(medicinal botany)
Another name is Balsamo (Compendium), Bailu Balsamo (Botanical Dictionary).
The source is resin from rubber tree in Peru, Leguminosae.
Plant morphology of balsam tree in Peru
Trees, up to 30 meters. There are resin channels on the epidermis of young branches, but they fall off early, while there are no resin channels on the trunk. Single pinnate compound leaves, leaflets 9 ~ 13, oval, apex acuminate, entire. Racemes axillary; These flowers are white. The pods are yellow.
Distributed in the forest areas of El Salvador and Honduras along the Pacific coast of Central America.
Collection is usually carried out in winter. When collecting, the tree was injured with a stick, which damaged the internal tissue and produced a fragrant resin channel. Then remove the cork layer from the injured part, which is about 30 cm long and 15 cm wide. In a few days, the resin will ooze out, usually with cloth. About seven days, smoked with fire, a lot of aromatic resin can seep out. Finally, the maple bark is removed, the xylem is exposed, and harvested in the same way. Within one and a half months, this part of the aromatic resin is completely oozing out. Later, the upper part of the wound will be treated as before. Boil and wring the cloth adsorbed with perfume resin in water, then the perfume resin will sink to the bottom of the water and the water and impurities will be removed.
The medicinal materials are thick oily, reddish-brown or even dark brown, while the thin layer is transparent, reddish-brown, non-sticky and sticky. It smells like geraniol. It was tasteless at first, but then it was bitter. It is acidic. The specific gravity is1.135 ~1.160.
The chemical composition includes 56-70% of benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate, about 28% of resin and 0/0% of free cinnamic acid/kloc. The resin is an ester of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. The volatile oil contains a lot of nerolidol.
Pharmacology: the oil contained in this product has disinfection effect, the oil resin part can promote tissue repair, and the resin has local protection and inflammation reduction effect, so it can be used for chronic inflammation of skin and mucosa (such as chronic bronchitis); It can also promote the healing of ulcers and wounds (dressing with castor oil mixed on the wound). It can also treat some fungal infections of the skin, and can also treat tuberculosis (skin or laryngeal tuberculosis) by topical application or oral administration (emulsion). Oral effect is suspicious, and local application sometimes * * *. In vitro test, it has certain effect on trichomonas. Monoquaternary ammonium salts of cinnamic acid and its derivatives have the effect of curare.
Indications: ① Kun Yu Tu said: "Suitable for all kinds of traumatology, but not acne."
② Pharmacognosy of Zhao Xu: "Oral administration (0.2 ~ 1 ml) is bactericidal and expectorant, and external use is skin insecticide, especially effective for scabies and tinea."
Remind you: Peruvian gum, Chinese herbal medicine, comes from the internet. Please follow the doctor's advice before use.