Gum Arabic - Acacia Gum /Gummi acaciae
In the seventeenth century B.C., Egyptians imported gum from the Gulf of Aden, which they named Kami and utilized mostly for painting and as an adhesive for lapis lazuli or colored glass.
- In the fourth century B.C., Theophrastus described Kami, and in the first century B.C., Celsus named it Gummi acanthinum.
- It was employed by Arabian doctors at Salerno's medieval school, and it was subject to customs tax at Pisa and Paris.
- It took till 1521 to get to London through Venice.
- Gum Arabic is still in use in the pharmaceutical industry.
Description - Low tree, 3-6 m tall, with bending grey branches and grey bark; light green foliage, smooth yellowish blooms that are aromatic; white corolla.
- East and west Africa are home to this species.
- In Arabia and India, it's very common.
Cultivation None; trees were incised and gum was harvested in the early winter.
Constituents Contains mostly arabic acid salts of calcium, magnesium, and potassium (arabin).
- In water, it forms a mucilage. (dry gummy exudate from stems and branches; soothing for injured tissue) Mouth lozenges, cough mixes, and emulsions include this ingredient.
- When eaten as gruel, it is very nutritious.
- Adhesive.