Chinese gallnut is a forest by-product, the collective name for galls formed by aphid insects parasitizing the rachis, leaf wings and leaflets of plants such as Rhus chinensis, Rhus potaninii, and Rhus punjabensis var. sinica in the Anacardiaceae family. It is one of China's important resource insect products and a traditional export commodity. China leads the world in both output and quality, hence internationally known as “Chinese Gallnut”.
Appearance: Du bei is elongated-oval or oval with five-pointed protrusions on the surface; horned galls are mostly rhomboid with irregular horn-like protrusions; gall flowers are chrysanthemum or cockscomb shaped. The surface is generally yellow-brown or gray-brown; the shell is hard and brittle; the cross-section is pale yellow-brown with luster. No moisture, no mold, no adulteration, no contamination.
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Alias
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Yanfu leaf gall, Wenha, Baichongcang, Mufuzi, Qibeizi, Hongyetao, Hanbeizi, Wuyanpao. |
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Pinyin
English Name |
Wu bei zi Chinese Gallnuts, Chinese Gall, Chinese Nut-gall |
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Medicinal Source
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Galls formed by aphid insects of the family Aphididae (Horned Gall Aphid or Gall Aphid) parasitizing Rhus chinensis Mill., Rhus potaninii Maxim. and Rhus punjabensis var. sinica (Diels) Rehd. et Wils. and other plants of the Anacardiaceae family. |
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Ecological Environment
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Distributed in limestone mountain shrublands, sparse forests, and hillside sparse forests or shrublands at elevations of 350–3000 meters. |
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Harvest and Storage
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Horned galls are harvested in September–October; belly galls are harvested in June. If overdue, the gall will crack open. After harvesting, boil in wastewater for 3–5 minutes to kill the larvae inside, then sun-dry or air-dry. |
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Medicinal Properties
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Sour; astringent; cold |
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Meridian Affinity
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Lung; Stomach; Large Intestine; Liver; Kidney |
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Effects
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Astringe lung; stop sweating; astringe intestines; consolidate essence; stop bleeding; detoxify |
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Therapeutic Category
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Astringent drugs; Heat-clearing drugs |
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Indications
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Chronic cough due to lung deficiency, spontaneous sweating and night sweats; chronic diarrhea and dysentery; prolapse of rectum; seminal emission; leukorrhea; various types of bleeding; carbuncles, sores and furuncles |
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Family Classification
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Anacardiaceae |
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Source
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Chinese Materia Medica |
Life Cycle of Chinese Gallnut — Cordyceps “Fruit”
Chinese gallnuts are concentrated in the Wuling Mountain region spanning Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan — the Wuling Mountain area
