Er Cha

Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. (Fabaceae), known as khadira or cutch, is a small to medium deciduous tree 9-15 m tall native to South and Southeast Asia, with feathery bipinnate leaves, paired stipular thorns, and pale yellow cylindrical flower spikes followed by flat brown pods. The medicinal Er Cha (catechu, cutch) is a dark brown to black, brittle extract prepared by boiling chips of the dark red heartwood in water and evaporating the decoction to dryness. The extract is exceptionally rich in catechin and epicatechin tannins (50-60%), giving it strong astringent and antioxidant properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, Er Cha is bitter, astringent, and cool, entering the heart and lung channels; it clears heat, transforms phlegm, generates flesh, and stops bleeding, applied topically for non-healing wounds, mouth sores, and skin ulcers, and internally for chronic cough with phlegm. It is also a foundational Ayurvedic remedy for skin and oral diseases.