Cassia (Cinnamon)
Botanical: Cinnamomum cassia (BLUME)
Family: N.O. Lauraceae
•Description •Constituents •Medicinal Action and Uses •Dosages •Poisons and Antidotes •Other Species, Sustitutes and Adulterations
---Synonyms---Bastard Cinnamon. Chinese Cinnamon. Cassia lignea. Cassia
Bark. Cassia aromaticum. Canton Cassia.
---Part Used---The dried bark.
---Habitat---Indigenous to China. Cochin-China and Annam. Also cultivated
in Sumatra, Ceylon, Japan, Java, Mexico and South America.
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---Description---As its name of Bastard Cinnamon implies, the product
of this tree is usually regarded as a substitute for that of the Cinnarmomum
zeylanicum of Ceylon, which it closely resembles. The cultivated trees
are kept as coppices, and numerous shoots, which are not allowed to rise
higher than 10 feet, spring from the roots. Their appearance when the flame-coloured
leaves and delicate blossoms first appear is very beautiful. The fruit
is about the size of a small olive. The leaves are evergreen, ovaloblong
blades from 5 to 9 inches long. The trees are at their greatest perfection
at the age of ten to twelve years, but they continue to spread and send
up new shoots. The bark may be easily distinguished from that of cinnamon,
as it is thicker, coarser, darker, and duller, the flavour being more pungent,
less sweet and delicate, and slightly bitter. The stronger flavour causes
it to be preferred to cinnamon by German and Roman chocolate makers. The
fracture is short, and the quills are single, while pieces of the corky
layer are often left adhering. The best and most pungent bark is cut from
the young shoots when the leaves are red, or from trees which grow in rocky
situations. The bark should separate easily from the wood, and be covered
inside with a mucilaginous juice though the flavour of the spice is spoiled
if this is not carefully removed. The wood without the bark is odourless
and is used as fuel. When clean, the bark is a little thicker than parchment,
and curls up while drying in the sun. It is imported in bundles of about
12 inches long, tied together with strips of bamboo and weighing about
a pound. It is the kind almost universally kept in American shops.
The dried, unripe fruits, or Chinese Cassia Buds, have the odour and taste of the bark, and are rather like small cloves in appearance. They have been known in Europe as a spice since the Middle Ages, being then probably used in preparing a spiced wine called Hippocras. Now they are employed in confectionery and in making Pot-Pourri. The importation of the buds into the U.S.A. in 1916 was 197,156 lb., and of Cassia and Cassia leaves 7,487,156 lb.
---Constituents---Cassia bark yields from 1 to 2 per cent of volatile oil, somewhat resembling that of cinnamon. It should be kept from the light in well-stoppered, ambercoloured bottles. It is cheaper and more abundant than the Ceylon variety, and is the only official oil of Cinnamon in the United States Pharmacopoeia and German Pharmacopoeia. It is imported from Canton and Singapore. Its value depends on the percentage of cinnamic aldehyde which it contains. It is heavier, less liquid, and congeals more quickly than the Ceylon oil.
There are also found in it cinnamyl acetate, cinnamic acid, phenylpropyl acetate and orthocumaric aldehyde, tannic acid and starch.
Ceylon cinnamon, if tested with one or two drops of tincture of iodine to a fluid ounce of a decoction of the powder, is but little affected, while with Cassia a deep blueblack colour is produced. The cheaper kinds of Cassia can be distinguished by the greater quantity of mucilage, which can be extracted by cold water.
Eighty pounds of the freshly-prepared bark yield about 2.5 oz. of the lighter of the two oils produced, and 5 5 of the heavier.
An oil was formerly obtained by distilling the leaves after maceration in sea water, and this was imported into Great Britain.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Stomachic, carminative, mildly astringent, said to be emmenagogue and capable of decreasing the secretion of milk. The tincture is useful in uterine haemorrhage and menorrhagia, the doses of 1 drachm being given every 5, 10 or 20 minutes as required. It is chiefly used to assist and flavour other drugs, being helpful in diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and to relieve flatulence.
