AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER
| Oak, ©2008 Todd Caldecott |
Botanical Name: Quercus alba, Fagaceae Common names: White Oak. Similar species: Most species of Oak are used interchangeably with Q. alba, including. Q. robur, Q. tinctoria, Q. elongata, Q. coccinea, Q. petraea, Q. garryana, Q. kelloggii, Q. macracarpa, Q. accutissima, Q. borealis, Q. palustris, and Q. phellos Plant description: The White Oak is a large and broadly-branched deciduous tree that can attain a great age, some specimens of Oak stated to be 1000 years old or more. White Oak is typically pyramidal in youth, developing a broad crown with age. It can attain a magnificent size, 30 m in height or more, the main trunk in some specimens so large that several people can stand around its base with arms outstretched. Some specimens of Oak are reported to have a girth of more than 20 meters in circumference. White Oak is differentiated from the other oaks by its whitish bark, the leaves characteristically oak-like, regularly divided into deep lobes, obtuse, five to nine in number, bright greenish-blue above and paler below, becoming reddish brown in fall. The acorns are about 2-3 cm or more in length, ovate, in shallow saucer-shaped cups. The inner bark is coarse, fibrous, tough, and light-brown. Habitat, ecology and distribution: White Oak is native the deciduous forest of eastern North America, thriving in deep, moist, well-drained, acid soils. Oaks have a worldwide distribution, found in both temperate and more southerly climes. Part used: Inner bark, leaves, łoak-apples.˛ History: The Oak has long been considered to be important and valuable, not simply as a source of timber or medicine, but as a tree of great spiritual significance, venerated by many ancient peoples, including Druids. Although the true source of the term 'druid' remains obscured by time, some researchers believe that this was a name given to the priests and priestesses observed by the Roman Pliny the Elder when he traveled to the British Isles, derived from the Greek words drus meaning 'oak,' and the Old Irish word wid, meaning 'knowledge' (Ralls-Macleod 2003). Thus the name Druid may represent an honorary title given to wise people that possessed the 'knowledge of the oak.' The Oak tree is an important host to the Mistletoe, the Druids harvesting this parasitic plant from its branches in the elaborate rituals that characterize this ancient religion. In pagan cultures the long-lived and venerable Oak tree has long been a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom, often associated with the primary masculine God, be it Odin in the Scandinavian mythos, or Zeus in the ancient Greek religion. According to English folklore, the famous round table of King Arthur was furnished from a single slice of a giant oak. Constituents: Oak bark is best noted for its tannins and pseudotannins, including catechin, ellagitannin, phlobatannin, gallic acid and gallocatechin. Included as well is the pentacyclic triterpene friedelin and its derivatives friedelinol and 3-friedelanone; the inositols meso-inositol, scyllitol and l-viburnitol; anthocyanins leucocyanidin and leucodelphinidin; as well as flavonoids quercetin, quercitrin and quercin. White Oak has also been shown to contain elemental lanthanum, silver and yttrium (Duke 2003). Medical Research: There is a limited amount of research on Quercus spp., and very little on Quercus alba: Toxicity: There is no toxicity for data for Quercus species in humans. Two outbreaks of oak poisoning in cattle in South Africa have been reported, with clinical signs that included severe weakness with a swaying gait, diarrhea and dehydration. Upon post mortem examination of three animals there was a non-suppurative interstitial nephritis accompanied by edema and ulceration of the cecum and colon (Neser et al 1982). Herbal action: astringent, tonic, antiseptic, vulnerary Indications: diarrhea, varicosities, ulcerations, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, pharyngitis, pyorrhea, leucorrhea, anal prolapse, eczema, burns, abrasions, wounds Contraindications and cautions: In lieu of any data otherwise, Oak should probably be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. Medicinal uses: White Oak and other similar species are among the most potent astringent remedies in the material medica, useful in chronic diarrhea, chronic mucus discharges, and hemorrhages. As a decoction, Oak bark is a good external agent for ulcerations and wounds, and as a sitz bath or injection, can be used in hemorrhoids, leucorrhea and rectal prolapse (Felter and Lloyd 1893). Oak bark decoction is a similarly efficient remedy as a gargle in pharyngitis, particularly when marked by excessive mucus discharge (Felter and Lloyd 1893). Similarly, Cook states that Oak is a useful "…gargle in aphthous sores, putrid sore throat, and diphtheria; where it is of much service, especially if combined with Xanthoxylum or a little Capsicum" (1869). Felter and Lloyd state that the ground bark can form an effective poultice in gangrenous conditions. Both Cook (1869) and Felter and Lloyd (1893) state that a coffee made from roasted acorns is a good remedy in the treatment of the primary lesions of tuberculosis (scrofula). In the treatment of hemorrhages, bleeding gums, and piles Cook recommends equal parts Oak bark and Lobelia seeds, in powdered form, used in bleeding piles that are "…painful but not inflamed" (1869). Cook also mentions that Oak bark can be an effective remedy to prevent dandruff and hair loss, "…combined with a little Capsicum" (1869). Weiss mentions Oak bark as an important treatment for weeping eczema when used as a fomentation (1988, 328-9). Similarly, Oak bark tincture can be added to a cream base (15% v/v) in weeping eczema to promote healing. Moore mentions Oak bark as a treatment for first and second degree burns, to speed healing and prevent secondary infection (1979, 116). In the treatment of varicosities, Oak bark should be considered as an adjunct to other remedies, its powerful astringent properties combined with its flavonoid constituents promoting good capillary tone, helping to repair weakened blood vessels. The Oak-apple gall wasp (Biorhiza pallida) lays its eggs in the twigs of the oak tree, and as the larvae develop they secrete enzymes that cause the plant to form "oak apples" around them. Moore states that these "apples" contain two to three times the tannins found in the bark, and can be harvested as an even more potent astringent remedy (Moore 1971, 116). According to Edward Bach, Oak is useful "…for those who are struggling and fighting strongly to get well, or in connection with the affairs of their daily life. They will go on trying one thing after another, though their case may seem hopeless" (1933, 20). In a similar manner, Oak is often used to help regain strength in exhausted and debilitated conditions. The acorns of white oak are sweet and quite edible. The ends of the twigs of Oak can be chewed and then used like a toothbrush to clean the teeth, and similarly, can be powdered and used as a dentifrice. Pharmacy and dosage:
REFERENCESAbou-Karam M, Shier WT. 1999. Inhibition of oncogene product enzyme activity as an approach to cancer chemoprevention. Tyrosine-specific protein kinase inhibition by purpurogallin from Quercus sp. nutgall. Phytother Res. Jun;13(4):337-40 |