Babul or Babool Acacia nilotica herb
June 2 2016

The bark, fruit and gum resin of Babul are used in various Ayurvedic herbal preparations. Babul bark is used in oral and dental hygiene products, burn injuries, and in skin diseases. Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia (wattle) native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Babul is a large tree, up to 14 meters highs. It has darkish gray bark and yellow flowers in spherical heads. It occurs wild in India and tropical Africa.

Antibacterial
Gen Dentistry. 2015. Investigation of antibacterial efficacy of Acacia nilotica against salivary mutans streptococci: a randomized control trial. The antibacterial action of A. nilotica against MS was similar to that of chlorhexidine.

Prolactin, milk secretion
Effect of aqueous extract of Babul Acacia nilotica ssp adansonii on milk production and prolactin release in the rat.
J Endocrinology. 2004; Lompo-Ouedraogo Z, van der Heide D, van der Beek EM, Swarts HJ, Mattheij JA. Human and Animal Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
In view of the traditional belief that Babul Acacia nilotica can stimulate milk production in lactating women, experiments were performed to determine the effect of an aqueous extract on milk production in rats. Our study demonstrates that the aqueous extract of Babul Acacia nilotica can stimulate milk production and prolactin release in the female rat and could consequently have the properties claimed for lactating women.

Toxicity
A study on the toxicology of Acacia nilotica Babul.
Am J Chin Med. 2000; Al-Mustafa ZH. Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
The potential toxicity of Acacia nilotica Babul was investigated in rats maintained on 2% and 8% acacia diet for 2 and 4 weeks. No significant changes in serum parameters of hepatic and renal functions, fasting glucose and triglycerides were observed. Further, no deaths among treated animals and no significant histopathological changes in liver sections were noted. It is concluded that this plant, at 2% and 8% levels, has a low toxicity potential.

Studies on antihypertensive and antispasmodic activities of methanol extract of Babul Acacia nilotica pods.
Phytother Res. 1999 Gilani AH, Shaheen F, Zaman M, Janbaz KH, Shah BH. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
A methanol extract of Babul Acacia nilotica pods caused a dose-dependent fall in arterial blood pressure. Our results indicate that the antihypertensive effect of Acacia nilotica plant extract is independent of muscarinic receptor stimulation or adrenoceptor blockade.

Compounds in the Babool plant
Babool has an anti-inflammatory active androstene steroid. It also has D-pinitol, kaempferol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, epicatechin, and rutin.