''Quercus infectoria'' or the Aleppo oak is a species of

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

well known for producing

gall Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or war ...

s (called manjakani in Malaysia, majuphal in India) that have been traditionally used for centuries in Asia medicinally while also used in softening leather and in making black dye and ink.

Description

''Quercus infectoria'' is a small tree, growing to in height. The stems are crooked, shrubby looking with smooth and bright-green

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

borne on short petioles of long. The leaves are bluntly mucronate, rounded, smooth, unequal at the base and shiny on the upper side. The galls arise on young branches of the tree when

gall wasp Gall wasps, also traditionally called gallflies, are hymenopterans of the family Cynipidae in the wasp superfamily Cynipoidea. Their common name comes from the galls they induce on plants for larval development. About 1,300 species of this gene ...

s sting the oak tree and deposit their larvae. The chemical reaction causes an abnormality in the tree, causing hard balls to be formed. They are corrugated in appearance.

Gall chemistry

The galls from ''Quercus infectoria'' contain the highest naturally occurring level of

tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and Precipitation (chemistry), precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widel ...

, approximately 50–70%, as well as syringic acid, β-sitosterol, amentoflavone, hexamethyl ether, isocryptomerin, methyl betulate, methyl oleanate and hexagalloyl glucose. They also contain 2–4% each of gallic and ellagic acid that are polymerized to make tannins.PubMed
/ref> Tannins have been used for hundreds of years for medical purposes and are currently indispensable in dermatology and have been used for tanning of leather.

Tannins

Tannins comprise a large group of natural products widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They have a great structural diversity, but are usually divided into two basic groups: the hydrolyzable type and the condensed type. Hydrolyzable tannins include the commonly occurring gallic and ellagic acid contained in the nut galls. Hydrolyzable tannins are present in many different plant species but are found in particularly high concentrations in nut galls growing on '' Rhus semialata'' (Chinese and Korean gallotannins) and ''Quercus infectoria'' (Turkish and Chinese gallotannins), the seedpods of '' Caesalpinia spinosa'' (Tara tannins), and the fruits of '' Terminalia chebula''. The gallic and ellagic acid hydrolyzable tannins react with proteins to produce typical tanning effects; medicinally, this is important to topically treat inflamed or ulcerated tissues. They also contribute to most of the astringent property of ''manjakani'' and in small insignificant doses, are great for skin whitening and killing microorganisms. Although both types of tannin have been used to treat diseases in traditional medicine, the hydrolyzable tannins have long been considered official medicinal agents in Europe and North America. They have been included in many

pharmacopoeia A pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea (or the typographically obsolete rendering, ''pharmacopœia''), meaning "drug-making", in its modern technical sense, is a reference work containing directions for the identification of compound med ...

s, in the older editions in particular, and are specifically referred to as tannic acid. These were recommended for treatment of inflammation and

ulcer An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughin ...

ation, including topical application for skin diseases and internal use for intestinal ulceration and diarrhea. In China, tannin-containing substances, such as galls,

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

rinds, and

terminalia Terminalia may refer to: * Terminalia (festival) Terminalia () was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Terminus, who presided over boundaries. His statue was merely a stone or post stuck in the ground to distinguish between propert ...

fruits, are used in several medicinal preparations.

Distribution

''Quercus infectoria'' is indigenous to parts of

southern Europe Southern Europe is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of southern Europe include some or all of these countries and regions: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, C ...

(

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

and the East Aegean Islands) and the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

(

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

Pharmacology

The galls of ''Quercus infectoria'' have also been pharmacologically documented to possess astringent, antidiabetic, antitremorine, local anaesthetic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal and anti-inflammatory activities. The main constituents found in the galls of ''Quercus infectoria'' are tannin (50-70%) and small amount of free gallic acid and ellagic acid. The wide range of pharmacological activities of this plant might support the efficacy of extract preparation of ''Quercus infectoria'' that are widely used in Malaysia for treating many kinds of health problems since many decades ago. The nutgalls have been pharmacologically documented on their antiamoebic, anticariogenicPubMed
/ref> and anti-inflammatoryPubMed
/ref> activities, to treat skin infections and gastrointestinal disorders.

