BALSAM OF TOLU & BALSAM OF PERU

Essential Oil, HERB, Hydrosol Profile

By Jeanne Rose ~  /courses.html

 

Synopsis ~ This balsamic oleoresin contains both resin and essential oil and is now an invasive tree in new areas. The resin  has a warm, woody, vanilla-type odor and has many therapeutic uses for skin care as well as a wonderful addition as a fixative in perfumery. Read on for the differences in the two.

 

Common Name/Latin Binomial ~ Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu are derived from a single species that have two different physiologic forms or formae. “The generic name Myroxylon derives from the Greek myron meaning sweet oil or perfume and xylon meaning wood, alluding to the natural, sweet-smelling, viscous resin that is obtained from the trunk of the tree and known commonly as balsam.”⁵
This is a ‘form’ difference in the two not a chemotype difference.

             Family Name ~ Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family of flowering plants.

 Balsam Peru is Myroxylon balsamum for. pereirae (syn. Is M. pereirae) comes mainly from the Pacific side of southern Mexico but also through Central America.

Balsam Tolu is Myroxylon balsamum for. balsamum (syn. Is M. toluifera) comes from Columbia and the old varietal name is named after small town.

 Note: In botanical nomenclature, a form (forma, plural formae) is one of the “secondary” taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, and describes the physiologic look of a species that is different from the same species elsewhere. Some plants, although identical taxonomically may have slightly different forms or ‘looks’. If nature is responsible for the different look it is ‘forma’, if man breeds the difference or for that look it is a ‘cv or variety’. These also may have different chemistry as is the case with these two balsams or the two forms of Frankincense called Boswellia sacra/carterii.

 

Other Common Name/Naming Information and Countries of Origins ~

What are Balsams? Balsam is from Latin balsamum meaning “gum of the balsam tree.” They are called balsams, but that name also includes other types of resins and that can lead to confusion.

Balsam is an aromatic resinous substance, such as balm, exuded by various trees and shrubs and used as a base for certain fragrances and medical and cosmetic preparations. Balsams are less fluid than oleoresins, they are “relatively soft and initially malleable resin, generally fragrant; sometimes restricted to phenolic resins of this kind.¹” This resinous sap forms on certain trees. Balsams in some definitions also has to included benzoic acid or cinnamic acid.

            Balsam Peru ~ EO Myroxylon balsamum or M. balsamum var. pereirae is the same as Balsam of Tolu but a different physiological forma (and from a different area). It is native to Central (El Salvador) and South America. See the Botany section from your textbook, 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols. This is a balsamic oleoresin, containing both resin and essential oil that literally has to be beaten out of the bark and collected. It has a warm, woody, vanilla-type odor and has many therapeutic uses for skin care as well as a wonderful addition as a fixative in perfumery.

Balsam of Peru Limerick

I love my Balsam of Peru
It goes well in scrub with bamboo
It is sticky and sweet
And can’t be used neat
But with heat it is no longer like glue—jeannerose2012

            Balsam Tolu EO – EO Myroxylon balsamum or M. balsamum var. toluiferum is the same as Balsam of Peru but different physiological forma (and from a different area). It is native to South America (Columbia) and only slightly different than Balsam of Peru in that the branches begin at 45 feet above ground and the balsam comes naturally from the tree after an incision and is not beaten out. The scent is the same, balsamic, vanilla-type, warm, and smoky. The balsam can be steam-distilled, with a high ester count, used as anticatarrhal, expectorant, indicated for chronic respiratory conditions and used commercially as an expectorant in cough formulas or in soap. See page 110 of Herbs & Things or page 69 The Aromatherapy Book.

 

Eden Botanicals Harvest Location ~ Balsam of Peru is wild-grown and harvested in El Salvador.

