Albizia lebbeck (Linn.) Willd.
Family Mimosaceae.
Habitat All over India, from the
plains up to 900 m in the Himalayas; also in the Andamans.
English Sins tree, East Indian walnut.
Ayurvedic Shirisha, Bhandi, Bhandila, Shitapushpa, Mridupushpa, Kapitana (bark—dusty black).
Unani s Siras.
Siddha/Tamil Vaagei.
Action Antiseptic, antibacterial, antiallergic, antidermatosis, antidysenteric. Bark—used in bronchitis; bark and seeds in piles; root in hemicrania; flowers in cough, bronchitis, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, and asthma. Pod— antiprotozoal.
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of stembark in rhinitis, sinusitis and migraine.
Analysis of the plant revealed the presence of flavonoids, triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins; oleanolic acid, albigenic acid, albigenin and acacic acid. The bark contains 7—11% condensed tannin; also d-catechin and d-leucocyanidin.
Aqueous extract of the bark decreased histamine-induced bronchospasm in guinea pigs.
Alcoholic extract of stembark contains cardenolide glycosides of digitoxin nature. It showed antidermatophytic activity. Anthraquinone glycosides and its aglycone exhibited antibacterial activity.
A saponin from seeds exhibited spermicidal activity in animals. EtOH (50%) extract of pods was found to be spermicidal against rat and human spermatozoa at 2% concentration.
The therapeutic properties ofAlbizia julibrissin Durazz, Pink Sins, found in the outer Himalayas from the Indus eastwards to Sikkim, are the same as those of A. lebbeck.
Dosage Stembark—3—6 g powder.
20—50 g for decoction. (API Vol. III.)
