For the region in India, see Kutch District.
Catechu ( /ˈkætɨʃuː/ or /ˈkætɨtʃuː/;[1] also known as cachou, cutch, cashoo, Terra Japonica, khoyer or Japan earth) is an extract of any of several species of Acacia—but especially Acacia catechu—produced by boiling the wood in water and evaporating the resulting brew.[2]
Catechu is called katha in Hindi, kaath in (marathi), khoyer in Assamese and Bangla, and kachu in Malay, hence the Latinized [3]Acacia catechu chosen as the Linnaean taxonomy name of the type-species Acacia plant which provides the extract. Catechu extract is an astringent and has been used since ancient times in Ayurvedic medicine as well as in breath-freshening spice mixtures, for example in France and Italy it is used in some licorice pastilles. It is also an important ingredient in South Asian Paan mixtures, as well as ready-made Paan Masala and Gutka.
The mixture is high in natural vegetable tannins (which accounts for its astringent effect), and may be used for the tanning of animal hides. Early research by Sir Humphry Davy in the early 19th century first demonstrated the use of catechu in tanning over more expensive and traditional oak extracts. The extract gave its name to the catechin and catechol chemical families first derived from it.
Under the name cutch, catechu is a brown dye used for tanning and dyeing and for preserving fishing nets and sails. Cutch will dye wool, silk, and cotton a yellowish-brown. Cutch gives gray-browns with an iron mordant and olive-browns with a copper mordant.[4]
White cutch, also known as gambier, gambeer, or gambir, has the same uses.
Black Catechu has recently also been utilized by Blavod Drinks Ltd. to dye their vodka black. [5]
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