サイカチ
- Gleditsia japonica
- マメ科サイカチ属
- 日本
薬にも洗剤にもなる木
サイカチの豆果は皁莢という生薬で去痰薬、利尿薬として用いる。さやを水につけて手で揉むとぬめりと泡が出るので、かつては洗剤として使われていた。また、石鹸で傷む絹の着物の洗濯などには近年まで煮出して利用されていた。木材は建築、家具、器具、薪炭用として用いる。
A tree that can be used to make both medicine and detergent
The seed pods of the Japanese honey locust are used as a traditional medicine called sōkyō. It is used to loosen mucus and help the body pass urine. If the pods are soaked in water and rubbed by hand, they produce a slippery substance and foam, so they were once used as soap. Until recent times, they were also boiled in water and used to wash silk clothes, which can be damaged by soap. The wood is used for construction, furniture, tools, and firewood or charcoal.