Oak Galls

Sanskrit name: Mayaphala
Botanical name: Quercus Infectoria
Habitat: It is a native of Greece, Asia, Syria and Persia.

Energetics:

• Rasa (taste): Astringent
• Virya (actions): Cooling
• Vipaka (post-digestive effects): Pungent
• Doshas (constitution): Balances kapha and pitta, increases vata

General information

Oak Galls helps in absorption of fluids and nutrients in the digestive system and in the treatment of assimilatory disorders and stimulates appetite and boost metabolism. The principal chemical Constituents of galls is Tannin (Gallo - Tannic acid) 50 to 70% and about 3% of Gallic acid. Action: Galls are powerfully Astringent and Styptic. Though Oak galls contains tannic acid, it would be an error, however, to administer pure tannic acid in place of the entire drug. Tannic acid is absorbed in the small intestine, whereas it is protective by Cellulose in the drugs containing tannic acids so that it reaches the lower intestinal sections unchanged. It unfolds its action only after absorption into the lymp- stream, influencing and contracting the smooth Musculature.