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Balsam of Peru

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Balsam of Peru

Balsam of Peru[1]orPeru balsam,[2]also known and marketed bymany other names,is abalsamderived from a tree known asMyroxylon balsamumvar.pereirae;it is found inEl Salvador,where it is an endemic species.

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 itsvarious names,but it may not be required to be listed by its name by mandatory labeling conventions.

It can causeallergicreactions, with numerous large surveys identifying it as being in the "top five" allergens most commonly causingpatch testreactions.[3][4]It may cause inflammation, redness, swelling, soreness, itching, and blisters, including allergiccontact dermatitis,stomatitis(inflammation and soreness of the mouth or tongue),cheilitis(inflammation, rash, or painful erosion of the lips,oropharyngealmucosa,or angles of the mouth),pruritus,hand eczema,generalized or resistantplantardermatitis,rhinitis,andconjunctivitis.

Harvesting and processing

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Balsam of Peru is obtained by using rags to soak up the resin after strips of bark are removed from the trunk ofMyroxylon balsamumvar.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

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Balsam of Peru contains 25 or so different substances,[6]includingcinnamein,cinnamic acid,cinnamyl cinnamate,benzyl benzoate,benzoic acid,andvanillin.[7][8]It also containscinnamyl alcohol,cinnamaldehyde,farnesol,andnerolidol.[9]A minority of it, approximately 30–40%, containsresinsorestersof unknown composition.[8]

Uses

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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 itsvarious names.[7]Naturally occurring ingredients may contain substances identical to or very closely related to balsam of Peru.[7]

It has four primary uses:

  • flavoring infoods and drinkssuch as:
    • caffeinated – coffee, flavored tea
    • alcoholic – wine, beer, gin, liqueurs, apéritifs (e.g. vermouth, bitters)
    • soft drinks, including cola
    • juice
    • citrus – citrus fruit peel, marmalade
    • tomatoes – tomato-containing products, Mexican and Italian foods with red sauces, ketchup
    • spices[clarification needed],e.g. –cloves,Jamaica pepper(allspice),cinnamon,nutmeg,paprika,curry,anise,ginger
    • sauces – chili sauce, barbecue sauce,chutney
    • pickled vegetables – pickles
    • sweets – chocolate, vanilla, baked goods and pastries, pudding, ice cream, chewing gum, candy
  • fragrance inperfumes and toiletriessuch as:
    • perfumes, colognes, deodorants, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, after-shave lotions, cosmetics, lipsticks, creams, lotions, ointments,baby powders,sunscreens, suntan lotions
  • medicinal productssuch as:
  • optical propertiesas a glue, typically as a mounting medium for microscope specimens[16][17]due to purified balsam of Peru's transparency andrefractive indexof 1.597 being very close to that of many glasses used in optics[18]

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

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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 acontact dermatitisreaction.[8]If they have oral exposure, they may experiencestomatitis(inflammation and soreness of the mouth or tongue), andcheilitis(inflammation, rash, or painful erosion of the lips,oropharyngealmucosa,or angles of their mouth).[8][12][21]If they ingest it, they may experiencepruritusand contact dermatitis in theperianalregion, possibly due to unabsorbed substances in the feces.[12][26]It can cause a flare-up ofhand eczema.[8]Among the other allergic reactions to balsam of Peru are generalized or resistantplantardermatitis,rhinitis,andconjunctivitis,[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[29]result shows strong reaction to balsam of Peru (#10) and mild reaction to the standard fragrance mix (#6)

A positivepatch testis 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 forperfume allergywas balsam of Peru, which is still advised. The presence of balsam of Peru in a cosmetic will be denoted by theINCItermMyroxylon pereirae.[9] Because of allergic reactions, since 1982 crude balsam of Peru has been banned by theInternational Fragrance Associationfrom 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, theEuropean 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

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The namebalsam of Peruis amisnomer.[36]In the early period of Spanish invasion in Central and South America, the balsam was collected in Central America and shipped toCallao(the port ofLima) 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 pharmacopoeia. Today it is extracted under a handicraft process, and is mainly exported fromEl Salvador.[39]Another balsam,balsam of Tolu,is extracted fromMyroxylon balsamumvar.balsamumin a different way.[5][40]

