Hypertonia Health Dictionary

Oliv.

Family: Fagaceae.

Habitat: Indigenous to Greece, Syria and Iran. Yields oak galls.

English: Oak galls, Aleppo galls, Mecca galls.

Ayurvedic: Maajuphalaka, Maayaaphala, Maayakku.

Unani: Maazu. Maaphal.

Siddha/Tamil: Maasikkaai.

Action: Astringent. Bark and fruits—used for eczema and impetigo. Galls—used for diseases of gums and oral cavity (diluted with toothpowder or paste; also as a gargle in nasal catarrh and sore throat. An ointment (1 in 4 parts of vaseline) is applied externally in haemorrhoids. Also included in breast and vaginal firming creams. A decoction of galls is used as an enema in prolapus of rectum.

Key application: Quercus robur L. bark—externally, in inflammatory skin diseases; internally in nonspecific, acute diarrhoea, and local treatment of mild inflammation of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, as well as of genital and anal area. (German Commission E.)

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the gall in leucor- rhoea, dry and itching vagina; topically for dental inflammations.

The fruits gave amentoflavone hex- amethyl ether, isocryptomerin and beta-sitosterol.

The alcoholic extract of fruits showed 36% liver protection against carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity at a dose of 800 mg/kg.

The galls contain 50-70% gallo tannic acid, gallic acid 2-4%, ellagic acid, nyctanthic acid, rubric acid, besides sugars, starch, an essential oil and an- thocyanins. Galls were also found to contain beta-sitosterol, amentoflavone, hexamethyl ether and isocryptomerin.

Quercus robur (English or European oak) is reported to be cultivated in Nil- giris. The bark contains 15-20% tannins consisting of phlobatannin, ellagi- tannins and gallic acid.

The bark is contraindicated in cardiac insufficiency and hypertonia; externally on broken skin. (Sharon M. Herr.)

Dosage: Gall—1-3 g powder. (API, Vol. IV.)... quercus infectoria