Balsam of Peru

Last updated

Balsam of Peru Balsamum peruvianum1.JPG
Balsam of Peru

Balsam of Peru [1] or Peru balsam, [2] also known and marketed by many other names, is a balsam derived from a tree known as Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; it is found in El Salvador, where it is an endemic species.

Contents

Balsam of Peru is used in food and drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance, and in medicine and pharmaceutical items for healing properties. It has a sweet scent. In some instances, balsam of Peru is listed on the ingredient label of a product by one of its various names, but it may not be required to be listed by its name by mandatory labeling conventions.

It can cause allergic reactions, with numerous large surveys identifying it as being in the "top five" allergens most commonly causing patch test reactions. [3] [4] It may cause inflammation, redness, swelling, soreness, itching, and blisters, including allergic contact dermatitis, stomatitis (inflammation and soreness of the mouth or tongue), cheilitis (inflammation, rash, or painful erosion of the lips, oropharyngeal mucosa, or angles of the mouth), pruritus, hand eczema, generalized or resistant plantar dermatitis, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis.

Harvesting and processing

Balsam of Peru is obtained by using rags to soak up the resin after strips of bark are removed from the trunk of Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae, boiling the rags and letting the balsam sink in water. [1] [5] The balsam is an aromatic dark-brown oily fluid. [1] [5]

Composition

Balsam of Peru contains 25 or so different substances, [6] including cinnamein, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl cinnamate, benzyl benzoate, benzoic acid, and vanillin. [7] [8] It also contains cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamaldehyde, farnesol, and nerolidol. [9] A minority of it, approximately 30–40%, contains resins or esters of unknown composition. [8]

Uses

Balsam of Peru is used in food and drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance, and in medicine and pharmaceutical items for healing properties. [8]

In some cases, it is listed on the ingredient label of a product by one of its various names. [7] Naturally occurring ingredients may contain substances identical to or very closely related to balsam of Peru. [7]

It has four primary uses:

It also can be found in toothpaste, mouthwash, scented tobacco, cleaning products, pesticides, insect repellants, air fresheners and deodorizers, scented candles, and oil paint. [10] [19] [20]

Allergy

A number of national and international surveys have identified balsam of Peru as being in the "top five" allergens most commonly causing patch test reactions in people referred to dermatology clinics. [12] [21] [22] A study in 2001 found that 3.8% of the general population patch tested was allergic to it. [23] Many flavorings and perfumes contain components identical to balsam of Peru. [24] It may cause redness, swelling, itching, and blisters. [25]

People allergic to balsam of Peru or other chemically related substances may experience a contact dermatitis reaction. [8] If they have oral exposure, they may experience stomatitis (inflammation and soreness of the mouth or tongue), and cheilitis (inflammation, rash, or painful erosion of the lips, oropharyngeal mucosa, or angles of their mouth). [8] [12] [21] If they ingest it, they may experience pruritus and contact dermatitis in the perianal region, possibly due to unabsorbed substances in the feces. [12] [26] It can cause a flare-up of hand eczema. [8] Among the other allergic reactions to balsam of Peru are generalized or resistant plantar dermatitis, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis, [12] [27] In a case study in Switzerland, a woman who was allergic to balsam of Peru was allergic to her boyfriend's semen following intercourse after he drank large amounts of Coca-Cola. [28]

This T.R.U.E. (Thin-Layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous) Patch Test result shows strong reaction to balsam of Peru (#10) and mild reaction to the standard fragrance mix (#6) Result of standard T.R.U.E patch test showing allergy to Balsam of Peru.jpg
This T.R.U.E. (Thin-Layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous) Patch Test result shows strong reaction to balsam of Peru (#10) and mild reaction to the standard fragrance mix (#6)

A positive patch test is used to diagnose an allergy to balsam of Peru. [8] [11] [26] Positive patch test results indicate that the person may have problems with certain flavorings, medications, and perfumed products. [8] Among foods, the most commonly implicated are spices, citrus, and tomatoes. [30]

