical screening revealed tannins& $avanoids& saponins& steroids& cardiac glcosides and terpenoids. ,he stud validates the use of the plant in traditional medicine. (#)> Antibacterial8 A methanol e+tract from leaves showed a highl signi@cant antibacterial activit in vitro for Aanthomonas pathovars and for human pathogenic bacteria. (9)> Larvicidal8 6f ##2 medicinal plant species collected in ,hailand& 1amanea saman (stem bark) was one of #) plants that e+hibited high to+icit to the fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegpti in preliminar screening. ())> Antio+idant8 (#) 1everal e+tracts of 1amanea saman showed the highest antio+idant potential in both :!!= and reducing power assa. (2) 1tud showed a methanolic e+tract to have radical scavenging activit with values higher than ascorbic acid. !htochemicals ielded carbohdrates& phtosterols& saponin& phenolic compounds& and tannin. (5)> Anti(,ermite8 1tud of ethanolic e+tracts of seeds and bark of Acacia collected from the Laurel *arm in Lipa cit ielded saponins& tannins& alkaloids& reducing agents ( glcosides& carbohdrates. 7esults showed termite killing activit comparable to solignum. (%)> Anti(Blcer C Bark8 1tud of bark e+tract in albino rats showed signi@cant dose(dependent antiulcer activit comparable to standard drugs. (D)> ,o+icit and ,olerance to 5etals8 .ncreased concentration of diEerent metals signi@cantl reduced germination which was more prominent for !b and 4d as compared to 4u and Fn. (#2)> Bioactivit Analsis8 Bioactivit analsis assas on he+ane (=3) and methanol (53) e+tract of leaves showed8 (#) Both had moderate bacterial activit against !. aeruginosa (2) =3 antifungal activit against *usarium solani& 53 against ,richophton longifusus (9) 4toto+icit in brine shrimp lethalit assa ()) =3 .nsecticidal activit against 7. dominica and ,. granarium.> Antimicrobial C !htochemical 1creening8 1tud of various e+tracts for antimicrobial activit against B. subtilis& 1. aureus 3. coli& !. aeruginosa and 4andida albicans. 6nl the methanol e+tract showed inhibitor activit against Bacillus subtilis and 1taphlococcus aureus. !ods C ,annins C Antimicrobial C ,ea8 1creening of n(he+ane e+tract of pods showed a moderate presence of secondar metabolites. !ods ielded the characteristic reddish brown solid tannins& which on analsis showed to be the condensed (catechol) tpe. ,annin components were canidin& catechin& epicachin& anthocanin monoglcones& delphinidine and malidin. ,annins in the ethl acetate fraction showed the highest antimicrobial activit& including4. albicans. 7esults suggest the ground pods could be a signi@cant source of natural antimicrobials and antifungals that can be used in the formulation of a novel tanninCenerg rich nutraceutical tea. (#))> Antio+idant C Antimicrobial C 4toto+ic8 1tud bark e+tracts showed good antio+idant and ctoto+ic potential of chloroform and he+ane soluble fractions and antimicrobial activit of carbon tetrachloride fraction. (#%)> .n vitro Anthelmintic Activit8 1tud of alcohol and a?ueous e+tracts of the bark of 1. saman was tested against !heretima posthuma. 7esults showed anthelmintic activit in the same concentration as albenda'ole. (#G)> .nsecticidal Activit8 1tud on insecticidal activit showed the he+ane e+tract with 50H mortalit against 7h'opeertha dominica and ,ribolium granarium. (#")> Antiemetic Activit8 A methanolic e+tract of leaves showed G%.)#H inhibition of emesis measured as reduction in number of retches in chicks. 4hlorproma'ine decreased the retches b 99.DGH. (#D)> Antimicrobial C 1permine Alkaloids C 1ick Buildings 5icrobes8 1tud of an "0H methanolic e+tract of 1amanea saman leaves ielded two known macrocclic spermine alkaloids& pithecolobines # and 2. 7esults showed the isolated compounds& especiall pithecolobine 2& might a potential plant(based formulation for management of microbes in sick enclosed buildings. (20)> Antio+idant C 6rganprotective C Leaves8 1tud evaluated the polphenol and $avonoidal contents and organprotective eEects of leaves of 1amanea saman. 7esults showed concentration dependent in vitro and in vivo antio+idant activities in all test models. 1tud also showed a G0H alcoholic e+tract of leaves possess hepatoprotective& nephroprotective and gastroprotective activities attributed to the plant polphenolic compoundsI$avonoids and tannins. (2#)> Alkaloids C Bark C Antibacterial8 1tud showed the bark of 1amanea saman to contain a high ield of alkaloid. ,he crude e+tracts and alkaloid(rich fraction e+hibited complete inhibition against 1taphlococcus aureus. (22)> Analgesic C Leaves8 1tud evaluated the analgesic eEects of methanol e+tract of leaves of 1amanea saman and !rosopis cineraria using a tail immersion test. Both e+tracts showed signi@cant analgesic eEects when compared with pethidine. (29)> Antiemetic C Leaves8 1tud evaluated the antiemetic activit of methanol e+tracts of @ve leguminous plants. All the e+tracts showed antiemetic activit& (2))> !ods as Boiler *eed8 1amanea saman is a good source of protein and energ. ,he pod meal contains a about #9.G5H protein& "D.25 to #.#G5H dr matter& 2.D" to #.%9 ether e+tract& 2.#D to #).5)H crude @ber& 0.29 to 9.2GHash and %.)) to 55.%GH nitrogen e+tract. Leaves and pods can be tapped as sources of feeds for ruminants during drought periods when feeds are scarce.(25)> Anti(:iabetic C Leaves8 1tud evaluated methanolic leaf e+tract of 1. samanfor potential anti(diabetic activit b in( vitro J(amlase inhibition and in(vivoepinephrine induced diabetic rats. 7esults showed signi@cant reduction of blood sugar levels with significant inhibition of J(amlase. (2%)> !ithecolobine C Antimcobacterial C Leaves8 A bioactive compound& pithecolobine isolated from the fraction of ethl acetate8methanol ("0820) showed remarkable antimcobacterial activit. (2G)> /ephroprotective C !olphenols C Antio+idant C Leaves8 1tud investigated ahdroalcoholic e+tract of leaves for its protective eEects on paracetamol induced renal damage in rats. 3+tract of leaves improved all the induced changes in phsical& tissue and blood parameters& together with signi@cant reversal of elevated L!6 and reduced tissue K1= level. 7esults were attributed to the presence of antio+idant principles. (2")AVAILABILITY-ild(crafted. Last Bpdate 5a 20#51ource8 http8CCwww.stuart+change.comCAcacia.html