| Salvadora persica | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Salvadoraceae |
| Genus: | Salvadora |
| Species: | S. persica |
| Binomial name | |
| Salvadora persica | |
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Salvadora persica or thetoothbrush tree is a small evergreen tree native to the Middle East, Africa and India.[1] Its sticks are traditionally used as a natural toothbrush calledmiswak and are mentioned by theWorld Health Organization fororal hygiene use.[1][2]
Other names includearak,jhak,pīlu, andmustard tree.[1]
The genus was named by the French botanistLaurent Garcin in 1749 after a Spanish apothecary, Juan Salvador y Bosca. The type specimen was collected in Persia, hence the species namepersica.[1]
Salvadora persica is a smalltree orshrub with a crooked trunk,[3][need quotation to verify] typically 6–7 metres (20–23 ft) in height.[1] Its bark is scabrous and cracked, whitish with pendulous extremities. The root bark of the tree is similar in colour to sand, and the inner surfaces are an even lighter shade of brown. It has a pleasant fragrance, of cress or mustard, as well as a warm and pungent taste. The leaves break with a fine crisp crackle when trodden on. The tree produces small red edible fruits, juicy but pungent, in clusters.
The plant is native to theMiddle East andAfrica,[4] and is found on desertfloodplains,riverbanks, and grassysavannahs.[1] It has hightolerance for salty soils and can tolerate as little as 200 millimetres (8 inches) or less of mean annual rainfall, but it prefers ready access togroundwater.[1]
Salvadora persica stick, known asmiswak orEsekon, is popular for teeth cleaning throughout theArabian Peninsula,Iranian Plateau, as well as the wider Muslim world.[1][5]
Toothbrushes made from roots and small branches of about 3–5 mm diameter have been used for over 1000 years, especially by Islamic populations in India, Arabia and Africa. Several agents occurring in the bark and wood have been suggested as aids in prevention ofdental caries [cavities], such as antimicrobial agents that suppress bacterial growth and the formation of plaque.[1]
The fresh leaves can be eaten as part of a salad and are used intraditional medicine.[3] The flowers are small and fragrant and are used as a stimulant and are mildly purgative.[3] The berries are small and barely noticeable; they are eaten both fresh and dried.[3] The wood of theSalvadora persica can be used forcharcoal and firewood.[6] InNamibia, the mustard bush is used as drought-resistantfodder for cattle. The seeds can be used to extract a detergent oil.[4]
As of 2009,Botanic Gardens Conservation International has a total of eightSalvadora persica plants in conservation.[7]
