Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Acacia Catechu
Article No. 201022/1/2
INCI name
II
III
Main components
IV
Cosmetic applications
VI
Specifications
VII
VIII
cosmetochem
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INCI name
II
English:
Acacia catechu,
Black catechu
French:
Acacia catechu
German: Katechubaum
Acacia is the common name for plants of the genus Acacia of the legume family, Leguminosae. The genus contains a large number of familiar and useful species. Most of the
1200 species of the genus are native to tropical Africa or Australia. Acacias are known
as wattles in Australia, as thorns in eastern Africa, and are sometimes sold by florists as
Mimosa in Europe and North America. (The name wattle comes from the use of the
bark of this plant for temporary "wattle and daub" dwellings in Australia.)
The normal type of leaf is bipinnate, but it is often modified, especially among the species that have had to adapt to the intense heat and drought of Australia. The Australian
species have vertical phyllodes that are modified leaves. The genus is of great and varied economic importance, yielding edible seeds and valuable timber and gum.
World climatic zones that have a long, dry winter and a short, wet summer often support
a shrubby vegetation known as thorn scrub and savanna. Acacia trees constitute much
of the vegetation in such climatic regimes. The trees are characterized by their umbrella
shape, with basal branching of the stems; the foliage forms a flattened or curved crown.
The flowers, usually yellow, grow in crowded, globose heads or cylindrical spikes.
Spines are common, and the Central American bull-horn acacia, A. cornigera, hosts a
pulp-eating ant that hollows out its large spines in search of food and then lives in them.
Acacias can tolerate long periods of drought and, because of the thorns, survive heavily
grazed areas.
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Acacias are used as ornamentals in tropical and subtropical gardens, as shade trees,
and as indoor plants. Livestock are fed the leaves of some acacias; in Australia and
parts of Africa the seeds or pods of other acacias are used by humans for food.
Australians also use acacia wood for railroads ties, wheels, handles, and furniture.
Some pods yield a substance used for washing silk and as a shampoo. Gums derived
from various species of African acacias include Sudan, or Kordofan, gum; Senegal, or
Berbera, gum; sunt gum; and Suakin, or talha, gum. Wattle gum comes from Australia.
"Acacia negra" is the name given to the bark of several acacias used in the tanning industry as a source of tannin. Cutch, a brown or olive vegetable dye, is derived from a
stem exudate of acacia.
(The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia)
(Microsoft Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia)
Scientific classification
Acacias belong to the family Fabaceae.
III
Main components
The following substances are listed in the literature as actives of the plant:
Tanning Agents, Vitamin P (Bioflavonoides)
(Das Beste: Geheimnisse und Heilkrfte der Pflanzen)
(Pahlow: Das grosse Buch der Heilpflanzen)
(Rmpp: Chemielexikon)
IV
Cosmetic applications
The following cosmetic related activities of the plant are extracted from the literature:
Anti-inflammatoric, astringent, refreshing
For mouthcare.
(Das Beste: Geheimnisse und Heilkrfte der Pflanzen)
(Pahlow: Das grosse Buch der Heilpflanzen)
cosmetochem
1195
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Storage:
We recommend storing this Herbasol Extract at room temperature (20 - 30 C), protected from direct sun light.
Maximum recommended storage time:
According to the certificate of analysis ( between 6 and 12 month ) kept in original
sealed cans or drums.
Once the container is opened, the product has to be handled with care to avoid microbiological contamination.
Options:
On request, most of our Plant Extracts are available in the following variations:
- oil soluble
- IPA (Isopropylalcohol)
- Special
- Herbasol Distillate
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