Endangered or Invasive ~ Myroxylon balsamum is a large tree of tropical America, known internationally and introduced widely as a source of resin (Peru and Tolu balsams) for use in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. It is also a valuable timber tree. However, it is reported as highly invasive in inland and montane Sri Lanka, where it forms dense stands shading out native species, which indicates a risk of it also becoming invasive in some of the many countries and islands where it has naturalized.⁵

 

General description of Plant habitat and growth~ “M. balsamum is a large tree up to 40-45 m tall, with a round crown and dense foliage. The main trunk is up to 1 m in diameter, mostly straight, with slim, ascending branches. The outer bark is smooth, greyish brown and covered with many lenticels (one of many raised pores in the stem of a woody plant that allows gas exchange between the atmosphere and the internal tissues); the inner bark is yellowish, with a pungent, some say unpleasant smell. Leaves are alternate or irregular, petiolate.”⁵   This woody tree is broadleaved, a perennial, and propagated by seed.

           

Portion of plant used in distillation, how distilled, extraction methods and yields ~

            Balsam of Peru is sticky and sweet. These large trees can be found from Guatemala to Nicaragua, but the conditions needed for producing Peru Balsam exist only in a small region of El Salvador, in the highlands an hour’s drive west of the capital San Salvador. Peru is harvested in successive phases, January to May in the dry season and May to September in the rainy season.  The bark is burned, and these specific spots are covered with pieces of cloth that absorb the exudate. The cloth is then pressed, and the balsam is purified by boiling. Impurities are removed through specific purification. The trees suffer no permanent damage from this process and can continue to yield balsam for more than 100 years. A company called Biolandes has established a secure and sustainable supply at the source, importing purified balsam to France where it is processed to produce Peru absolute. “Removing the insoluble portions by filtration and then removing the solvent yield resinoid which varies between 80-86%”⁸.

            Yield ~ Peru production amounts to about 80 tons per year. The yield in commercial production ranges from 43-55% essential oil from the balsam.

 

Balsam of Tolu ‘resinoid’ “is obtained by extraction of the raw tolu balsam. It is a brown crystalline mass with a persistent, sweet, balsamic odor, somewhat reminiscent of Hyacinth. It is used as a fixative in perfumes.^7.” The balsam forms in the trunk tissues as a result of injuries.⁸  Consistency depends upon age and temperature. It is soluble in high-proof alcohol. Collection of balsam continues year-around.

Yield ~ Steam distillation of Tolu balsam yields from 1.5-7% volatile oil.⁸

Organoleptic Characteristics:

Characteristics	1972 Balsam of Peru	Balsam of Peru resin	Balsam of Peru EO	Balsam of Tolu resin
Color:	Brown	brown	Yellow to golden	brown
Clarity:	opaque	opaque	clear	opaque
Viscosity:	Viscous	Very viscous	Somewhat viscous	Very viscous
Taste:	—	—	—	—
Intensity of Odor: 1-10 with 1= lowest	3	2	2	3

 

Odor Description/ Aroma Assessment ~ Odors have intensity and tenacity. Intensity is how strong the odor is, and tenacity is how long it lasts in your nose or in a blend or perfume. Regarding the “Vocabulary of Odor” this is fully explained in chapter 3 of my book, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols.

Balsam of Peru from 1972 was woody, vegetative, balsamic and floral. Balsam of Peru from 1980 was balsamic, floral and woody. Balsam of Peru essential oil balsamic, softly floral and a back note of wood.

Balsam of Tolu resin was a soft balsamic, woody, floral note that become more intense when it is diluted 50•50 with 95% neutral grape spirits. At this 1•1 dilution rate it will eventually separate. It stays in solution with further dilution to reduce the resin to 25% of the total.

 

 CHEMICAL COMPONENTS

Physiochemical Properties: Peru Balsam is a viscous, dark brown, transparent liquid which does not harden on exposure to the air. It has a pleasant sweet lasting odor which is slightly reminiscent of Vanilla.  It is a complex mixture of 25-30% resin and 60-65% essential oil.⁸

Solubility ~ It is soluble in 95% alcohol.

 Comparison of Main Components ~ Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu are very different in their chemistry.

