Acacia Nilotica Var. Adansoni
| Botanical Name | Acacia Nilotica Var. Adansoni |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Mimosaceae |
| Genus: | Vachellia |
| Species: | V. nilotica |
| Common Names: | English: Egyptian Mimosa, French: Gonakier, Acacia du Nil |
Plant Synonyms
Mimosa ccorpiodes L, Mimosa arabica Lam, Acada arabica Wild. Acacia adansoni Guilll. & Perott
Plant Local Names
Burkina Faso: Moore-nenga, dioula baganayiri bogonan, Fulfulde-gaoudi, gwadi
Ghana: Akan- odawoma
Mali: Bambara – bagana
Nigeria: Hausa- bagawura
Niger: Hausa –bagaroua, djema-baani
Senegal: Wolof – gonaki, Serer – nep nep; Pular – gaudi
Plant Habitat
Nilotica is widespread in the northern savannah regions, and its range extends from Mali to Sudan and Egypt. It requires a strong light environment for growth. Severe frost affects small seedlings as well as large trees. It is drought resistant and grows best on alluvial soils in plain, flat or gently undulating ground and in ravine areas. It is considered a serious weed in South Africa.
Plant Material of Interest
Fruit, Leaf, aerial part, stem-bark, roof –bark
Plant Description
Shiny tree, up to 20 m high, with straight cylindrical, bole shape, up to 60 cm in diameter, and dense crown; bark, dark-brown to black, deeply fissured or cracked, with pinkish- grey slash, exuding reddish resin; stems, olive green to brownish, tomentose to glabrous; thorns set in pairs at the base of the leaf, straight and thin when long, sometimes hoocked when short, pale grey to white
0.5-8(-15) cm long; leaves alternate, bipinnate, blue-shaped, 4-10 cm long, with 3-6 pair pinnae and 10-25 (-30) pair of leaflet pair pinna, leaflets glaburous or more or less pubescent, oblong, 1.5-7 mm long; petiole often bearing 1 (2) glands before the first pair of pinnae of only the terminal pair of pinnae, 3-6 (-8) cm long ; inflorescence a fascicle of 1-4 pedicellate of glomerulus, bright yellow set at the base of a leaf, 1.2-1.5 cm in diameter, fruit flat or cylindrical pod, 1.5-2.2 cm long and 10-15 cm across, yellow to brown or greyish when ripe, usually containing 4-10 seeds; seeds brown, more or less flat and round, 6.5-9 mm in diameter.
Plant Used Parts
Plant Uses
Nolitica is used in many cultures to treat chest pains, colds, diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, haemorrhage, leprosy, eye disorders, pneumonia, sore throat (Chhabra and Uiso, 1991; Watt 1962); syphilis (Kambizi and Afolayan Watt 1962); oral candidiasis; fungal infections (Lev and Amar, 2002 Srinvasan et al, 2005); Malaria and toothache (Jaine et al, 2005; Kubmarawa et al, 2007). Bank decoction is used to treat pre, intra –and post- partum complications (Kaingu et al, 2011) and the hot decoction of the root bark is used for gastrointestinal complications and babesiosis (Nanyingi et al, 2008). Fruits are used against scabies (Lev and Amar, 2000).
Plant Therapeutic Action
Molluscicidal, antifungal, antiviral, antidiarrheic, antibacterial, anttiplasmodial, antiplatelet aggregatory, antihypertensive, antiheminthic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities (Elden et al, 2010, Sultana et al, 2007; Bessong and Obi, 2006; Hamsa et al, 2006; Rumyoro et al, 2006; Agunu et al, 2005; Chuabal et al, 2003 Kambizi and Afolayan, 2001; Srinvasan et al. 2001; Hussein et al 2000).
Plant Precaution for Use
May cause reduction in body weight
Plant Adverse Effect
Constipation, decreased haemoglobin levels
Plant Contraindication
Pregnancy and lactation
Plant Dosage Forms
Decoction, concoction, ointment, poultice,
Plant Dosage
Decoction: 30 g of dried leaves in 900 ml of water boil until reduced to 600 ml, 1 teaspoon three times a day.
Plant Storage
Store in a cool dry place.
Plant Chromatographic Fingerprint
Chloroform extract analytical TLC on silica gel G60 F254, 0.25mm in petroleum either (40-60 Type equation here./chloroform (2:8) detection in daylight. After spraying with anisaldehyde (0.5 ml) mixed with 10 ml glacial acetic acid, 85 ml methanol and 5 ml acetic concentrated sulphuric acid and heated to 100-110 for 5-10 min. Presence of five characteristics spots with R,s 0.84 (pink), 0.68 (pink) and 0.10 (pink).
Plant Constituents
Tannins ([-epiggallocatechnin galloyl esters), alkaloids, saponins, proteins (Kumaresan et all., 1984; Ramana et al, 2000; Sawe et al, 1998; MIanbo et al,2008).
Plant Pictures
Plant References
Abd El Nabi, O.M., Reisinger, E.C., Reinthaler, F.F., Still, F et al. (1992). Antimicrobial activity of Acacia nilotica (L) Wild. Ex Del. var. nilotica (Mimosaceae) Journal of Ethnopharmacology 37:77-79.
Abid, M., Mushtag, A., Asma, J., Muhammad, Z., Saima, N. (2005). Evaluation of five medical plants used in diarrhoea treatment in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 101:27-30.
Agunu, A., Yusuf, S., Andrew, G.O Zezi, A.U., Abdurahman, E.M. (2005). Evaluation of five medicinal plants used in diarroea treatment in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 101:27-30.
Ahmad I., Mhmood, Z., Mohammad, F. (1998). Screening of some Indian medicinal plant for their antimicrobial properties. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 62:183-193.
Almagbout, A.Z. Beshir, A.K, Karim, A, Salieh. Farouk, A., Kalid, S.A (1988). Anticrobial of certain Sudanese plants used in folkloric medicine, screening for anti-fungal activity (VI).
Ayoub, H.S.M, Yankow, L. K, (1985). Potential molluscicides from some tanni- containing plants growing in the Sudan. Fitoterapia 6:371-373.
Bessong, P.O., Obi, CL. (2006). Ethnopharmacology of HIV in South Africa- A mini review. African Journal of Biotechnology 5:1693-1699.
Chhabra, S.C., Uiso, F.C., (1991). Antibacterial activity of some Tanzanian plants used in traditional medicine filtoterapia 62:499-503).
Chualbal, R., Mujumdar, A, Puranik, V., Desphpande, V., Desphande, N. (2003). Isolation and x-ray study of an anti-inflammatory active androstene steroid from acacia nilotica subsp. Kraussiana. Journal of ethno pharmacology 128:555-56.
Eldeen, I.M.S., Van Heerden, F.R., Van Staden, J. (2010). In vito biological activities of niloticane, a new bioactive cassane diterpene from the bark of Acacia nilotica subsp. Krausssiana, journal of Ethno pharmacology 128:555-56.