Sumatra Benzoin is obtained from the incised stem of Styrax benzoin Dryander and Styrax parallelo-neurus Perkins., belonging to family Styraceae. It contains about 25% of total balsamic acids, calculated as cinnamic acid
SUMATRA BENZOIN
Synonyms
Gum Benjamin; Benzoinum; Benzoin; Luban (Hindi).
Biological Source
Sumatra Benzoin is obtained from the incised stem of Styrax benzoin Dryander and Styrax parallelo-neurus Perkins., belonging to family Styraceae. It
contains about 25% of total balsamic acids, calculated as cinnamic acid
Geographical Source
The trees are found in Sumatra, Malacca, Malaya, Java, and
Borneo.
Collection
The plants are medium-sized trees. Sumatra Benzoin is a
pathological resin which is formed by making incision and by attack of fungi.
In Sumatra the seeds are sown in rice fields. The rice plants provide
protection to benzoin plants during first year. After harvesting of the rice
crop the trees are allowed to grow. When they are 7 years old, three
triangular wounds are made in a vertical row. Tapping consists of making in
each trunk three lines of incisions which are gradually lengthened. The first
triangular wounds are made in a vertical row about 40 cm apart, the bark
between the wounds being then scraped smooth. The first secretion is very
sticky and is rejected. After making further cuts, each about 4 cm above the
preceding ones, a harder secretion is obtained. Further incisions are made at
three-monthly intervals, and the secretion becomes crystalline. About 6 weeks
after each fresh tapping the product is scraped off, the outer layer (finest
quality) being kept separate from the next layer (intermediate quality). About
2 weeks later the strip is scraped again, giving a lower quality darker in
colour and containing fragments of bark. Fresh incisions are then made, and the
above process is repeated. Second exudation is milky white and is used for
medicinal purpose. The stem is incised four times during one year. AH types of
exudations are sent to industry for further processing. A single tree yields
about 10 kg of resin per year and is completely exhausted by the 19th year of
its life.
Characteristics
Sumatra benzoin occurs in brittle masses consisting of
opaque, whitish, or reddish tears embedded in a translucent, reddish-brown or
greyish-brown, resinous matrix. Odour, agreeable and balsamic, taste, slightly
acrid. Siamese benzoin occurs in tears or in blocks. The tears are of variable
size and flattened; they are yellowish-brown or reddish-brown externally, but
milky-white and opaque internally. The block form consists of small tears
embedded in a glassy, reddish-brown, resinous matrix. It has a vanilla-like
odour and a balsamic taste.
When heated, benzoin evolves white fumes of cinnamic and
benzoic acids which readily condense on a cool surface as a crystalline
sublimate.
Chemical Constituents
Sumatra Benzoin consists of free balsamic acid (cinnamic and
benzoic acids) (25%) and their esters. The amount of cinnamic acid is usually
double that of benzoic acid. It also contains triterpenic acids like
siaresinolic acid (19-hydroxy-oleanolic acid) and sumaresinolic acid
(6-hydroxy-oleanolic acid); traces of vanillin, phenylpropyl cinnamate,
cinnamyl cinnamate, and phenylethylene.
Uses
Sumatra Benzoin possesses expectorant, antiseptic,
carminative, stimulant, and diuretic properties. It is used in cosmetic lotions,
perfumery and to prepare Compound Benzoin. It forms an ingredient of
inhalations in the treatment of catarrh of upper respiratory tract in the form
of Compound Benzoin Tincture. Benzoin is used as an external antiseptic and
protective, and is one of the main ingredients of Friar’s Balsam. It is also
used to fix the odour of incenses, skin-soaps, perfumes and other cosmetics and
for fixing the taste of certain pharmaceutical preparations. Benzoin retards
rancification of fats and is used for this purpose in the official benzoinated
lard, also used in food, drinks and in incense.
Allied Drug
Palembang benzoin, an interior variety produced in
Sumatra is collected from isolated
trees from which the resin has not been stripped for some time. It is very
light in weight and breaking with an irregular porous fracture. It consists of
reddish-brown resin, with only a few very small tears embedded in it. Palembang benzoin is used as a source of
natural benzoic acid.
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