# Astringent

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{{Short description|Chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues}}
{{distinguish|Stringent}}
[[File:AlumCrystal.jpg|thumb|A crystal of the astringent [alum](/source/alum)]]
[[File:Closeup of blackthorn aka sloe aka prunus spinosa sweden 20050924.jpg|thumb|The astringents and acids in fresh [blackthorn](/source/blackthorn) berries (sloes) give the fruit its sourness.]]

An '''astringent''' (sometimes called '''adstringent''') is a chemical that shrinks or constricts [body tissue](/source/body_tissue)s. The word derives from the [Latin](/source/Latin) ''[adstringere](/source/wiktionary%3Aadstringere)'', which means "to bind fast". '''Astringency''', the dry, puckering or numbing [mouthfeel](/source/mouthfeel) caused by the [tannin](/source/tannin)s<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=P. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0l2JnsONxlAC |title=Breeding Tropical and Subtropical Fruits |date=2002 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=9783540428558 |language=en |accessdate=2018-12-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Joslyn |first=Maynard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8b8_f68cyv4C |title=Methods in Food Analysis: Applied to Plant Products |date=2012-12-02 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=9780323146814 |language=en}}</ref> in unripe fruits, lets the fruit mature by deterring eating. Tannins, being a kind of [polyphenol](/source/polyphenol), bind salivary [protein](/source/protein)s and make them precipitate and [aggregate](/source/Protein_aggregation),<ref>Fennema, ''Food Chemistry'', 4th ed., p. 656.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Breslin |first1=P.A.S. |last2=Gilmore |first2=M.M. |last3=Beauchamp |first3=G.K. |last4=Green |first4=B.G. |date=1993 |title=Psychophysical evidence that oral astringency is a tactile sensation |url=https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/18/4/405/290466 |journal=Chemical Senses |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=405–417 |doi=10.1093/chemse/18.4.405|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bertsch |first1=Pascal |last2=Bergfreund |first2=Jotam |last3=Windhab |first3=Erich J. |last4=Fischer |first4=Peter |date=August 2021 |title=Physiological fluid interfaces: Functional microenvironments, drug delivery targets, and first line of defense |journal=Acta Biomaterialia |volume=130 |pages=32–53 |doi=10.1016/j.actbio.2021.05.051 |pmid=34077806 |s2cid=235323337|doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.11850/498803 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> producing a rough, "sandpapery", or dry sensation in the mouth.

[Smoking tobacco](/source/Smoking_tobacco) is also reported to have an astringent effect.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McBride |first=Nome |title=Herbal Smoking Mixes |url=https://traditionalroots.org/wp-content/uploads/Herbal-Smoking-Mixtures-NOTES.pdf |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Traditional Roots Institute}}</ref>

In a scientific study, astringency was still detectable by subjects who had [local anesthesia](/source/local_anesthesia) applied to their taste nerves, but not when both these and the [trigeminal nerve](/source/trigeminal_nerve)s were disabled.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jiang |first1=Yue |last2=Gong |first2=Naihua N. |last3=Matsunami |first3=Hiroaki |date=2014 |title=Astringency: A More Stringent Definition |journal=Chemical Senses |volume=39 |issue=6 |pages=467–469 |doi=10.1093/chemse/bju021 |issn=0379-864X |pmc=4064959 |pmid=24860069}}</ref>

==Uses==
In medicine, astringents cause constriction or contraction of [mucous membrane](/source/mucous_membrane)s and exposed tissues and are often used internally to reduce discharge of [blood serum](/source/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](/source/sore_throat), [hemorrhage](/source/hemorrhage)s, [diarrhea](/source/diarrhea), and [peptic ulcer](/source/peptic_ulcer)s. Externally applied astringents, which cause mild coagulation of skin [protein](/source/protein)s, dry, harden, and protect the [skin](/source/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](/source/acne) are often advised to use astringents if they have oily skin.<ref>[https://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; [allergies](/source/Allergy); [insect bites](/source/insect_bites);<ref name="Ciullo1996"/> [anal hemorrhoids](/source/Hemorrhoid);<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 [fungal infections](/source/mycosis) such as [athlete's foot](/source/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> Redness-reducing eye drops contain an astringent. Use of [Goulard's extract](/source/Goulard's_extract) has been discontinued after it was found to cause [lead poisoning](/source/lead_poisoning).<ref>{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Edward H. |title=A Manual of Pharmacology |publisher=Macmillan |year=1914 |pages=235–236}}</ref>

==Examples==
Some common astringents are [alum](/source/alum), [acacia](/source/acacia), [sage](/source/Salvia_officinalis),<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](/source/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](/source/Witch_hazel_(astringent)), [bayberry](/source/bayberry), [distilled vinegar](/source/vinegar), very cold [water](/source/water), and [rubbing alcohol](/source/rubbing_alcohol). Astringent preparations include [silver nitrate](/source/silver_nitrate), [potassium permanganate](/source/potassium_permanganate), [zinc oxide](/source/zinc_oxide), [zinc sulfate](/source/zinc_sulfate), [Burow's solution](/source/Burow's_solution), [tincture of benzoin](/source/tincture_of_benzoin), and such vegetable substances as [tannic](/source/Tannic_acid) and [gallic acid](/source/gallic_acid)s. Balaustines are the red [rose](/source/rose)-like [flower](/source/flower)s of the [pomegranate](/source/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](/source/salt_(chemistry))s and acids have also been used as astringents.<ref name="Gregory1833">{{cite book|last=Gregory|first=James|title=Conspectus medicinae theoretic 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>

[Calamine lotion](/source/Calamine_lotion), [witch hazel](/source/Witch_hazel_(astringent)), and [yerba mansa](/source/Anemopsis), 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> as are the powdered leaves of the [myrtle](/source/Myrtus_communis).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Borg |first=John |date=1927 |title=Descriptive flora of the Maltese Islands |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Descriptive+flora+of+the+Maltese+Islands&author=Borg%2C+John&publication_year=1927 |location=Malta |publisher=Malta Government Printing Office |language=English}}</ref> Ripe fruits and fruit parts including [blackthorn](/source/blackthorn) (sloe berries), ''[Aronia](/source/Aronia)'' chokeberry, [chokecherry](/source/chokecherry), [bird cherry](/source/bird_cherry), [rhubarb](/source/rhubarb), [quince](/source/quince), [jabuticaba](/source/jabuticaba) and [persimmon](/source/persimmon) fruits (especially when unripe), [banana](/source/banana) skins (or unripe bananas), [cashew](/source/cashew) fruits and acorns are astringent.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last1=Choi |first1=Nak-Eon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV64BQAAQBAJ |title=How Flavor Works: The Science of Taste and Aroma |last2=Han |first2=Jung H. |date=2014-12-03 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=9781118865453 |language=en}}</ref> Citrus fruits, like lemons, are somewhat astringent. The tannins in some [tea](/source/tea)s, [coffee](/source/coffee), and red grape [wine](/source/wine)s like [Cabernet Sauvignon](/source/Cabernet_Sauvignon) and [Merlot](/source/Merlot) produce mild astringency.{{cn|date=June 2023}} [Astringency](/source/Astringency_(wine)) is used in classifications of [white wine](/source/white_wine).

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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

Category:Drugs
Category:Gustation
Category:Astringent flavors

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Astringent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astringent) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astringent?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.