Chinese Pistache

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Chinese pistache is a small to medium-sized tree in the genus Pistaciain the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, native to central and western China. It is hardy, can withstand harsh conditions and poor quality soils, and grows up to 20 m. The leaves are deciduous, alternate, pinnate, 20-25 cm long, with 10 or 12 leaflets, the terminal leaflet usually absent. The flowers are produced in panicles 15-20 cm long at the ends of the branches; it is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The fruit is a small red drupe, turning blue when ripe, containing a single seed. This species is planted as a street tree in temperate areas worldwide due to its attractive fruit and autumn foliage.
The galls are bitter, acrid, astringent, anti-inflammatory, depurative, digestive, constipating and febrifuge, tonic and expectorant with terebinthine odour. They are useful in asthma, cough, hiccough, dysentery, diarrhoea, ulcers, bronchitis, fever, consumption, irritability of stomach, psoriasis, leprosy, skin diseases, inflammations, fever, and general debility. It is also very effective in children for diseases at the time of teething.