Alternate names

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

References

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  1. ^abcIkhlas A. Khan; Ehab A. Abourashed (2011).Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics.John Wiley & Sons.ISBN9781118213063.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  2. ^abcEuropean Commission,Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General,Scientific Committee on Consumer Products(March 28, 2006)."Opinion on Peru Balsam"(PDF).European Commission.Archived(PDF)from the original on March 11, 2014.RetrievedMarch 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.ISSN0105-1873.PMID9062742.S2CID9630684.
  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.ISSN0105-4538.PMID11736749.S2CID3953011.
  5. ^abcFlückiger, 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.Archivedfrom the original on November 10, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  6. ^J. K. Aronson (2009).Meyler's Side Effects of Herbal Medicines.Elsevier.ISBN9780444532695.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  7. ^abcdefAlexander A. Fisher (2008).Fisher's Contact Dermatitis.PMPH-USA.ISBN9781550093780.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  8. ^abcdefghij"Balsam of Peru contact allergy".Dermnetnz.org. December 28, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on March 5, 2014.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  9. ^abM. H. Beck; S. M. Wilkinson (2010), "Contact Dermatitis: Allergic",Rook's Textbook of Dermatology,vol. 2 (8th ed.), Wiley, p. 26.40
  10. ^ab"Dermatology; Allergy to Balsam of Peru"(PDF).bedfordhospital.nhs.uk. October 2009. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 9, 2012.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  11. ^abFood Additives, Second Edition Revised And Expanded.Routledge. 1999.ISBN9781135569471.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  12. ^abcdefThomas P. Habif (2009).Clinical Dermatology.Elsevier Health Sciences.ISBN978-0323080378.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  13. ^Leslie Carroll Grammer; Paul A. Greenberger (2009).Patterson's Allergic Diseases.Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.ISBN9780781794251.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  14. ^Charles W. Fetrow; Juan R. Avila (2000).The Complete Guide To Herbal Medicines.Simon and Schuster.ISBN9780743400701.RetrievedMarch 7,2014.
  15. ^Martin Rocken; Gerhard Grevers (2011).Color Atlas of Allergic Diseases.Thieme.ISBN9783131647719.RetrievedMarch 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.ISBN9783540410171.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedDecember 15,2014.
  18. ^Edward Nugent (1870).Optics: Light and Sight Theoretically and Practically Treated, with Their...Strahan & Co., Publishers.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedNovember 21,2014.
  19. ^Gerald W. Volcheck (2009).Clinical Allergy: Diagnosis and Management.Springer.ISBN9781597453158.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  20. ^Myron A. Lipkowitz; Tova Navarra (2001).Encyclopedia of Allergies.ISBN9781438120911.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 7,2014.
  21. ^abGottfried Schmalz; Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev (2008).Biocompatibility of Dental Materials.Springer.ISBN9783540777823.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  22. ^Edward T. Bope; Rick D. Kellerman (2013).Conn's Current Therapy 2014: Expert Consult.Elsevier Health Sciences.ISBN9780323225724.Archivedfrom the original on January 10, 2023.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  23. ^T. Platts-Mills; Johannes Ring (2006).Allergy in Practice.Springer.ISBN9783540265849.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  24. ^abJeanne Duus Johansen; Peter J. Frosch; Jean-Pierre Lepoittevin (2010).Contact Dermatitis.Springer.ISBN9783642038273.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 5,2014.
  25. ^Regional Office Who/Europe (1995).Allergic Hypersensitivities Induced by Chemicals: Recommendations for Prevention.CRC Press.ISBN9780849392269.RetrievedMarch 10,2014.
  26. ^abRichard J. G. Rycroft (2001).Textbook of Contact Dermatitis.Springer.ISBN9783540668428.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  27. ^Pamela Brooks (2012).The Daily Telegraph: Complete Guide to Allergies.Constable & Robinson.ISBN9781472103949.
  28. ^Harlan Walker (1990).Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, 1989: Staplefoods: Proceedings.Oxford Symposium.ISBN9780907325444.RetrievedMarch 7,2014.
  29. ^US Food & Drug Administration (December 16, 2019)."T.R.U.E. TEST".FDA.RetrievedMarch 5,2022.
  30. ^Klaus Peter Wilhelm; Hongbo Zhai; Howard I. Maibach (2010).Dermatotoxicology.CRC Press.ISBN9781420009774.RetrievedMarch 6,2014.
  31. ^Jeanne Duus Johansen; Peter J. Frosch; Jean-Pierre Lepoittevin (2010).Contact Dermatitis.Springer.ISBN9783642038273.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
  32. ^Phyllis A. Balch (2002).Prescription for Herbal Healing.Penguin.ISBN9780895298690.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
  33. ^William D. James; Timothy Berger; Dirk Elston (2011).Andrew's Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology.Elsevier Health Sciences.ISBN9781437736199.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
  34. ^Hongbo Zhai; Howard I. Maibach (2004).Dermatotoxicology(Sixth ed.). CRC Press.ISBN9780203426272.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
  35. ^Ronald Marks; Gerd Plewig (1991).The Environmental Threat to the Skin.CRC Press.ISBN9781853170577.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
  36. ^abcMurray 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.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedApril 28,2014.
  37. ^abThe Pharmaceutical Journal...: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences.J. Churchill. 1864.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2024.RetrievedApril 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.RetrievedApril 28,2014.
  39. ^"The best quality and experience in Peru Balsam–Inicio".Riverabalsam.com.Archivedfrom the original on July 12, 2012.RetrievedAugust 30,2012.
  40. ^"Assessment report onMyroxylon balsamum(L.) Harms var.pereirae(Royle) Harms, balsamum "(PDF).European Medicines Agency.Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). May 31, 2016.Archived(PDF)from the original on March 27, 2019.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
  41. ^"Peru Balsam: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings".WebMD.Archivedfrom the original on February 16, 2016.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
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