Acacia arabica vs Matico

Side-by-side comparison of medicinal herbs

Herb

Acacia arabica

Vachellia arabica

Antimicrobial

Piper angustifolium

Antimicrobial

Acacia arabica

❌ Not recommended in pregnancy

❌ Not recommended while nursing

Matico

❌ Not recommended in pregnancy

❌ Not recommended while nursing

Description

Middle Eastern and South Asian acacia; bark and gum used for dental hygiene, diabetes, and digestive conditions.

Peruvian pepper plant used by Incas and Spanish colonial physicians for wound healing and sexually transmitted infections.

Active Compounds

tannins, gallic acid, arabinose, flavonoids, alkaloids

maticin, beta-sitosterol, apiol, diterpenes, tannins

Traditional Uses

dental hygiene, diabetes, digestive complaints, diarrhea, wounds

Wound hemostatic in Peruvian traditional medicine, Gonorrhea treatment in historical use, Digestive complaints, Used by Incas for various infections

Modern Uses

oral antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, astringent, wound healing

Antimicrobial, Hemostatic, Anti-inflammatory, Antifungal

Adult Dosage

Bark decoction 5-10g 2x/day; twig as chewing stick

2–3 g leaves as tea; 2–3 mL tincture; topical poultice

Contraindications

pregnancy

Pregnancy, Allergy to Piperaceae

Side Effects

constipation

GI irritation, Uterine stimulation

Drug Interactions

0 known interactions

Reviewed by: HerbAlly Editorial Team, Medical herbalists and healthcare professionals

Sources: WHO Monographs · NCCIH · PubMed · Commission E