Tolu balsam
Encyclopedia
Tolu balsam or balsam of Tolu (a variant of balsam of Peru) is the resinous secretion of Myroxylon balsamum
.
The resin is still used in certain cough syrup formulas. However its main use in the modern era is in perfumery, where it is valued for its warm, mellow yet somewhat spicy scent. It is also used as a natural remedy for skin rashes. Ironically, it is a well known cause of contact dermatitis
, a form of skin allergy.
The resin is tapped from the trunk of the tree through incisions into the bark
and collected when dry. The colour of the resin is light to reddish brown. Tolu balsam is pliable when warm and fractures in a pattern similar to flint when cold. The dry resin has a complex aroma consisting chiefly of cinnamon
and vanilla
notes with a slight floral character.
Tolu has begun to be used in the niche perfume industry notably by Ormonde Jayne Perfumery, which launched its oriental perfume Tolu in 2002 and also recently in 2010 by Esteban which launched Baume Tolu. Both perfumes have a velvety rich quality and Ormonde Jayne's Tolu Perfume was used by designer Roksana Ilincic to scent her evening dress shows during Fashion Week.
and South America
to relieve coughs and asthma, and to treat wounds. Its name comes from Tolú (singular); Tolúes (plural), the name of the native precolumbian people that used to be the inhabitants at the same place where now is located Tolú
, a small town and municipality in Sucre Department, northern Colombia (South America) by the Caribbean sea. Tolúes were the first reported to be using this resin in early Spanish chronicles.
Today, it remains in use in pharmaceutical preparations, in the form of a syrup, as an expectorant and as a fragrant vehicle for other compounds. It is an ingredient in compound benzoin tincture
that is used for the treatment of bedsores, cracked skin, and minor cuts. It has been reported to have been used in the folk treatment of cancer.
and benzoic acid
, and about 40% of the benzyl and related esters of these free acids. A volatile oil is present in small amounts (from 1.5% to 7%), as is a small amount of vanillin (0.05%). A wide variety of additional minor components have been identified in the balsam. The concentrations of these components vary widely in commercial products because of a lack of international standards for tolu balsam.
Myroxylon
Myroxylon J.R.Forst. & G.Forst is a synonym of Xylosma.Myroxylon is a genus of two species of Central American and South American trees in the Fabaceae . The tree is well known in the western world as the source for Peru balsam and Tolu balsam. The tree is often called Quina or Balsamo...
.
The resin is still used in certain cough syrup formulas. However its main use in the modern era is in perfumery, where it is valued for its warm, mellow yet somewhat spicy scent. It is also used as a natural remedy for skin rashes. Ironically, it is a well known cause of contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is a term for a skin reaction resulting from exposure to allergens or irritants . Phototoxic dermatitis occurs when the allergen or irritant is activated by sunlight....
, a form of skin allergy.
Botany
T. balsamum is a tall tree native to South America and grows abundantly on the high plains and mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. The species is also known as Myroxylon toluiferum HBK and M. balsamamum (L.) Harms. It is also cultivated in the West Indies. The tree differs little from that yielding Balsam of Peru.The resin is tapped from the trunk of the tree through incisions into the bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
and collected when dry. The colour of the resin is light to reddish brown. Tolu balsam is pliable when warm and fractures in a pattern similar to flint when cold. The dry resin has a complex aroma consisting chiefly of cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
and vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
notes with a slight floral character.
Tolu has begun to be used in the niche perfume industry notably by Ormonde Jayne Perfumery, which launched its oriental perfume Tolu in 2002 and also recently in 2010 by Esteban which launched Baume Tolu. Both perfumes have a velvety rich quality and Ormonde Jayne's Tolu Perfume was used by designer Roksana Ilincic to scent her evening dress shows during Fashion Week.
History
The resin, as well as the leaves and fruit, have been traditionally used by the people of Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
to relieve coughs and asthma, and to treat wounds. Its name comes from Tolú (singular); Tolúes (plural), the name of the native precolumbian people that used to be the inhabitants at the same place where now is located Tolú
Tolú
Tolú is a small town and municipality in Sucre Department, northern Colombia by the Caribbean sea. The municipality has an area of 500 km². The name of Tolú comes from a tree called the Balsam of Tolú....
, a small town and municipality in Sucre Department, northern Colombia (South America) by the Caribbean sea. Tolúes were the first reported to be using this resin in early Spanish chronicles.
Today, it remains in use in pharmaceutical preparations, in the form of a syrup, as an expectorant and as a fragrant vehicle for other compounds. It is an ingredient in compound benzoin tincture
Tincture of benzoin
Tincture of benzoin is a pungent solution of benzoin resin in alcohol. A similar preparation called Friar's Balsam or Compound Benzoin Tincture contains, in addition, Cape aloes and storax .-Medical uses:Tincture of benzoin has two main medical uses: as a treatment for damaged skin in the...
that is used for the treatment of bedsores, cracked skin, and minor cuts. It has been reported to have been used in the folk treatment of cancer.
Chemistry
Tolu balsam is a yellow-brown semifluid or near solid material with an aromatic vanilla-like odor and taste. On drying it becomes hard and brittle. It is insoluble in water but soluble in pharmaceutical solvents such as alcohol, ether, sodium hydroxide solution, and chloroform. The balsam contains up to 80% resin, approximately 15% free cinnamic acidCinnamic acid
Cinnamic acid is a white crystalline organic acid, which is slightly soluble in water.It is obtained from oil of cinnamon, or from balsams such as storax. It is also found in shea butter and is the best indication of its environmental history and post-extraction conditions...
and benzoic acid
Benzoic acid
Benzoic acid , C7H6O2 , is a colorless crystalline solid and the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid. The name derived from gum benzoin, which was for a long time the only source for benzoic acid. Its salts are used as a food preservative and benzoic acid is an important precursor for the synthesis...
, and about 40% of the benzyl and related esters of these free acids. A volatile oil is present in small amounts (from 1.5% to 7%), as is a small amount of vanillin (0.05%). A wide variety of additional minor components have been identified in the balsam. The concentrations of these components vary widely in commercial products because of a lack of international standards for tolu balsam.