Cassia, or Chinese cinnamon, is the spice sold as cinnamon in the United
States. Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is considered the true
cinnamon in most of the rest of the world. They are similar in taste, though
Ceylon cinnamon has a sweeter, more delicate flavor. The oils of both contain
cinnamic aldehyde as the major component, with cassia having the larger
amount. Caution: Cassia oil is very irritating to the skin and should be
handled with care. Aromatherapy benefits: euphoric, energizing, warming.
The oil is a powerful germicide, but being very irritant is rarely
used in medicine for this purpose. It is a strong local stimulant, sometimes
prescribed in gastro-dynia, flatulent colic, and gastric debility.
---Dosages---Of oil, 1 to 3 minims. Of powder, 10 to 20 grains.
---Poisons and Antidotes---It was found that 6 drachms of the oil would kill a moderately sized dog in five hours, and 2 drachms in forty hours, inflammation of the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane being observed.
---Other Species, Substitutes and Adulterations---The powder cinnamon is often adulterated with sugar, ground walnut shells, galanga rhizome, etc.
The oil sometimes contains resin, petroleum, or oil of Cloves. Saigon cinnamon was recognized by the United States Pharmacopoeia in 1890. It comes from French Cochin-China, its botanical origin being uncertain. It is also known as Annam Cinnamon, China Cinnamon, and God's Cinnamon.
C. inners gives the Wild Cinnamon of Japan. It is also found in Southern India, where the buds are more mature, and are employed medicinally by the Indians in dysentery, diarrhcea and coughs. The bark is used as a condiment.
C. lignea includes several inferior varieties from the Malabar Coast.
C. Sintok comes from Java and Sumatra.
C. obtusifolium, from East Bengal, Assam, Burmah, etc., is perhaps not distinct from C. Zeylanicum.
C. Culilawan and C. rubrum come from the Moluccas, Amboyna, and have a flavour of cloves.
C. Loureirii grows in Cochin-China and Japan.
C. pauciflorum is found from Silhet and Khasya.
C. Burmanni is said to yield Massoi Bark, which is also a product of Massora aromatica.
The bark of C. Tamala as well as the above species gives the inferior Cassia Vera.
C. inserta is slightly known.
C. nitidum has aromatic leaves, which, when dried, are said to have been the 'folia Malabathri.'
Martinique and Cayenne contribute three varieties, from trees introduced from Ceylon and Sumatra. Other kinds are known as Black Cinnamon, Isle of France Cinnamon, and Santa Fé Cinnamon.
Oil of Cassia is now recognized in the United States Pharmacopceia under
the name of oil of Cinnamon.
Cinnamon
Botanical: Cinnamomum zeylanicum (NEES.)
Family: N.O. Lauraceae
•Description •Constituents •Medicinal Action and Uses •Preparations and Dosages •Other Species
---Synonym---Laurus Cinnamomum.
---Part Used---Bark.
---Habitat---Ceylon, but grows plentifully in Malabar, Cochin-China,
Sumatra and Eastern Islands. Has also been cultivated in the Brazils, Mauritius,
India, Jamaica, etc.
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---Description---Grows best in almost pure sand, requiring only 1 per
cent of vegetable substance; it prefers a sheltered place, constant rain,
heat and equal temperature. The Dutch owned the monopoly of the trade of
the wild produce, and it was not cultivated until 1776, owing to Dutch
opposition and the belief that cultivation would destroy its properties.
Cinnamon is now largely cultivated. The tree grows from 20 to 30 feet high, has thick scabrous bark, strong branches, young shoots speckled greeny orange, the leaves petiolate, entire, leathery when mature, upper side shiny green, underside lighter; flowers small white in panicles; fruit, an oval berry like an acorn in its receptacle, bluish when ripe with white spots on it, bigger than a blackberry; the root-bark smells like cinnamon and tastes like camphor, which it yields on distillation. Leaves, when bruised, smell spicy and have a hot taste; the berry tastes not unlike Juniper and has a terebine smell; when ripe, bruised and boiled it gives off an oily matter which when cool solidifies and is called cinnamon suet.
The commercial Cinnamon bark is the dried inner bark of the shoots.
Cinnamon has a fragrant perfume, taste aromatic and sweet; when distilled it only gives a very small quantity of oil, with a delicious flavour.
