Oak: antiseptic and astringent

Strong as an oak

Oak has accompanied the history of mankind and has been used for centuries as a natural remedy. Its stature gives it strength and power and its history has crossed time. Beyond appearances and the mere element of vegetation, the tree has always maintained close ties with Man and the Oak is no exception.

In France, there are two main species: the Pedunculate Oak and the Sessile Oak. But there are other varieties such as the Holm Oak, Cork Oak or Downy Oak for example. An important feature of these species: the underground part of the trees represents a larger volume than the aerial part. The higher the branches, the deeper the roots… Material for building boats and cathedrals, firewood supplying industries before coal, oak wood also served the development of the railway. Not to mention our furniture and frameworks… It is no coincidence that this tree inspires us with strength and vitality and its habitat willingly hosts mistletoe which extracts its mineral salts, offering phytotherapy the hypotensive virtues of its leaves in particular. Oak itself offers, through its bark, an ancestral remedy found in Eastern, Western and even Maghreb pharmacopoeias. Purifying and liver-protective, oak bark vinegar effectively supports the liver, especially in cases of chemotherapy. The “experts”, clever ones, use it to reduce blood alcohol levels in case of excess… Bark in decoction or mother tincture is used in Europe against diarrhoea and urinary incontinence while bud extracts stimulate the neuroendocrine system and will be useful in cases of overwork, fatigue and of course andropause. In the latter case, oak can be accompanied by Sequoia. External use of oak bark with antiseptic and astringent virtues should also be noted.

At the heart of our forests, a link between yesterday and today, and between nature and humans, the oak certainly has not finished revealing the power of its resources.