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Acacia Catechu is traditionally known as Acacia catechu and is now commonly classified as Senegalia catechu. This thorny South Asian tree is especially known for its tannin-rich heartwood and the concentrated extract called catechu or cutch.
Botany & Plant Parts
The tree belongs to the legume family. Traditional and commercial use centers on the heartwood, bark, and derived extracts. Catechu should not be confused with unrelated products that happen to share the word “catechu.”
Traditional Use
Ayurvedic and regional traditions have used catechu preparations as strongly astringent materials for the mouth and throat, digestive complaints, skin applications, and wound care. It has also been important in dyeing, tanning, and as an ingredient in some betel preparations.
Plant Chemistry
The heartwood is rich in tannins and polyphenolic compounds, including catechin-related constituents. These compounds account for much of its pronounced astringency and laboratory antioxidant activity.
Research Context
Laboratory and preliminary research has examined antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic effects. Human evidence is much less developed than the long traditional history, so traditional claims should not be treated as established clinical indications.
Safety
Concentrated tannin-rich preparations can irritate the stomach and may interfere with absorption of some nutrients or medicines when taken together. Quality matters because concentrated botanical extracts may vary considerably. Pregnancy and breastfeeding safety is not well established.
History & Material Culture
Catechu has been valuable not only medicinally but also in leather work, textile dyeing, and traditional commerce, making the tree an important cultural and economic botanical.
Educational information only. This article separates traditional practice from modern evidence.