Biochemistry, Medicinal Properties & Toxicity of Acacia Nilotica Fruits

Acacia nilotica tree is native to Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Due to its wide medicinal properties & uses this plant attracted the attention of many scientists. Its fruits are rich in more than 16 classes of different bioactive molecules & elements very beneficial for human health. These molecules & elements include tannins, saponins, phytosterols, cyclitols, alkaloids, anticoagulant agents, regulatory molecules, amines, mucilage, fibers, gums, proteins, various classes of amino acids, carbohydrates, terpenses, crude fats, oils, fatty acids & minerals. The fruits are used to treat various human disorders including cancers, heart & liver diseases, diabetes mellitus, malaria, asthma, arrhythmias, acquired immune-deficiency syndrome, coronavirus disease 2019, spleen disorders, for weight loss, colds, congestion, coughs, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, gallbladder, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, leucorrhea, ophthalmia, sclerosis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, skin eruptions smallpox and tuberculosis. Acacia nilotica fruits are very beneficial for human health, safe & effective to treat various human diseases if it is used in appropriate dose & period. It has been in use in Sudan & in other parts of Africa widely & safely for generations to treat various diseases without any reports of toxicity or adverse effects. Moreover, human body has efficient detoxification mechanisms to process and detoxify toxic substances and toxicity in human occurs only from known high toxic substances, overdose, regular and long period of using of herbs or medicines with known side effects. It is apparent that toxicity of acacia nilotica fruits comes from over dosage & longer than required duration of uses or regular consumption and the solvent/s as well. However, further works are needed by pharmaceutical industries to authentically formulate various components of the of acacia nilotica fruits to be used as medicines & supplements to enhance the therapy of several human diseases.