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Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum "gum of the balsam tree," ultimately from a Semitic source such as Hebrew: בֹּשֶׂם, romanized: bośem, lit. 'spice, perfume') owes its name to the biblical Balm of Gilead.

Chemistry

Balsam is a solution of plant-specific resins in plant-specific solvents (essential oils). Such resins can include resin acids, esters, or alcohols. The exudate is a mobile to highly viscous liquid often containing crystallized resin particles. Over time and as a result of other influences the exudate loses its liquidizing components or gets chemically converted into a solid material (i.e. by autoxidation).^[1]

Balsams often contain benzoic or cinnamic acid or their esters.^[2]^[3] Plant resins are sometimes classified according to other plant constituents in the mixture, for example as:^[2]

pure resins (guaiac, hashish),
gum-resins (containing gums/polysaccharides),
oleo-gum-resins (a mixture of gums, resins and essential oils),
oleo-resins (a mixture of resins and essential oils, e. g. capsicum, ginger and aspidinol),
balsams (resinous mixtures that contain cinnamic and/or benzoic acid or their esters),
glycoresins (podophyllin, jalap, kava kava),
fossil resins (amber, asphaltite, Utah resin).

Usually, animal secretions (musk, shellac, beeswax) are excluded from this definition.

The Balsam of Matariyya

The Balsam of Matariyya was a substance famous as a panacea among physicians in the Middle East and Europe during the Antique and Medieval periods. The substance has long been used as a medicine, with early references to the substance recorded as far back as 285 BC. The Balsam of Matariyya was said to be derived from an Egyptian plant and is sometimes also referred to as the balm of Gilead or the balm of Mecca.^[4]

List of balsams

Acaroid resin (Xanthorrhoea spp.)
Acouchi balsam (Protium spp.)
Ammoniacum
Asafoetida (Laser)
Balm of Gilead
Balm of Mecca
Balsam fir - (Abies balsamea)
Balsam of Peru
Balsam of Tolu
Balsam poplars - (Populus sect. Tacamahaca)
Balsam Specific
Bisabol
Bdellium
Benzoin resin
Bukhoor
Cabreuva balsam (Myrocarpus frondosus, Myrocarpus fastigatus)
Camphor
Canada balsam
Chinese lacquer (Toxicodendron vernicifluum)
Copaiba balsam (Copaifera spp.)
Copal
Corneiba balsam (Schinus terebinthifolius or Lithraea brasiliensis)
Damar
Dragon's blood (Calamus draco)
Elemi
Frankincense (Olibanum)
Galbanum
Guaiacum officinale
Guggul
Gurjun balsam
Imbauba balsam (Cecropia adenopus)
Labdanum
Mastic
Myrrh
Obira balsam (Apocynaceae)
Opopanax
Umiri balsam (Humiria floribunda)
Rosin (Colophony)
Sagapenum
Sandarac
Sarcocolla
Storax balsam
Turpentine
Venice turpentine (Larch turpentine) (Larix occidentalis)
Wallaba balsam (Eperua spp.)

Safety

Some balsams, such as Balsam of Peru, may be associated with allergies. In particular, Euphorbia latex ("wolf's milk") is strongly irritant and is cytotoxic.

References

^ Klemens Fiebach; Dieter Grimm (2007), "Resins, Natural", Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.), Wiley, p. 2, doi:10.1002/14356007.a23_073, ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2
^ ^a ^b Andrew Pengelly (2004), "Essential oils and resins", The constituents of medicinal plants (2nd ed.), Allen & Unwin, p. 102
^ "Balsam" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). 1911.
^ MILWRIGHT, MARCUS (June 2003). "The balsam of Matariyya: an exploration of a medieval panacea". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 66 (2): 193–209. doi:10.1017/s0041977x03000119. ISSN 0041-977X. S2CID 163105374.

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