Myroxylon balsamum
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fdeac1b3a7226105104 |
| Scientific name | Myroxylon balsamum |
| Authority | Harms |
| First published in | Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin5: 94 (1908) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Balsam of Peru (Myroxylon balsamum var. balsamum) and Balsam of Tolú (Myroxylon balsamum var. toluifera), produced as oleoresins harvested by incision from the tree trunks. These are used primarily as flavor and fragrance materials.
Industrial and craft applications:
- The oleoresins are incorporated into adhesives and coating systems, including oil-based varnishes and protective lacquers, where their resinous components function as resin/rosin modifiers that improve gloss and adhesion. Historically also used in impression plasters.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- Used as natural flavoring substances. Balsam of Peru (FEMA 2117) and Balsam of Tolú (FEMA 3069) are employed in beverages, confectionery, and baked goods for sweet, vanilla-like, and spicey aroma profiles. Their use in the EU is regulated under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 as natural flavoring substances obtained from the named botanical source.
Colorants and tanning:
- None documented for this taxon.
Wood and fiber:
- None documented for this taxon.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Used in perfumery as fixatives and as components of complex fragrance accords; included in soaps, detergents, and other toiletries. The fragrance is described as warm, balsamic, and vanilla-like, attributable to resin esters (primarily benzyl benzoate) and to vanillin present in Tolú balsam. Typical usage levels in fine fragrances are low due to allergen considerations.
Properties relevant to use:
- Chemical composition includes high proportions of resinous components and esters (e.g., benzyl benzoate) and in Tolú balsam, vanillin content; these confer fixative power and characteristic warm, balsamic odor. The material is sticky and soluble in alcohol and oils, suitable for incorporation into alcoholic perfume bases and oil-based coatings.
Standards and regulation:
- Adopted as natural flavoring sources under EU Regulation 1334/2008; recognized flavoring substances with FEMA GRAS listings (FEMA 2117, 3069). Perfumery and cosmetics use is subject to the EU Cosmetic Ingredients Database (CosIng) and allergen disclosure requirements.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Harvested from wild or cultivated Myroxylon trees in Central and South America; sustainability depends on managed tapping cycles, regeneration, and traceability to origin to maintain forest stocks and ensure supply quality.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Myroxylon balsamum var. balsamum | (L.) Harms | |
| Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae | Harms | Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin4: 95 (1908) |
| Toluifera balsamum | L. | Sp. Pl.: 384 (1753) |
| Myroxylon pereirae | Klotzsch | Bonplandia (Hannover)5: 274 (1857) |
| Toluifera balsamum var. pereirae | (Royle) Baill. | Traité Bot. Méd. Phan.: 676 (1883) |
| Myrospermum pereirae | Royle | Man. Mat. Med., ed. 2: 414 (1853) |
| Toluifera pereirae | (Royle) Baill. | Hist. Pl.2: 383 (1870) |
| Myroxylon pereirae | Royle | |
| Myroxylon balsamum var. punctatum | Harms | Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin5: 97 (1908) |
| Myroxylon punctatum | Klotzsch | F.G.Hayne, Getreue Darstell. Gew.14: t. 12 (1843) |
| Myroxylon hanburyanum | Klotzsch | Bonplandia (Hannover)5: 275 (1857) |
| Myroxylon sonsouatense | (Peeira ex Oerst.) Flueck. & D.Hanb. | Pharmacogr.: 179 (1874) |
| Myrospermum punctatum | (Klotzsch) Walp. | Repert. Bot. Syst.1: 805 (1843) |
| Toluifera punctata | (Klotzsch) Baill. | Hist. Pl.2: 383 (1870) |
| Myrospermum sonsonatense | Pereira ex Oersted | Medicinal Plantz il. No. 83 (1880). |
| Toluifera balsamum var. punctata | (Klotzsch) Baill. | Traité Bot. Méd. Phan.: 677 (1883) |
| Myrospermum balsamiferum | Ruiz & Pav. | Anales Inst. Bot. Cavanilles14: 717 (1956) |
| Myrospermum toluiferum | DC. | Prodr. 2: 95 (1825) |
| Myroxylon toluiferum | A.Rich. | Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 2: 171 (1824) |
| Myrospermum sonsonatense | Pereira ex Oerst. | Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjøbenhavn 1855: 27 (1855) |
| Myrospermum balsamiferum | Ruiz & Pav. | Icon. Ined. : t. 373 (1830) |
| Myroxylon balsamum var. genuinum | Harms | Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 4: 94 (1908) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | balsam of tolu |
| Spanish | árbol de bálsamo |
| Spanish | bálsamo |
