Matchbox-bean
StarEntada phaseoloides
Synonyms: Entada gandu, Acacia sulcata, Pusaetha scandens, Mimosa blancoana, Strepsilobus scandens, Entada rumphii, Entada scandens var. discosperma, Mimosa scandens, Entada scandens, Entada adenanthera, Gigalobium scandens, Prosopis scandens, Entada parrana, Lens phaseoloides, Adenanthera scandens, Adenanthera gago, Perima odorata, Entada scandens var. aequilatera
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Ayurvedic and Southeast Asian folk medicine Entada phaseoloides (Entada scandens) is widely used: the seeds are regarded as tonic and are applied as a paste to inflammatory glandular swellings, and the juice of the wood and bark is applied externally to ulcers, while leaf and seed preparations are used for inflammation, pain and skin complaints (Kirtikar & Basu; Khare, 2007). The plant is rich in triterpenoid saponins and amides such as entadamide; pharmacological studies report anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic activities.
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Botanical Description
Entada phaseoloides, the gila bean, St Thomas bean or matchbox bean, is a massive woody climber (liana) of the legume family (Fabaceae), with thick, often twisted, rope-like stems. It bears large bipinnate leaves whose terminal leaflet pairs are frequently modified into tendrils, and small, greenish-yellow flowers in long spikes. The fruit is one of the largest of all pods, a flattened woody legume up to a metre or more long, breaking into segments that each contain a single large, hard, glossy brown, disc-shaped seed. Native across tropical Asia, Australia and the Pacific, it grows in coastal and lowland rainforest and along rivers. The saponin-rich seeds are used medicinally and the pulped seed serves as a soap substitute.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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