Witnessed by: Western · Unani
Oak (Quercus robur), of the Fagaceae family. Large, long-lived deciduous tree with lobed leaves and stalked acorns; native range: Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus; long-lived tree of temperate deciduous woodland. Globally recognized as ballut (بلوط) in Arabic, and English oak, pedunculate oak, common oak; acorn (fruit) in English. The part used is inner bark of young branches (bark); also acorn and gall. Smooth grey-brown bark, fissuring with age; the inner bark is hard, near odourless, and puckeringly astringent on the tongue from its heavy tannin, drying the mouth at once.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
OAK
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Oak
- Scientific name
- Quercus robur L.
- Family
- Fagaceae
Form
- Part used
- inner bark of young branches (bark); also acorn and gall
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- astringent · bitter
- Unani
- astringent (qabiz) · bitter
Temperature
Western: cold (drying)
Unani: cold (2nd degree)
convergence: both {witness_count} witnesses read the tannic bark as cold and drying
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- bowels · intestines · mucous membranes · skin
- Unani
- intestines · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- astringent, tonic, antiseptic, haemostatic; tightens and tones relaxed tissue and checks discharge
- Unani
- qabiz (astringent), habis-ud-dam (styptic), mujaffif (desiccant), dabigh (a chief tanning/consolidating drug for lax tissue)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- chronic constipation and dry, atrophic conditions; not over broken or extensively damaged skin; heavy tannin should not be taken with iron salts or alkaloidal medicines, which it precipitates
- Toxicity
- large or prolonged doses irritate the stomach and burden the liver and kidneys through excess tannin; may cause constipation and impaired absorption of nutrients
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