The Medicinal Uses of Oak

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

I've put off writing about the medicinal uses of oak for far too long, and without any good reason either, other than the fact that I don't actually have an oak tree at my house.  And that isn't a good excuse, either, but it's all I've got.  However, based on what I've learned today, and especially because it may be of benefit in cases of COVID-19, there will be at least one planted at the new house. 

All species of oak, Quercus spp., are medicinally active; moreover, the galls on oak twigs, which are caused by insects, are two to three times more medicinal than other oak bark.  This tannin-based astringent works very well internally and externally. However, internal use must be for a relatively short term, less than one week.[1]  It is an excellent choice for promoting tissue healing and proliferation.[2]

One of the active constituents of oak trees is quercetin which has the same Latin root as the scientific name for oak, Quercus.  And you might recall seeing the name quercetin.  It’s a dietary supplement often used to reduce inflammation and pain, mitigate allergies, and protect the skin and liver.  It’s also a zinc ionophore, a substance that moves zinc through cell membranes.  And if this sounds vaguely familiar to you, it’s because zinc deficiency is believed to play a role in COVID-19 infection and recovery.  Some doctors believe that increasing levels of zinc in the body will help prevent COVID.  Hydroxychloroquine is a zinc ionophore that has been demonstrated to work wonders in COVID patients.  Will quercetin from oak tree bark work the same way?  We don’t know.  But it does bear keeping in mind.[3]  Quercetin has also been shown to work against rhinoviruses (which cause colds).[4]

The active constituents, what you want for making medicine, come only from the bark of oak trees.  There is basically nothing in the roots or leaves.  Collect the pinkish-rust colored inner bark from larger branches of an oak tree, where the outer bark is fissured.[5]  Then simply dehydrate the bark.[6]  Store in a dark bottle in a cool, dry place.  This dry powder can be used to make infusions, poultices, salves, and washes.

Powder.  The dry powder is an effective clotting agent and also works well on abrasions and weeping sores and rashes.[7]

Salve.  Melt 2 tablespoons coconut oil and ¾ teaspoon beeswax in a double boiler.  Stir in ½ teaspoon of tincture or powder and transfer to a small container.  Use as needed for pressure sores/bed sores and other wounds.[8]

Infusion.  Prepare an infusion by placing 1 teaspoon of dried herb in a cup and adding 6 ounces of boiling water to it.  Cover and let steep 10-15 minutes.  An infusion is taken internally to manage bleeding ulcers of the esophagus, stomach, or intestines.  It is also helpful in stopping diarrhea and alleviating bleeding gums.[9]

Poultice.  Dip a clean cloth into the cooled infusion.  Use this to gently dab and wash the skin and effectively relieve the pain of sunburns and thermal burns and irritated and weeping skin.

Wash.  Let an infusion cool and dip a clean cloth in it to wash abrasions, lacerations, rashes, or any skin condition with redness, swelling, or weeping, including sunburns and thermal burns.[10] Internally, it is used as a gargle for treating pharyngitis and sinusitis.[11]

Decoction. For a decoction, put 1 tablespoon of powdered oak in a cup and cover with 1 cup of boiling water.  Cover and let steep two hours.  Use 2-4 oz, 2-3 x per day for dealing with an E. coli O157:H7 infection.  For dealing with a Campylobacter jejuni infection, use 6 ounces 6 times per day.

Tincture.  Measure the amount of inner oak bark by weight.  Add five times the volume of 100-proof alcohol.  Make the tincture with 50% alcohol, 40% water, and 10% glycerin.  So an example would be 1 ounce of inner oak bark by weight, 5 ounces of 100-proof alcohol by volume, 4 ounces of water, and 1 ounce of glycerin.  The general dosage is 30 drops to 1 teaspoon, up to 4 times per day.[12]

                                                                                                                                      

Caution.  Oak use is considered quite safe, even in pregnancy, but only for short-term use (less than one week).[13]

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[1] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217.

[2] Sam Coffman, The Herbal Medic, 58; Herbal Antibiotics, 333; Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 47.

[3] https://greenstarsproject.org/2020/03/27/quercetin-a-treatment-for-coronavirus/

[4] Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antivirals, 58.

[5] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217.

[6] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217.

[7] Sam Coffman, The Herbal Medic, 173; Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 271.

[8] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217.

[9] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217; Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 345.

[10] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217; Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 345.

[11] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217; Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs; 345.

[12] Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 271.

[13] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 217.

 10 august 2020