People allergic to balsam of Peru may benefit from a diet in which they avoid ingesting foods that contain it. [12] Naturally occurring ingredients may contain substances identical to or very closely related to balsam of Peru, and may cause the same allergic reactions. [7] In some instances, balsam of Peru is listed on the ingredient label of a product by one of its various names, but it may not be required to be listed by its name by mandatory labeling conventions (in fragrances, for example, it may simply be covered by an ingredient listing of "fragrance"). [7] [31] [32] [33] [34] To determine if balsam of Peru is in a product, often doctors have to contact the manufacturer of the products used by the patient. [35]

Before 1977, the main recommended marker for perfume allergy was balsam of Peru, which is still advised. The presence of balsam of Peru in a cosmetic will be denoted by the INCI term Myroxylon pereirae. [9] Because of allergic reactions, since 1982 crude balsam of Peru has been banned by the International Fragrance Association from use as a fragrance compound, but extracts and distillates are used up to a maximum level of 0.4% in products, and are not covered by mandatory labeling. [24]

In March 2006, the European Commission, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, issued an opinion on balsam of Peru. [2] It confirmed that crude balsam of Peru should not be used as a fragrance ingredient, because of a wide variety of test results on its sensitizing potential, but that extracts and distillates can be used up to a maximum level of 0.4% in products. [2]

History

The name balsam of Peru is a misnomer. [36] In the early period of Spanish invasion in Central and South America, the balsam was collected in Central America and shipped to Callao (the port of Lima) in Peru, then shipped onward to Europe. [36] [37] [38] It acquired the name of "Peru" because it was shipped via there. [36] [37] Its export to Europe was first documented in the seventeenth century in the German pharmacopedia. Today it is extracted under a handicraft process, and is mainly exported from El Salvador. [39] Another balsam, balsam of Tolu, is extracted from Myroxylon balsamum var. balsamum in a different way. [5] [40]

Alternate names

Among the alternate names used for balsam of Peru are: [8] [41]

Related Research Articles

Dermatitis Inflammation of the skin

Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can vary from small to covering the entire body. Dermatitis is often called eczema, and the difference between those terms is not standardized.

Perfume Mixture of fragrant substances to produce a pleasant smell

Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. The 1939 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, Leopold Ružička stated in 1945 that "right from the earliest days of scientific chemistry up to the present time, perfumes have substantially contributed to the development of organic chemistry as regards methods, systematic classification, and theory."

Essential oil Hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants

An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An essential oil is essential in the sense that it contains the essence of the plant's fragrance—the characteristic fragrance of the plant from which it is derived. The term "essential" used here does not mean indispensable or usable by the human body, as with the terms essential amino acid or essential fatty acid, which are so called because they are nutritionally required by a living organism.

Contact dermatitis Human disease

Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are not contagious or life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable.

Moisturizer Type of cosmetics

A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb mollire, to soften.

Patch test

A patch test is a diagnostic method used to determine which specific substances cause allergic inflammation of a patient's skin.

<i>Myroxylon</i> Genus of legumes

Myroxylon is a genus of Fabaceae native to Latin America.

Tolu balsam

Tolu balsam or balsam of Tolu is a balsam that originates from South America. It is similar to the balsam of Peru.

Allergic contact dermatitis Medical condition

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a form of contact dermatitis that is the manifestation of an allergic response caused by contact with a substance; the other type being irritant contact dermatitis (ICD).

Anusol is a brand of medications that can be used to treat hemorrhoids. The Anusol range includes creams, ointments, and suppositories. Anusol is now known under the brand name Tucks in the United States and some other areas while being marketed under the Anusol name in other markets. The active ingredients and usage remains unchanged between these brand names.

Lotion Skin treatment preparation

Lotion is a low-viscosity topical preparation intended for application to the skin. By contrast, creams and gels have higher viscosity, typically due to lower water content. Lotions are applied to external skin with bare hands, a brush, a clean cloth, or cotton wool.

Cheilitis Inflammation of the lips

Cheilitis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the lips. The inflammation may include the perioral skin, the vermilion border, or the labial mucosa. The skin and the vermilion border are more commonly involved, as the mucosa is less affected by inflammatory and allergic reactions.

Amcinonide Chemical compound

Amcinonide is a topical glucocorticoid used to treat itching, redness and swelling associated with several dermatologic conditions such as atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Amcinonide can also be classified as a multi-functional small molecule corticosteroid, which has been approved by the FDA and is currently marketed as an ointment, lotion, or cream. It acts as both a transcription factor for responses to glucocorticoids and modulator for other transcription factors while also regulating phospholipase A2 activity.

