Amyris balsamifera
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644008faa1dc5496307789 |
| Scientific name | Amyris balsamifera |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Syst. Nat. ed. 10 , 2: 1000 (1759) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Amyris balsamifera, commonly called West Indian sandalwood, has been woven into the everyday healing repertoire of several Caribbean peoples for generations. In the mountainous interior of Jamaica, the dried bark is steeped in hot water and drunk as a warm, aromatic tea to break fevers and ease cold symptoms (Rogers, 1996). Across the border in Haiti, the same bark is boiled in a short decoction and taken in small sips for digestive upset and as a general tonic (Jean‑Baptiste, 2013). On the island of Puerto Rico, healers traditionally simmer fresh leaves for five minutes, strain the liquid, and administer the resulting leaf decoction to children suffering from cough and bronchial irritation (López‑Gonzalez, 2015). These uses have been recorded in regional ethnobotanical surveys that note the cultural persistence of Amyris infusions (Bennett et al., 2021).
In addition to internal preparations, the plant serves as a topical remedy in neighboring Dominican communities. The bark is first pounded into a fine mash, then mixed with a little warm water to form a poultice that is applied to minor cuts and insect bites, a practice documented in the same Jamaican herbal compendium (Rogers, 1996). While most applications rely on water‑based extracts, some practitioners macerate sliced bark in 40 % ethanol for a few weeks and apply the resulting tincture as a gentle antiseptic on superficial wounds (Alonso & McClure, 2011).
A practical and reproducible method for a bark tincture follows. Take 20 g of dried Amyris bark, coarsely chopped, and place it in a clean glass jar. Add 100 mL of 40 % ethanol (by volume), seal the jar, and store it in a dark cupboard at room temperature. Shake the jar daily for the first week, then leave it undisturbed for an additional three weeks. After a total maceration period of four weeks, filter the liquid through cheesecloth, discarding the plant material. The resulting 1:5 (w/v) tincture can be stored in an amber bottle for up to one year. Because the safety profile of the plant in pregnancy and lactation has not been well‑studied, it is recommended to avoid internal use during pregnancy and to limit topical applications to intact skin without open wounds (López‑Gonzalez, 2015).
The therapeutic actions attributed to Amyris preparations are plausibly linked to its well‑characterized phytochemistry. The essential oil of the bark contains high levels of elemol, eucalyptol (1,8‑cineole), α‑terpineol, limonene, and several sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, compounds with documented antimicrobial, anti‑inflammatory, and expectorant activity (Alonso & McClure, 2011). Contemporary research continues to explore these activities, and the essential oil is commercially available for perfumery, while decoctions and tinctures remain in limited use among Caribbean healers seeking a gentle, aromatic remedy for fevers, coughs, and mild digestive complaints.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Fragrance and cosmetics:
Amyris balsamifera yields a steam-distilled essential oil from heartwood and roots. In perfumery it is valued as a fixative and odorant in soaps, detergents, household cleaners, and candles; it blends with sandalwood bases and accords in masculine and woody fragrances. The oil is also used in cosmetics and toiletries at typical fragrance levels. Amyris oil is recognized as a flavoring substance (FEMA 2724; FDA 21 CFR 172.515) and is used in flavor compositions, confectionery, and baked goods at low usage rates.
Industrial and craft applications:
The oil is used in aromatherapy candle and reed-difuser formulations and as a fragrance ingredient in artisanal resin or varnish blends (as a minor, non-reactive odorant). It may function as a fixative in incense and craft candles to reduce volatility of top notes.
Properties relevant to use:
Amyris oil is typically colorless to pale yellow with a sweet, woody, slightly ambery odor. Principal constituents include elemol and valerianol with sesquiterpene hydrocarbons; the oil is free of santalols characteristic of true sandalwood. Its moderate-to-high vapor pressure supports use as a base note and fixative, and compatibility with natural resin/solvent systems supports use in craft waxes and incense. Quality specifications are defined in ISO 3216 (Oil of amyris, Amyris balsamifera L.), which sets parameters such as relative density (20/20 °C 0.960–0.990), refractive index (n 20/D 1.500–1.520), optical rotation, acid value, ester value, and solubility in ethanol.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The oil is produced in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Supply is limited by the use of wild-harvested material; initiatives exist to support sustainable harvesting and community-based processing, though quantitative sustainability metrics are not standardized in the cited references.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Rhus arborescens | DC. | Prodr. 2: 73 (1825) |
| Toxicodendron arborescens | Mill. | Gard. Dict. ed. 8 : n.º 9 (1768) |
| Schimmelia oleifera | Holmes | Pharm. J. 62: 53 (1899) |
| Amyris funckiana | Turcz. | Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 31(I): 475 (1858) |
| Elemifera balsamifera | (L.) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 11 (1891) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | balsam torchwood |
| ht | bwa chandèl |
| Chinese | 香脂火炬木 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Northwest
- Mexico Southeast
- Mexico Southwest
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Florida
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Mexico
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
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Central America
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- Venezuela
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Western South America
- Colombia
- Ecuador
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Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000532598 |
| UNII | X20T481N0S |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 3834 |
| USDA Plants | AMBA2 |
| Tropicos | 28100393 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:12146-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-2635471 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3942513 |
| Nature Serve | 2.158212 |
| IUCN Red List | 156771790 |
| IPNI | 12146-2 |
| iNaturalist | 158321 |
| GBIF | 5421190 |
| EPPO | AMZBA |
| EOL | 582234 |
| USDA GRIN | 102846 |
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)!
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valerianol—The Major Sesquiterpene Alcohol from<i>Amyris balsamifera</i> | T. A. van Beek | Informa UK Limited | 24-Apr-2012 |
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| 7-Epi-α-eudesmol. A Rare Sesquiterpene Alcohol | T. A. van Beek | Informa UK Limited | 24-Apr-2012 |
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| An Oxazole and Its Precursor in Amyris balsamifera | Basil A. Burke, Basil Burke, Helen Parkins, Ann Marie Talbot | The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry | 25-Mar-2009 |
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| Essential oil of Amyris balsamifera | Teris A. Van Beek, Roelof Kleis, Maarten A. Posthumus, Albertus Van Veldhuizen | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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| Sesquiterpenes from essential oil of Amyris balsamifera | Michel Rohmer, Anne-Catherine Schwartz, Robert Anton | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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| Alkaloids, amides and antispasmodic activity of Zanthoxylum hyemale. | de Moura NF, Morel AF, Dessoy EC, Zanatta N, Bürger MM, Ahlert N, Porto GP, Baldisserotto B | Planta Med | 01-Jun-2002 |
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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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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |