Amur cork tree fruit oil is a pressed oil extracted from the fruit of Phellodendron amurense

Phellodendron amurense

Phellodendron amurense Rupr. is a species of tree in the family Rutaceae, commonly called the Amur cork tree. It is a major source of huáng bò , one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine...

, the Amur Cork Tree. The bark of the tree is an important herbal medicine in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. The oil has insecticidal

Insecticide

An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...

 properties similar to pyrethrum

Pyrethrum

Pyrethrum refers to several Old World plants of the genus Chrysanthemum which are cultivated as ornamentals for their showy flower heads. Pyrethrum is also the name of a natural insecticide made from the dried flower heads of C. cinerariifolium and C...

. The oil contains a variety of biologically active substances, including flavonoid

Flavonoid

Flavonoids , are a class of plant secondary metabolites....

s (diosmin

Diosmin

Diosmin is a semisynthetic phlebotropic drug , a member of the flavonoid family. It is an oral phlebotropic drug used in the treatment of venous disease, i.e., chronic venous insufficiency and hemorrhoidal disease , in acute or chronic hemorrhoids, in place of rubber-band ligation, in combination...

), alkaloid

Alkaloid

Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...

s (berberine

Berberine

Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary...

, yatroriccin, palmatine

Palmatine

Palmatine is a protoberberine alkaloid found in several plants including Phellodendron amurense, Rhizoma coptidis/Coptis Chinensis and Corydalis yanhusuo.It is the major component of the protoberberine extract from Enantia chlorantha....

), saponin

Saponin

Saponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species...

s and coumarin

Coumarin

Coumarin is a fragrant chemical compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, found in many plants, notably in high concentration in the tonka bean , vanilla grass , sweet woodruff , mullein , sweet grass , cassia cinnamon and sweet clover...

s. Medicinal applications of the oil include treatment of pancreatitis

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs when pancreatic enzymes that digest food are activated in the pancreas instead of the small intestine. It may be acute – beginning suddenly and lasting a few days, or chronic – occurring over many years...

, reduction of cholesterol

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...

 and sugar

Blood sugar

The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...

 in blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

and the treatment of various skin diseases.