ImportMaster at 07:53, 15 April 2022

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{{Short description|Chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues}}
{{distinguish|Stringent}}
{{See also|Astringent (taste)}}
[[Image:AlumCrystal.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A crystal of the astringent [[alum]]]]
[[File:Closeup_of_blackthorn_aka_sloe_aka_prunus_spinosa_sweden_20050924.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The astringents and acids in fresh [[blackthorn]] berries (sloes) give the fruit its sourness.]]
An '''astringent''' (sometimes called '''adstringent''') is a chemical that shrinks or constricts [[body tissue]]s. The word derives from the [[Latin]] ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". [[Calamine lotion]], [[Witch hazel (astringent)|witch hazel]], and [[Anemopsis|yerba mansa]], a Californian plant, are astringents.<ref>[http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Plants%20of%20Upper%20Newport%20Bay%20%28Robert%20De%20Ruff%29/Saururaceae/Anemopsis%20californica.htm ''Anemopsis californica''] from University of California, Irvine</ref>

'''Astringency''', the dry, puckering [[mouthfeel]] caused by the [[tannin]]s in unripe fruits, lets the fruit mature by deterring eating. Ripe fruits and fruit parts including [[blackthorn]] (sloe berries), ''[[Aronia]]'' chokeberry, [[chokecherry]], [[bird cherry]], [[rhubarb]], [[quince]] and [[persimmon]] fruits, and [[banana]] skins are very astringent; citrus fruits, like lemons, are somewhat astringent. Tannins, being a kind of [[polyphenol]], bind salivary proteins and make them precipitate and aggregate,<ref>Fennema, ''Food Chemistry'', 4th ed., p. 656.</ref> producing a rough, "sandpapery", or dry sensation in the mouth. The tannins in some [[tea]]s, [[coffee]], and red grape [[wine]]s like [[Cabernet Sauvignon]] and [[Merlot]] produce mild astringency.

==Uses==
In medicine, astringents cause constriction or contraction of [[mucous membrane]]s and exposed tissues and are often used internally to reduce discharge of [[blood serum]] and mucous secretions.<ref name="Brodin1998">{{cite book|last=Brodin|first=Michael|title=The Over-The-Counter Drug Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xyJw_aLOM9sC&pg=PA382|access-date=4 June 2014|year=1998|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-0-671-01380-6|page=382}}</ref> This can happen with a [[sore throat]], [[hemorrhage]]s, [[diarrhea]], and [[peptic ulcer]]s. Externally applied astringents, which cause mild coagulation of skin [[protein]]s, dry, harden, and protect the [[skin]].<ref name="Ciullo1996">{{cite book|author=Peter A. Ciullo|title=Industrial Minerals and Their Uses: A Handbook and Formulary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qQPozu9fWrIC&pg=PA407|access-date=4 June 2014|date=31 December 1996|publisher=William Andrew|isbn=978-0-8155-1808-2|page=407}}</ref> People with [[acne]] are often advised to use astringents if they have oily skin.<ref>[http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/common_college_health_issues/acne.php ''Acne''] from http://www.brown.edu</ref> Mild astringents relieve such minor skin irritations as those resulting from superficial cuts; [[Allergy|allergies]]; [[insect]] bites;<ref name="Ciullo1996"/> [[Hemorrhoid|anal hemorrhoids]];<ref name="AchesonScholefield">{{cite journal |last1=Acheson |first1=Austin |last2=Scholefield |first2=John |date=2008-02-16 |title=Management of haemorrhoids |journal=BMJ |volume=336 |issue=7640 |pages=380–383 |doi=10.1136/bmj.39465.674745.80 |pmid=18276714 |pmc=2244760 }}</ref> and [[mycosis|fungal infections]] such as [[athlete's foot]].<ref name="DockeryCrawford1999">{{cite book|last1=Dockery|first1=Gary L.|last2=Crawford|first2=Mary Elizabeth|title=Color Atlas of Foot and Ankle Dermatology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQkML9WQfXsC&pg=PA171|access-date=4 June 2014|year=1999|publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins|isbn=978-0-397-51519-6|page=171}}</ref>

Some common astringents are [[alum]], [[acacia]], [[Salvia officinalis|sage]],<ref name="1907Dorland">{{cite book|last=Dorland|first=W. A. Newman|author-link=Dorland's medical reference works|title=The American illustrated medical dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DG6AAAAIAAJ|access-date=4 June 2014|edition=4th|year=1907|publisher=W.B. Saunders company|location=Philadelphia and London|pages=14, 39, 635}}</ref> [[yarrow]],<ref name="Grieve1971">{{cite book|last=Grieve|first=Maud|author-link=Maud Grieve|title=A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REy8Yiyf2HEC&pg=PA863|access-date=4 June 2014|date=1 June 1971|publisher=Dover Publications|isbn=978-0-486-22799-3|pages=863–864}}</ref> [[Witch hazel (astringent)|witch hazel]], [[bayberry]], [[vinegar|distilled vinegar]], very cold [[water]], and [[rubbing alcohol]]. Astringent preparations include [[silver nitrate]], [[potassium permanganate]], [[zinc oxide]], [[zinc sulfate]], [[Burow's solution]], [[tincture of benzoin]], and such vegetable substances as [[Tannic acid|tannic]] and [[gallic acid]]s. [[wiktionary:balaustine|Balaustines]] are the [[red]] [[rose]]-like [[flower]]s of the [[pomegranate]], which are very bitter to the taste. In medicine, their dried form has been used as an astringent.<ref>[http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/HistSciTech/HistSciTech-idx?type=turn&entity=HistSciTech000900240228&isize=L History of Science: Cyclopædia, or, An universal dictionary of arts and sciences…]</ref> Some metal [[salt (chemistry)|salt]]s and acids have also been used as astringents.<ref name="Gregory1833">{{cite book|last=Gregory|first=James|title=Conspectus medicinae theoreticae: a view of the theory of medicine; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics|url=https://archive.org/details/conspectusmedic00greggoog|access-date=4 June 2014|edition=2nd|year=1833|publisher=Stirling & Kenneg|location=London|pages=[https://archive.org/details/conspectusmedic00greggoog/page/n269 255]–256}}</ref> Redness-reducing eye drops contain an astringent. Use of [[Goulard's Extract]] has been discontinued, because of [[lead poisoning]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{wiktionary-inline|astringent}}

[[Category:Drugs]]
[[Category:Gustation]]

Astringent - Revision history

ImportMaster at 07:53, 15 April 2022