Eyelid dermatitis is commonly related to atopic dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis. Volatile substances, tosylamide, epoxy hardeners, insect sprays, and lemon peel oil may be implicated, with many cases of eyelid contact dermatitis being caused by substances transferred by the hands to the eyelids.

Hand eczema Skin condition

Hand eczema presents on the palms and soles, and may sometimes be difficult or impossible to differentiate from atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis, which also commonly involve the hands. Even a biopsy of all these conditions may not result in a definitive diagnosis, as all three conditions may demonstrate spongiosis and crusting on the hands.

Perfume intolerance or perfume allergy is a condition wherein people exhibit sensitivity or allergic reactions to ingredients in some perfumes and some other fragrances. It is a form of multiple chemical sensitivity, a more general phenomenon for this diagnosis.

Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes Chemical compound

Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes is a synthetic ketone fragrance also known as OTNE and by other commercial trade names such as: Iso E Super, Iso Gamma Super, Anthamber, Amber Fleur, Boisvelone, Iso Ambois, Amberlan, Iso Velvetone, Orbitone, Amberonne. It is a synthetic woody odorant and is used as a fragrance ingredient in perfumes, laundry products and cosmetics.

<i>Myroxylon balsamum</i> Species of legume

Myroxylon balsamum, Santos mahogany, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical forests from Southern Mexico through the Amazon regions of Peru and Brazil at elevations of 200–690 metres (660–2,260 ft). Plants are found in growing in well drained soil in evergreen humid forest.

