Acharya Balkrishna, the man who runs Patanjali Ayurved, recently posted a home remedy on Facebook that a lot of farmers and fishermen will probably find useful. It’s about those painful cracks and wounds that show up between the toes after spending too long standing in water. His answer: kattha, the same stuff found in paan, made from the Khair tree.
Why this happens
Anyone who’s worked in a flooded field, a pond, or along a riverbed for hours knows the feeling. Skin between the toes stays wet for so long that it softens up, cracks, and eventually gets infected. It’s a common complaint during monsoon season, especially among people who spend entire days in paddy fields. If it’s ignored, the wounds can get worse and start to actually interfere with someone’s ability to keep working.
The remedy he shared
Balkrishna kept it simple. Wash the wound with kattha water, dry it off with a soft cloth, then sprinkle some dry kattha powder straight onto the affected spot. In his post, he wrote in Hindi that spending too much time working in water leads to wounds forming between the toes, and that this method brings relief.
So what is kattha, exactly?
Kattha, also known as catechu, comes from the heartwood of the Khair tree (Acacia catechu). The wood gets boiled down, and what’s left is collected and dried into either a paste or powder. Most people know it as an ingredient in paan, but it’s been used medicinally for a long time too. It generally comes in two forms depending on how it’s processed.
Why it actually works
In Ayurveda, khadira (another name for this herb) has always been considered good for the skin because of its drying and binding properties. It shows up a lot in traditional treatments for ulcers and sores, mainly because its astringent quality helps tighten up tissue and cuts down on oozing, exactly the kind of damage that moisture causes between the toes.
There’s some science behind this too. Acacia catechu has been studied for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and it’s often used for oral health as well. Researchers have found it’s loaded with tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds like catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin, all of which contribute to its antioxidant and wound-healing properties.
It’s not just used on skin either. The same extract has traditionally been used to preserve fishing nets and in dyeing and leather tanning, which says something about how closely this plant is tied to trades that involve constant water exposure, basically the same setting where these foot wounds happen in the first place.
A remedy that fits rural life
This isn’t the first time Balkrishna has put out these kinds of tips. He tends to focus on remedies that use things people already have around the house or can pick up cheaply from any local shop. Kattha checks that box easily since it’s sold everywhere and already part of daily life for a lot of people.
For someone who’s spent the day working barefoot in water, this is a remedy they can try without spending money or making a trip to a pharmacy. It’s also a good example of something common in Ayurveda: everyday items doing double duty as medicine when used the right way.
One thing to keep in mind
That said, kattha isn’t meant for anything serious. If a wound is deep, shows signs of infection, keeps swelling, or just isn’t healing after a few days, it’s worth getting it looked at by a doctor. Home remedies are fine for minor issues, but they’re not a substitute for real medical attention once something turns serious.