| Spanish | bálsamo de tolú |
| Arabic | طاليسفر |
| Arabic | بسان العصافير |
| Catalan | bàlsam del perú |
| Finnish | rohtobalsami |
| French | baumier du pérou |
| Japanese | マメ科 |
| Japanese | ペルーバルサム |
| Japanese | トルーバルサムノキ |
| Polish | woniawiec balsamowy |
| Portuguese | bálsamo-de-tolu |
| Chinese | 吐鲁香树 |
| Chinese | 香脂豆 |
| Chinese | 秘鲁胶树 |
| Chinese | 吐鲁胶豆 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000212074 |
| USDA Plants | MYBA3 |
| Tropicos | 13003351 |
| INPN | 447574 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:166483-2 |
| The Plant List | ild-7152 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 354903 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 53906 |
| IUCN Red List | 62026528 |
| IPNI | 509446-1 |
| iNaturalist | 209950 |
| GBIF | 5357190 |
| EPPO | MYXBA |
| EOL | 702850 |
| USDA GRIN | 24873 |
| Wikipedia | Myroxylon_balsamum |
| CMAUP | NPO6528 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Benzoic acid esters | |||||
| Benzyl Benzoate | 2345 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)COC(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2 | 212.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| cis-Nerolidol | 5320128 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCCC(C)(C=C)O)C)C | 222.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids / 5,10-cycloaromadendrane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (1aS,4aS,7aS,7bR)-1,1,7-trimethyl-4-methylidene-2,3,4a,5,6,7,7a,7b-octahydro-1aH-cyclopropa[e]azulene | 91746456 | Click to see CC1CCC2C1C3C(C3(C)C)CCC2=C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19870700711 |
| Alloaromadendren | 91746537 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19870700711 |
| Viridiflorene | 10910653 | Click to see CC1CCC2=C(CCC3C(C12)C3(C)C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19870700711 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Sesquiterpene lactones / Eudesmanolides, secoeudesmanolides, and derivatives | |||||
| Encelin | 72540 | Click to see | 244.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Farinosin | 442240 | Click to see CC12CC3C(CC1C(=C)C(=O)C=C2)C(C(=O)O3)(C)O | 262.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones | |||||
| 5-Acetyl-2-methoxybenzaldehyde | 288758 | Click to see | 178.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / 2,2-dimethyl-1-benzopyrans | |||||
| 6-Ethenyl-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2h-chromene | 188454 | Click to see | 216.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Encecalin | 114703 | Click to see CC(=O)C1=C(C=C2C(=C1)C=CC(O2)(C)C)OC | 232.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Eupatoriochromene | 100768 | Click to see | 218.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / 2-arylbenzofuran flavonoids | |||||
| 2-(2,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-5,6-dimethoxybenzofuran | 44260110 | Click to see | 286.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Cinnamic acid esters | |||||
| Benzyl alcohol, cinnamate | 15558051 | Click to see | 238.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Benzyl Cinnamate | 5273469 | Click to see | 238.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Cinnamic acids | |||||
| Cinnamic acid | 444539 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)C=CC(=O)O | 148.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamyl alcohols | |||||
| 1-Dideuterio-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol | 10534709 | Click to see | 136.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Furanoisoflavonoids / Pterocarpans | |||||
| Medicarpin | 336327 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)C3COC4=C(C3O2)C=CC(=C4)O | 270.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids | |||||
| (3S)-Sativanone | 46881075 | Click to see | 270.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 3-hydroxy,4-methoxyisoflavonoids | |||||
| (3R)-7-hydroxy-3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 163193954 | Click to see | 286.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| 3'-Hydroxy-8-O-methylretusin | 44257262 | Click to see | 314.29 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| Calycosin | 5280448 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylisoflavones | |||||
| Formononetin | 5280378 | Click to see | 268.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89391-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 7-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 7-O-methylisoflavones | |||||
| Cabreuvin | 628528 | Click to see | 312.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(79)80020-5 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |