Re: Gallotannins
Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on March 28, 2000 at 22:04:57:
In Reply to: Gallotannins posted by James on March 28, 2000 at 21:17:23:
Gallotannic acid is in cloves, and in inner oak bark and oak galls.
They aren't great at staining skin, as hennotannic acid is (henotannic
acid is in henna), but they will stain it a little.
Inner oak bark and oak galls are better known for dying leather and
wool, as they won't bind with the proteins in collagen and keratin
particularly well at body temperature. However, if a woodworker is
working oak, she may find her fingers slightly stained at the end of a
day's cabinet making. Oak bark has long been called "Tanner's bark".
Oak galls are great for dying wool. Don't expect to use any of those
as a substitute for hena, though.
Cloves can be pretty irritating to the skin, so they should be used
with caution. Adding clove powder or clove oil to your henna paste
recipe in one way or other will definitely boost the color slightly
towards black, though!
Tannins, generally, are pretty useful in dying leathers and animal
fibers.... but only henna will safely, easily penetrate epidermal skin
cells and bind with them at body temperature.