---Constituents---0 to 10 per cent of volatile oil, tannin, mucilage and sugar.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Carminative, astringent, stimulant, antiseptic; more powerful as a local than as a general stimulant; is prescribed in powder and infusion but usually combined with other medicines. It stops vomiting, relieves flatulence, and given with chalk and astringents is useful for diarrhoea and haemorrhage of the womb.
Cinnamon Bark - Cinnamomum zeylanicum/Indonesia, Sri Lanka/Inner Bark.
Also known
as Ceylon cinnamon, this is the true cinnamon of world commerce. Its
aroma is similar to cassia, or
Chinese cinnamon. The aroma of Ceylon cinnamon is preferred to cassia
for perfume where it gives
a warm, cozy effect. Cinnamon oil blends well with oriental-woody notes
and is often combined with
frankincense. It is a skin irritant and should be handled with care.
antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral,
bronchitis, carbuncles, colds, cystitis, diarrhea, fibrositis, hair loss,
influenza, insect repellent, muscular aches,(See Cassia.) Aromatherapy
benefits: centering, strengthening.
Psychic awareness and protection. Blends with and emphasizes all other essences. Attracts money and "security". Aphrodisiac. Very healing on all levels. Good for colds, flu, headache, toothache, and sore muscles. Helps to heal the heart and kidneys. Energizing, invigorating, refreshing, stimulating, vitalizing, warming. Avoid internal use. Moderate toxicity. Skin irritant. Dilute well before use. Avoid if you have high blood pressure
---Preparations and Dosages---Cinnamon Water, B.P., 1 to 2 fluid ounces. Tincture of Cinnamon, B.P., 1/2 to 1 drachm. Oil, B.P., 1/2 to 3 drops. Comp. Powd. Arom., B.P., 10 to 40 grains. Spirit, B.P., 5 to 20 drops.
---Other Species---
Cinnamon Cassia is often substituted for it it possesses much the same
qualities and constituents but is inferior. See CASSIA.
. Culiawan. Native of Amboyna- the bark has the flavour of cloves.
C. iners. Native of Malabar, seeds useful for fevers and dysentery; bark employed as a condiment.
C. nitidum. Dried leaves are said to furnish the aromatic called 'folid Malabathri.'
Frankincense
Boswellia thurifera or B. carteri (Family, Burseraceae)
Perfume Note=Base
Also known as "Olibanum" B. papyrifera. Soothes,
warms and
aids meditation. It has been used for centuries,
and burnt on alters
and in temples. "Creates a 'spiritual' atmosphere".
Comforting oil,
by slowing down breathing and controlling
tension it helps to focus
the mind. Excellent for toning and caring
for mature/aging skin.anxiety, calming, clarifying, clearing, exhaustion,
focusing, grounding, meditation, nervous tension, relaxing, restoring,
spiritual, stress, warming
(claimed to have rejuvenating qualities [the
Egyptians used it in
rejuvenation face-masks.]) abrasions, antidepressant,
antiinflammatory, antiseptic, asthma, astringent, bronchitis, carminative,
catarrh, cervical cancer, cirrhosis of liver, colds, coughs, diarrhea,
diuretic,
Elemi (Canarium luzonicum) is related.
Source: resin, India and France
production method: steam distillation
aromatherapy class: stimulating, toning, grounding
aroma type: balsamic
skin type: aging/mature
traditional use: skin conditioner, soothing
agent
blends well with: basil, black pepper, galbandum,
geranium,
grapefruit, lavender, orange, patchouli, sandalwood
Main constituents:- Pinene, dipentene, limonene,
thujene,
phellandrene, cymene, myrcene, terpinene.
AKA: olibanum. Avoid internal use. Avoid during pregnancy.
Galbanum
Ferula galbaniflua, F. cummosa, F. rubicaulis
(Family,
Apiaceae)
Used more in food flavouring but may aid mature
skin types and
assist in clearing congested breathing.
Source: resin, Middle East and France
production method: steam distillation
aromatherapy class: toning, stimulating energizing,
nervous tension,
aroma type: green
skin type: blemished
traditional use: skin conditioner, muscle
relaxant acne, antiinflammatory, antiviral, bronchitis, fixative, muscle
relaxant, skin conditioner, swelling, toning, wrinkles
blends well with: citronella, elemi, olibanum,
jasmine, palmarosa,
geranium, ginger, rose, ylang ylang
Main constituents:- CArvone, cadinene, myrcene,
cadinol,
limonene, pinene.
