Adenanthera, Rakta Kambal

Red Wood, Coral Wood, Sandal Bead-tree
Rakta Kambal, Rakta Kanchana (Ayurveda); Kamboji (Seed, Ayurveda)
Anai gundumani (Siddha)
Hai Hong Dou (TCM, Seed)

Adenanthera pavonina
N.J. von Jacquin, Collectanea Austriaca, vol. 4 (1790)

Botanical name:

Adenanthera pavonina

Parts used:

Leaf, bark, seed

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry.

Uses:

1. Clears Heat and Damp:
-Bile diseases
-skin diseases
-Jaundice
-heat-type Rheumatism and Gout

2. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Hemoptysis, Hematuria
-Dysentery, Blood in the Stool

3. Externally:
-applied to heat, swelling, inflammation

SEEDS:
1. Clears Wind and Heat:
-Headache and Paralysis
-Wind pain of the Head and Face (TCM)

2. Strengthens Kidneys:
-used in Aphrodisiac formula

3. Externally:
-applied to boils, abscesses, inflammations

Dose:

Decoction (1 in 8): 50–100mls
A paste of the wood is made with 1 part of powdered wood to 5 parts water (or Rose water)

Substitute:

1. The red heartwood has been used as a substitute for Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus). Red Sandalwood may be used in its place.

Main Combinations:

1. Aphrodisiac, Adenanthera seed, Mucuna, Argyreia speciosa seed & root, Long Pepper, Ginger, Clove, Pyrethrum, Nutmeg

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

Root is emetic