Rhus chinensis, the Chinese sumac[2] or nutgall tree, is a
deciduous shrub or small tree in the genus Rhus. Growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall, it has downy shoots and leaves comprising several leaflets. These turn red in autumn before falling.[3]
The plant is common in East and South Asia,[4] and is cultivated as an ornamental in
temperate climates.
Galls produced on the species that are called Chinese gall, Galla Chinensis, or Wu Bei Zi (五倍子) in Chinese, are a source of
gallotannins,[5][6] molecules of hydrolyzable tannins. Infestation of the tree by Chinese sumac
aphids (Melaphis chinensis Bell) may lead to production of a gall that is valued as a commercial product in China.
Chinese galls are used in
traditional Chinese medicine for
coughs,
diarrhea, night sweats,
dysentery, and intestinal and uterine bleeding.[7] Some research has suggested that chemical compounds found in Rhus chinensis possess in vitro antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal, and antioxidant activities.[4] However, this evidence is not substantiated by multiple international researchers. The aqueous extracts of the gall also inhibit
alpha-glucosidase activity in vitro.[8]
foliage
flowers
fruits
sapling
References
^Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018).
"Rhus chinensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T135819132A135819134. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
^USDA, NRCS (n.d.).
"Rhus chinensis". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
^Shim, Y. J; Doo, H. K; Ahn, S. Y; Kim, Y. S; Seong, J. K; Park, I. S; Min, B. H (2003). "Inhibitory effect of aqueous extract from the gall of Rhus chinensis on alpha-glucosidase activity and postprandial blood glucose". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 85 (2–3): 283–7.
doi:
10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00370-7.
PMID12639753.