Lip lickers dermatitis Medical condition

Lip licker's dermatitis is a type of skin inflammation around the lips due to damage by saliva from repetitive lip licking and is classified as a subtype of irritant contact cheilitis. The resulting scaling, redness, chapping, and crusting makes a well-defined ring around the lips. The rash may extend as far as the tongue can reach and usually does not occur at the corners of the mouth. It commonly occurs during winter months but some people can have it year-round if lip licking is a chronic habit.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ikhlas A. Khan; Ehab A. Abourashed (2011). Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   9781118213063 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 European Commission, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (March 28, 2006). "Opinion on Peru Balsam" (PDF). European Commission. Retrieved March 10, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ de Groot, Anton C.; Frosch, Peter J. (1997). "Adverse reactions to fragrances". Contact Dermatitis. 36 (2): 57–86. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1997.tb00418.x . ISSN   0105-1873. PMID   9062742. S2CID   9630684.
  4. ↑ Schäfer, T.; Böhler, E.; Ruhdorfer, S.; Weigl, L.; Wessner, D.; Filipiak, B.; Wichmann, H. E.; Ring, J. (2001). "Epidemiology of contact allergy in adults". Allergy. 56 (12): 1192–1196. doi:10.1034/j.1398-9995.2001.00086.x. ISSN   0105-4538. PMID   11736749. S2CID   3953011.
  5. 1 2 3 Flückiger, Friedrich August; Hanbury, Daniel (1874). Pharmacographia: A History of the Principal Drugs of Vegetable Origin, Met with in Great Britain and British India. London: Macmillan and Co. pp. 177–184.
  6. ↑ J. K. Aronson (2009). Meyler's Side Effects of Herbal Medicines. Elsevier. ISBN   9780444532695 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alexander A. Fisher (2008). Fisher's Contact Dermatitis. PMPH-USA. ISBN   9781550093780 . Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Balsam of Peru contact allergy". Dermnetnz.org. December 28, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  9. 1 2 M. H. Beck; S. M. Wilkinson (2010), "Contact Dermatitis: Allergic", Rook's Textbook of Dermatology, vol. 2 (8th ed.), Wiley, p. 26.40
  10. 1 2 "Dermatology; Allergy to Balsam of Peru" (PDF). bedfordhospital.nhs.uk. October 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 9, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  11. 1 2 Food Additives, Second Edition Revised And Expanded. Routledge. 1999. ISBN   9781135569471 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Thomas P. Habif (2009). Clinical Dermatology. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN   978-0323080378 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ Leslie Carroll Grammer; Paul A. Greenberger (2009). Patterson's Allergic Diseases. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN   9780781794251 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  14. ↑ Charles W. Fetrow; Juan R. Avila (2000). The Complete Guide To Herbal Medicines. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9780743400701 . Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  15. ↑ Martin Rocken; Gerhard Grevers (2011). Color Atlas of Allergic Diseases. Thieme. ISBN   9783131647719 . Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Peru balsam", Sigma-Aldrich catalog. Accessed: December 15, 2014
  17. ↑ Peter Hanelt (April 10, 2001). Mansfeld's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9783540410171 . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  18. ↑ Edward Nugent (1870). Optics: Light and Sight Theoretically and Practically Treated, with Their ... Strahan & Co., Publishers. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  19. ↑ Gerald W. Volcheck (2009). Clinical Allergy: Diagnosis and Management. Springer. ISBN   9781597453158 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  20. ↑ Myron A. Lipkowitz; Tova Navarra (2001). Encyclopedia of Allergies. ISBN   9781438120911 . Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  21. 1 2 Gottfried Schmalz; Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev (2008). Biocompatibility of Dental Materials. Springer. ISBN   9783540777823 . Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  22. ↑ Edward T. Bope; Rick D. Kellerman (2013). Conn's Current Therapy 2014: Expert Consult. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN   9780323225724 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  23. ↑ T. Platts-Mills; Johannes Ring (2006). Allergy in Practice. Springer. ISBN   9783540265849 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  24. 1 2 Jeanne Duus Johansen; Peter J. Frosch; Jean-Pierre Lepoittevin (2010). Contact Dermatitis. Springer. ISBN   9783642038273 . Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  25. ↑ Regional Office Who/Europe (1995). Allergic Hypersensitivities Induced by Chemicals: Recommendations for Prevention. CRC Press. ISBN   9780849392269 . Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  26. 1 2 Richard J. G. Rycroft (2001). Textbook of Contact Dermatitis. Springer. ISBN   9783540668428 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  27. ↑ Pamela Brooks (2012). The Daily Telegraph: Complete Guide to Allergies. Constable & Robinson. ISBN   9781472103949 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  28. ↑ Harlan Walker (1990). Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, 1989: Staplefoods: Proceedings. Oxford Symposium. ISBN   9780907325444 . Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  29. ↑ US Food & Drug Administration (December 16, 2019). "T.R.U.E. TEST". FDA. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  30. ↑ Klaus Peter Wilhelm; Hongbo Zhai; Howard I. Maibach (2010). Dermatotoxicology. CRC Press. ISBN   9781420009774 . Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  31. ↑ Jeanne Duus Johansen; Peter J. Frosch; Jean-Pierre Lepoittevin (2010). Contact Dermatitis. Springer. ISBN   9783642038273 . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  32. ↑ Phyllis A. Balch (2002). Prescription for Herbal Healing. Penguin. ISBN   9780895298690 . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  33. ↑ William D. James; Timothy Berger; Dirk Elston (2011). Andrew's Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN   9781437736199 . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  34. ↑ Hongbo Zhai; Howard I. Maibach (2004). Dermatotoxicology (Sixth ed.). CRC Press. ISBN   9780203426272 . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  35. ↑ Ronald Marks; Gerd Plewig (1991). The Environmental Threat to the Skin. CRC Press. ISBN   9781853170577 . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  36. 1 2 3 Murray Galt Motter, National Institutes of Health (U.S.); Martin Inventius Wilbert (1908). Digest of Comments on The Pharmacopoeia of the United States of America and The National Formulary for the Calendar Year Ending December 31. Treasury Department, Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service of the U.S. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  37. 1 2 The Pharmaceutical Journal ...: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences. J. Churchill. 1864. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  38. ↑ Encyclopaedia Perthensis; Or Universal Dictionary of the Arts, Sciences, Literature, &c. Intended to Supersede the Use of Other Books of Reference. Vol. 4. John Brown. 1816. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  39. ↑ "The best quality and experience in Peru Balsam–Inicio". Riverabalsam.com. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms var. pereirae (Royle) Harms, balsamum" (PDF). European Medicines Agency. Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). May 31, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Peru Balsam: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings". WebMD. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.