Botanical Name: Quercus infectoria Oliv.

Family: Fagaceae

 

 Introduction:

Gall on Quercus infectoria is called ‘mayaphalam’. The name mayaphal is a misnomer. Mayaphala is not actually a fruit but a cocoons of an insect made by using the juice of the tree, It is hollow from within. Name of the insect is ‘Adeleria gallae-tinctoriae’

Latin name: Quercus = Quer = fine. cues = tree (Celtic); infectoria = of the dyers, stained

 

 

Names in different Indian languages ( gall )

 

English

Oak gall, magin nut, dyer’s oak gall

Hindi

Muphal

Kannada

Macike

Malayalam

Mayakku

Sanskrit

Mayaphalam

Tamil

Masikkai

Telugu

Masikkai

Unani

 

Folk

 

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Mayaphal. Mayiphala, Chidraphala (small holes on the fruit). Mayika , Mayi.

 

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata

 

Charaka

 

Susrutha

 

Vagbhata

 

 

          
        

  

 

Varieties & adulterants - (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants) 

 Varieties: There are four varieties - 1) Blue 2) Black 3) Green and 4) White.

The first three varieties are superior whereas the last variety is considered to be inferior

 

 

 


Morphology  (plant)

This is a shrub with a greyish trunk.

Leaves - long, oblong, with dentate margins.

Flowers - unisexual.

Fruits - small, round, yellowish with a single seed. An insect called

Sinips galli tinctoria sucks the juice from its branches and makes a coccoon-like shelter for itself in which it lays its eggs. This is called mayaphal.

 

 


Distribution & Habitat

U.A.E.. Asia minor, Syria. Persia

 

Chemical constituents:

 

 Mayaphal contains 50 to 70 % gallotannic acid and 3% tannic acid.

Properties: (gall)

Guna: laghu. ruksha:

Rasa: kashaya;

Vipaka: katu;

Virya: sheeta;

 

Karma -

Nerahita, vranahara, grahi, raktapitta hara

Antidote to antimony, aconite, datura, karaskara, blackening of hair

Srotogamitva:

Dosha: Kaphapittaghna.

Dhatu: Rakta, mansa, meda.

Mala: Hair, sweda, purisha. ‘ .

In case of poisoning; its decoction should be used after a proper stomach wash.

 

 

 Indication:

Vrana, kasa, asmiri, sweta pradara, yonikantam, atisaram

Cough, fever, syphilis , tonsillitis , skin diseases

 

Part used:

  gall

 

Dosage: 

Powder 1-2 g

 

 

Internal uses: (gall)

External uses: It is used as a hair dye. Since it is an astringent and wound healing, it stops

bleeding from wounds. It is used for gargling in pharyngitis and stomatitis. Its powder is used for application in rectal prolapse. piles and wounds. Application of its powder is done in excessive sweating.

Internal uses: It is strong constipative (also causes vomiting in excess dose). It is useful indiarrhoea (colonic), dysentery, bleeding piles, bleeding diathesis, cough, polyuria, diabetes, pyuria and leucorrhoea. Its vaginal suppository is used in leucorrhoea. In case of poison.ong bystrychnine, dhattura, aconite, morphine or antimony, its decoction is given repeatiaJly in large doses after a proper stomach wash.

 

Descriptions on  Ayurveda books / Nighandu:

  

Medicinal plants of India ; Ayurveda

Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants/Herbs mainly using in Ayurveda with good quality pictures and information like therapeutic usage of Medicinal Plants, cultivation, morphology, habitat, flower characters, Chemical content, parts used, research works etc.

medicinal plants