Uses

''Quercus infectoria'' can be used as a thickener in stews or mixed with cereals for making bread. Also known as Majuphal in Indian traditional medicine, manjakani has been used as dental powder and in the treatment of toothache and gingivitis. The so-called "Aleppo tannin" is

Tannic acid Tannic acid is a specific form of tannin, a type of polyphenol. Its weak acidity (Acid dissociation constant, pKa around 6) is due to the numerous phenol groups in the structure. The chemical formula for commercial tannic acid is often given as ...

gained from Aleppo oak galls, which displays unique chemical properties essential in the preparation of gold sols (colloids) used as markers in Immunocytochemistry. Nowadays, gallnut extracts are also widely used in pharmaceuticals, food and feed additives, dyes, inks, and metallurgy.

Galls

Gall nut extracts are widely used in pharmaceuticals, medical laboratory techniques as well as inks which use " Aleppo tannin", food and feed additives, dyes, and metallurgy.

Tanning

Tannin, a substance contained in the galls of the ''Quercus infectoria'', has been used for centuries for the tanning of leather.

Medical laboratory techniques

The so-called "Aleppo tannin" is

tannic acid Tannic acid is a specific form of tannin, a type of polyphenol. Its weak acidity (Acid dissociation constant, pKa around 6) is due to the numerous phenol groups in the structure. The chemical formula for commercial tannic acid is often given as ...

gained from Aleppo pine galls, which displays unique chemical properties essential in the preparation of gold sols (colloids) used as markers in immunocytochemistry.

Teeth and gum remedy

Also known as ''majuphal'' in Indian traditional medicine, ''manjakani'' has been used as dental powder and in the treatment of

toothache Toothaches, also known as dental pain or tooth pain,Segen JC. (2002). ''McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine''. The McGraw-Hill Companies. is pain in the teeth or their supporting structures, caused by dental diseases or referred ...

and gingivitis.

Uterine and vaginal therapy

The galls, locally known as ''manjakani'' in Malaysia, are used in combination with other herbs as drinking remedies by women after childbirth to restore the elasticity of the uterine wall, and in many vaginal tightening products. The extract of ''manjakani'' was claimed by the Malay

Kelantan Kelantan (; Kelantan-Pattani Malay, Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate''; ) is a state in Malaysia. The capital, Kota Bharu, includes the royal seat of Kubang Kerian. The honorific, honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' ("The Blissful Abode"). ...

ese to be highly beneficial for postpartum women. Hazardous effects of the extract were not reported so far. In addition, the Arabs, Persians, Indians, Malays and Chinese have traditionally used the galls after childbirth to treat vaginal discharge and related postpartum infections.

Gallery

File:Quercus boissieri Izmir.jpg, Autumn foliage, Izmir, Turkey File:Quercus boissieri galls 2.JPG, leaves with galls File:Quercus boissieri galls 3.JPG, leaf with galls File:Gall_on_quercus_boissieri,_Israel.jpg, gall File:Quercus boissieri gall 1.JPG, gall

References

External links

Detailed studies on Quercus infectoria Olivier (nutgalls)
as an alternative treatment for

methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' (MRSA) is a group of gram-positive bacteria that are genetically distinct from other strains of ''Staphylococcus aureus''. MRSA is responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. ...

infections
Pharmacognostic studies of insect gall of Quercus infectoria Olivier (Fagaceae).

The potential of aqueous and acetone extracts of galls of Quercus infectoria as antibacterial agents

Detailed studies on ''Quercus infectoria'' Olivier (nutgalls) as an alternative treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections

Pharmacognostic studies of insect gall of ''Quercus infectoria'' Olivier (Fagaceae).

The potential of aqueous and acetone extracts of galls of ''Quercus infectoria'' as antibacterial agents

Manjakani for vaginal tightening

Scanning Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (Sem-Edx) Studies of Quercus infectoria Gall
{{Tannin source infectoria Medicinal plants Flora of Lebanon Plants described in 1801 Trees of Europe Trees of Asia Tannins