Medicinal value of Ailanthus

When it comes to toon trees, the one you may know more about is Toona sinensis, which is not only a traditional Chinese medicinal material, but also has high edible value. The opposite of Chinese toon is naturally stinking toon. As the name suggests, stinking toon has a not very pleasant smell, so it is generally not eaten and is mainly used for medicinal purposes. The medicinal value of Ailanthus altissima is also very high, and it has the effects of astringing, stopping leukorrhea, stopping diarrhea, and stopping bleeding. Let’s take a closer look at the medicinal value of the ailanthus tree.

Medicinal value

Other applications of Ailanthus altissima: The bark, root bark and fruit of Ailanthus altissima can be used as medicine, which has the effects of clearing away heat and dampness, astringing and stopping leukorrhea, stopping diarrhea and stopping bleeding. According to Chinese medicine literature, Ailanthus altissima is slightly poisonous and can only be used as a decoction for external washing. Ailanthus leaves are not edible.

Economic Value

Ailanthus is tough, straight-textured, lustrous and easy to process, making it an excellent material for construction and furniture making. Ailanthus altissima is also a high-quality raw material for papermaking because of its long wood fibers. Toona leaves can be used to feed silkworms, and the silk can be used to weave Toona silk. In garden applications, Ailanthus altissima is used as the rootstock for grafting red-leafed altissima.

The tree has a dignified posture, strong adaptability, strong wind resistance, smoke and dust resistance, fine-grained wood, strong quality, and water resistance, making it suitable for use in bridges and furniture; the bark fiber is used to make artificial cotton and ropes. The stem bark contains gum; the leaves can be used to feed silkworms, and the extract can be used as a local pesticide. The wood is tough and has long fibers, making it an excellent raw material for papermaking. The seeds contain 30-35% fatty oil, which is a semi-drying oil, and the residue can be used as fertilizer; the roots contain azadirachtin, fatty oil and tannin.

The difference between Ailanthus and Chinese toon

Chinese toon and ailanthus belong to different plant families, but their appearances are very similar, so many people confuse them. The difference between the two is introduced as follows:

(1) Different number of leaves. Ailanthus has odd-numbered pinnate leaves, while Chinese toon generally has even (rarely odd) numbered pinnate leaves.

(2) The leaves have a different taste. The leaves of Ailanthus altissima have a peculiar smell, while the leaves of Chinese toon have a stronger fragrance.

(3)The trunks are different. The surface of the trunk of Ailanthus altissima is relatively smooth and does not crack, while the surface of the trunk of Chinese toon often peels off in strips and blocks.

(4)The fruits are different. The fruit of Ailanthus altissima is a winged fruit, while the fruit of Chinese toon is a capsule.

(5)Different vascular bundles. Observing the leaf scars, it was found that Ailanthus altissima had 9 vascular bundles, while Toona sinensis had 5.