Melaphis chinensis, the Chinese sumac aphid, is an aphid species in the genus Melaphis

Melaphis

Melaphis is an aphid genus in the family Pemphigidae.-External links:* , Fauna Europaea...

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The species produce gall

Gall

Galls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...

s on the Chinese sumac (Rhus chinensis

Rhus chinensis

Rhus chinensis, the Chinese sumac or nutgall tree, is a plant species in the genus Rhus.The species is used to produce galls, called Chinese gall, Galla Chinensis or Wu Bei Zi in Chinese, which are rich in gallotannins, a type of hydrolysable tannins...

). The gall is called Chinese gall, Galla Chinensis or wu bei zi (五倍子) in Chinese. It is rich in gallotannin

Gallotannin

A gallotannin is a class of molecules belonging to the hydrolysable tannins. Gallotannins are polymers formed when gallic acid, a polyphenol monomer, esterifies and binds with the hydroxyl group of a polyol carbohydrate such as glucose.-Metabolism:...

s, a type of hydrolysable tannins. The infestation by Chinese sumac aphids can lead to a gall which is valued as a commercial product. Chinese galls are used in Chinese medicine to treat cough

Cough

A cough is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes...

s, diarrhea

Diarrhea

Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...

, night sweats, dysentry and to stop intestinal and uterine bleeding.