Kino, an astringent substance resembling Catechu (q.v.), the concrete exudation of certain tropical trees, especially of Pterocarpus marsupium, a native of the forests of Madras and Ceylon. East Indian kino is the kind which now chiefly occurs in commerce, and is the ordinary kino or gum kino of the shops. It is in small angular glistening fragments, the smaller reddish, the larger almost black. Thin pieces are ruby red. It is brittle and easily powdered, has no smell, but has a very astringent taste. Bengal kino is a similar astringent substance, produced by Butea frondosa (see BUTEA).
Botany Bay kino is the produce of Eucalyptus resinifera. The astringency of kino is due to tannin and pyrocatechin. It is employed in certain forms of diarrhea as compound kino powder (with opium and cinnamon). The tinature of kino forms a good gargle for the uvula. Kino serves in India as a yellowish-brown cotton dye.