According to Tony Burfield in 2008, Balsam of Peru contains benzyl cinnamate up to 40%, benzyl benzoate up to 30% and cinnamyl cinnamate up to 0.5%. Other constituents include vanillin up to 1%, and the floral scented sesquiterpene alcohol nerolidol up to 7%), this being formerly termed ‘peruviol’.

Balsam of Tolu contains cinnamein (benzyl cinnamate or a mixture of this ester with other esters), cinnamic acid, and resin, and can resinify more easily than Balsam of Peru. The main constituents of tolu balsam are the benzyl- and cinnamyl esters of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. They are solid at room temperature.

           

 

GENERAL PROPERTIES

            These two balsams, visually identical but differently named because of location, are antiseptic and antitussive.

Properties and Uses ~ Peru Balsam with its sweet vanilla-like scent and is used in the manufacture of perfumes and in many products. Peru balsam has uses in medicine to calm coughs, in the treatment of dry socket in dentistry, in suppositories for hemorrhoids. The plants have been reported to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as the common ulcer-causing bacteria. It has been used as Helicobacter pylori in test-tube studies, so it is used topically as a treatment of wounds and ulcers, as an antiseptic and used as an anal muscle relaxant. Peru Balsam can be found in diaper rash ointments, hair tonics, antidandruff preparations, and feminine hygiene sprays and as a natural fragrance in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes.

 

Application/Skincare ~ Balsam of Peru has been used as a disinfectant for eczema or pruritis; to relieve the itch of scabies and to kill the eggs; as a ringworm application and as a rub to toughen nipples prior to nursing (prior to birth, not after birth).  It is used in skin cleaning soaps — medicinal soaps for chapped hands and feet. Dissolved in alcohol it is a fragrant and potent fixative in perfume and potpourri.³

             Balsam of Tolu is used much the same as Balsam of Peru with a similar vanilla-scent that is also somewhat cinnamon. It is used as a fixative in perfumery and potpourris and many pharmaceutical preparations and soap making.

 

Diffuse/Diffusion ~ I suggest that you do not try to diffuse this product.

 

Emotional/Energetic Uses ~ Peru and Tolu Balsam are used energetically and emotionally in love spells and in ceremony and in blessings.

Jeanne Rose recipe for Depression or Sadness

 Emotion: Depression – Mix together in whatever quantities you choose, essential oil of Basil and Jasmine and add an equal amount of Balsam of Tolu and Fir absolute. Mix together completely and use as an inhaler whenever necessary.

Emotion: Sadness – When you think that “Life is difficult, I am not smart, nobody loves me” mix together 4 parts or 40 drops of Benzoin or Balsam of Peru or Tolu (dissolved first in alcohol 1:2), 3 parts or 30 drops of Rosewood, 2 parts or 20 drops of Spikenard and 1 part or 10 drops of Ylang -Ylang Extra. Mix these together and place in an inhaler bottle. Label the bottle and inhale as necessary.

 

 Key Use ~ The distillate and the diluted resin balsam of either is very useful in perfumery. Perfumery Fixative and commercially in pharmaceuticals.

 

 

 

Blends Best with ~ Atlas Cedar, Cardamom, Cassia, Cinnamon, citrus scents, Frankincense, leather scents, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Opopanax, Patchouli, all resins, Rose, smoky odors, Tobacco, Vanilla, and Vetivert and more.

 

 

 

BLENDING with formula

Transcendental Sassy Pants from Perfumery February 2010
Ylang Ylang – type not listed – 10 drops
Cinnamon – type not listed – 12 drops
Balsam of Tolu – 20 drops
Sandalwood – type not listed – 10

This had a wonderful odor and a great name; however, the student did not list any of the qualifying details that would allow anyone else to be able create her particular scent. But these ingredients could be mixed together using Ylang Extra, Hawaiian Sandalwood and you would have a beautiful odor.

 

HYDROSOL ~ I have never seen or used anything called Peru/Tolu hydrosol.

