The species name is sometimes spelled Abarema cochliocarpos[].

Common Name: Barbatimão

General Information

Abarema cochliacarpos is a shrub or small tree that can grow around 8 metres tall.
The bark of the tree is a popular and commonly used medicine in Brazil, where it is harvested from the wild for use both as a medicine and a source of materials.
The tree has been classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

The bark is toxic in high doses[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Atlantic coastal forest, and on disturbed mato do cipo, savannah or montane savannah, sometimes reaching an elevation of 1,100 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	8.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly lowland tropical areas.

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The wood is powdered and used in domestic medicine to treat indolent ulcers[].

The bark is analgesic, antiinflammatory, antiseptic and astringent[, , ]. A decoction of the bark is often used in Brazil in the treatment of wounds, haemorrhages, haemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, diarrhoea and various other conditions[, ].
Used externally, it is applied as a wash to treat wounds, haemorrhoids etc, and as drops to treat conjuctivitis[]
Some caution is advised in the use of this plant since the bark is toxic at high doses[].

The bark has been shown to be effective as a treatment for gastric ulcers and gastritis, as well as having marked gastro-protective effects and wound healing properties[].
An aqueous extract of the bark has been shown to reduce alcohol gastric lesions[].
A hydroalcoholic extract of the bark has shown antimicrobial activity[, ]
Ethanol and water extracts obtained from the bark both possess active substances with marked antinociceptive properties - whilst both were effective, the methanol extract was more effective than the water extract. Such pharmacological effects confirm and justify, at least in part, the popular use of this plant to treat dolorous processes[]

In this context, the objective was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of the extracts cyclohexanic (ECH), acetonic (EA) and ethanolic (EE) extracts from the bark of Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & J.W. Grimes against bacteria isolated from cutaneous wounds in dogs.
The assays developed with the cyclohexanic, acetonic and ethanolic extracts of Abarema cochliacarpos bark showed antibacterial activity at concentrations 100, , , 12.5 and 6.25 mg / mL against Gram-positive strains of Staphylococcus intermedius and Bacillus sp[].
Abarema cochliacarpos has pharmacological potential against Gram-positive bacteria, mainly of the genus Staphylococcus, and can be exploited in future researches to obtain bioactive compounds of antibacterial action[]

Agroforestry Uses:

This species fixes atmospheric nitrogen and is a natural pioneer, growing in open and disturbed areas and creating conditions suitable for the rowth of forest trees. It is being used in Brazil in the recovery of degraded areas[],

Other Uses

A gum resembling gum arabic is obtained from the stem[]. Gum arabic, obtained from various Acacia spp, has a variety of uses, including adding lustre to crape and silk, thickening colours, calico printing, manufacturing ink and as a mucilage[].

The seedpods are a source of tannins[].

The wood ashes are a good source of potash and can be used for making soap[].

The white wood is excellent for general construction[].

Propagation

Seed -

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