 

 Historical Uses and Interesting Information ~ The words Balsam of Peru is misnamed. During the Spanish domination of Central and parts of South America the balsam was collected in Central America and shipped to either Callao or Lima in Peru and was thus name “Balsam of Peru”. It was exported to Europe and documented early in the 17^th century. Today it is extracted under a handicraft process and is mainly exported from El Salvador. These two balsams obtained from Myroxylon trees are produced in different ways as detailed above.

Tolu Balsam is considered a toponymy and not a misnomer. A toponymy is a study of place names, their origins and meanings. Tolu balsam is actually obtained from the latex of a tree and was originally described by Linnaeus from a sample from a town called Tolu, which at the time was located in the province of Cartagena.

Jeanne Rose Tomato Tales ~ Balsam of Peru

            I have been interested in collecting these two balsams since I first knew them. I knew that Balsam of Peru was often considered an allergen or a problem for sensitive skin. But I never seemed to have any ill effects from its use. “It has been used as an expectorant, …. And externally on sores, scabies, and ringworm”.⁶

Back in my rock and roll days of 1965-1970, I once took a trip to Mexico with the father of my child. Our car broke down, we abandoned it and we completed our homeward journey on an ancient Mexican bus with torn upholstery and raggedy curtains. The bus was loaded with children and even pets. An ancient old lady was sitting behind us and spent that tedious bus ride smiling at and entertaining my child who was two at the time. It was a long bus trip from wherever we had started.        Towards the end of the trip I began to itch, really itch and starting scratching at the webs between my fingers and the skin on the inside of my elbows. It began to be a torture. At the border, we were dropped off, walked across, were picked up by friends and made our way home to Big Sur and my cabin in Palo Colorado cabin where my big old Great Dane dog, George, was awaiting me.

The relentless itching continued, and I finally applied some Balsam of Peru that I had. This helped with the itching. I knew it was used for all sorts of skin parasites. Remember this was Big Sur 1966 and people were passing all sorts of whatever from one-person-to-another. My itching was temporarily soothed but my other two travel companions were scratching like crazy. I looked at my inner elbow with a magnifying glass and was absolutely sure I could see a microscopic spider wavng its legs about. So, we all went to the doctor, were diagnosed with scabies, bought the killer medicine, came home, showered, and treated ourselves from head-to-toe and that was the end of that. Thankfully, never to be heard of again.

             [Scabies is an Infestation of tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei, that are passed by skin-to-skin contact or contact with an infested object such as a towel, bedding, or upholstered furniture. We got ours from the bus upholstery]

The Balsam of Peru had certainly helped me, but I was not as yet a confidant herbalist and thus did not use it on my child or the father. Balsam of Peru has a pleasant fragrant woody odor but can be sort of burning on the skin. And I cannot remember at this time if I had diluted it with anything or if it was tincture of Balsam of Peru that I had originally used.

Alchemical Symbol for Sap

 Balsam of Tolu/Peru is called a resin or a balsam.   Examples are Peru Balsam or Canada Balsam. Peruvian balsam (“Peru”) is an exudate of Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae, a tree native to Central America. Peru balsam has a sweet scent like vanilla and is used in the manufacture of perfumes and in many products. Peru balsam has uses in medicine to calm coughs, in the treatment of dry socket in dentistry, in suppositories for hemorrhoids. The plants have been reported to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as the common ulcer-causing bacteria. It has been used as H. pylori in test-tube studies, so it is used topically as a treatment of wounds and ulcers, as an antiseptic and used as an anal muscle relaxant. Peru Balsam can be found in diaper rash ointments, hair tonics, antidandruff preparations, and feminine hygiene sprays and as a natural fragrance in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes.

  Abstract/Scientific Data ~ The significance of fragrance mix, balsam of Peru, colophony and propolis as screening tools in the detection of fragrance allergy. Wohrl S. Hemmer W. Focke M, Gotz M, Jarish R. Br J Dermatol. 2001 Aug;145(2):268-73.
BACKGROUND: Patch testing to fragrances is an important step in the diagnosis of fragrance allergy.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the usefulness of adding propolis to the European standard series to test for fragrance allergy.
Results: The positive results to the standard series in 2660 patients were: fragrance mix 243 (9.1%), Myroxylon Pereirae [balsam of Peru] 144 (5.4%), colophony 32 (1.2%); these fragrance mixtures are used as screening substances for fragrance allergy in the European standard series. Propolis, also known as bee’s glue, was also an important allergen in this locally revised standard series. … patients suspected of fragrance allergy had positive skin tests to the special fragrance series comprising the eight constituents of the fragrance mix (most frequent: isoeugenol 5.4%, oakmoss absolute 5.0%, eugenol 2.5%) and 14 other fragrance allergens (most frequent: clove oil 1.6%, lemon grass oil 0.8%, cedar wood oil 0.7%). The additional value of propolis as another screening substance for fragrance allergy in these patients was low. The likelihood of a reaction to one or more of the extra fragrance allergens increased with the number of reactions to fragrance screening allergens in the standard series.
CONCLUSIONS: The number of positive reactions to fragrance screening allergens in a standard patch test series may be used as a rule of thumb for predicting a positive outcome of a more detailed testing to fragrances. Propolis is an important allergen in its own right but its value as a screening substance for fragrance allergy is limited.

 

Do not ingest the EO, the resin, the resinoid or the hydrosol

 

Contraindications/Safety Precautions ~ Balsam of Peru is in the “top five” contact allergens most commonly causing patch test reactions in people referred to dermatology clinics. Crude Balsam of Peru is banned by the IFA (International Fragrance Association). Essential oil may not present this problem. However, since Balsam of Tolu is not produced in the same way and even though botanically these are identical trees but with different terroir, Tolu resin may not be allergenic as Balsam of Peru.

Symbol from the Aromatherapy Book, meaning “this oil could cause a problem”^4.

 

Patch Test ~ If applying a new essential oil to your skin always perform a patch test to the inner arm (after you have diluted the EO in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply a diluted drop (1 drop EO + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose band-aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas. —The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

 

References:
^1.Langenheim, Jean H. PLANT RESINS, Chemistry, Evolution, Ecology, Ethnobotany. Timber Press. 2003
^2.Francis N. Gachathi, and Siri Eriksen. Gums and resins
^3.Rose, Jeanne. Herbal Body Book
^4.Rose, Jeanne, The Aromatherapy Book.
⁵ https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/35225
⁶Rose, Jeanne. Herbs & Things
^7.http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils.htm
⁸Guenther’s The Essential Oils. Volume V,
Alchemy Works. E-mail (not printable)
Arctander, Steffen.  Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin
Book Arts e-mail
Chart Corporation, Inc., (was Pennick) 787 E. 27th St., Paterson, NJ 07504, 201/345-5554 or 973/345-2139
http://herbnature.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3763/cdev.2010.0066
La Paz, Will. Eden Botanicals. Private correspondence
Menninger, Edwin A. Fantastic Trees
Ravines, Patrick.  E-mail. >Ravines@BWC.org<
Scents of Earth website
The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Ed. Lesley Brown.  Clarendon Press, Oxford 1993.

 

DISCLAIMER:  This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that is a matter between you and your health care provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor.  The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies  – Jeanne Rose©

 

Comments: I want to thank Eden Botanicals for their ongoing assistance to provide the new essential oils for these essential oil blog posts as well as their support to provide better information for the entire aromatherapy community.

 

Moderation in All Things.

Be moderate in your use of essential oils and resins as they are just not sustainable for the environment.
Be selective and more moderate in your usage.
Use the herb (plant) first as tea or the infusion. —JeanneRose 2004

Balsam of Tolu 1972 and 1980, Resinoid and balsam

 

For more education, enroll in either the Herbal Studies Course or
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