Kaneh-Bosm/Calamus
The "m" is a pronounced plural, and the singular kaneh-bos sounds remarkable
similar to the modern
cannabis. Although often mistranslated as "calamus the word has been
translated as "fragrant-cane"
in most modern bibles, and specifically designates the fragrant flowering
tops of cannabis.
Botanical: Cannabis sativa (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Urticaceae
Description
Constituents
Medicinal Action and Uses
Dosage
---Synonyms---Cannabis Indica. Cannabis Chinense. Ganeb. Ganja. Kif.
Hanf. Tekrouri. Chanvre.
---Part Used---The dried, flowering tops of the female, or pistillate
plants.
Habitat. In Britain, and formerly elsewhere, only Hemp grown in India
was recognized as official,
but the heavy tax has resulted in the admission by the United States
of any active Cannabis sativa,
whether grown in the States or in Africa, Turkey, Turkestan, Asia Minor,
Italy, or Spain.
---Description---The original country of the hemp-plant is not positively
known, but it is generally
believed to have
been the mountainous districts in the extreme north of India, whence
it spread westward through
Europe, and southward through the peninsula of India. Its cultivation
in each direction had in all
probability a different object; for it is found to produce under tropical
culture an inferior fibre, and a
powerfully intoxicating drug, but in cold and temperate climates it
yields an abundance of strong
fibres in great perfection for textile purposes, and loses its narcotic
qualities. The similarity of its
name in various languages is a strong indication that it has taken
the course here indicated; thus, in
the Sanscrit it is called goni, sana, or shanapu; Persic, canna; Arabic,
kanneh or kinnub; Greek,
kannabis; Latin, cannabis; Italian, canapa; French, chanvre or chanbre;
Danish, kamp or kennep;
Lettish and Lithuanian, kannapes; Slavonic, konopi; Erse, canaib; Scaninavian,
hampr; Swedish,
hampa; German, hauf; Anglo-Saxon, haenep; and English, hemp. In India
other names are applied,
indicative of its intoxicating or narcotic powers; thus, according
to Dr Royle, it is called the "increaser
of pleasure," the "exciter of desire," the "cementer of friendship,"
the "causer of the reeling gait," the
"laughter mover," &c.; and he also suggests that it may have been
the nepenthes("assuager of grief")
of Homer, given by Helen to Telemachus. The plant is an annual, the
erect stems growing from 3 to
10 feet or more high, very slightly branched, having greyish-green
hairs. The leaves are palmate, with
five to seven leaflets(three on the upper leaves), numerous, on long
thin petioles with acute stipules at
the base, linear-lanceolate, tapering at both ends, the margins sharply
serrate, smooth and dark
green on the upper surface, lighter and downy on the under one. The
small flowers are unisexual, the
male having five almost separate, downy, pale yellowish segments, and
the female a single, hairy,
glandular, five-veined leaf enclosing the ovary in a sheath. The ovary
is smooth, one-celled, with one
hanging ovule and two long, hairy thread-like stigmas extending beyond
the flower for more than its
own length. The fruit is small, smooth, light brownish-grey in colour,
and completely filled by the
seed.
Hemp grows naturally in Persia, Northern India and Southern Siberia,
and probably in China. It is
largely cultivated in Central and Southern Russia. It is sometimes
found as a weed in England,
probably due to seeds from birdcages, as they are much used in feeding
tame birds. The drug that is
official in Europe comes from Bogra and Rajshabi, north of Calcutta,
or sometimes from Guzerat
and Madras. It is called Guaza by London merchants.
It is imported in parcels of small masses, with flowers, smaller leaves
and a few ripe fruits pressed
together by sticky, resinous matter. It is rough, brittle, dull-green
in colour and almost tasteless, with
a peculiar, slightly narcotic odour. It should be freed from resin
by macerating in spirit and then
soaking in water. The leaves are said to be picked off to form bhang,
and the little shoots which
follow these are used as above, and called ganja. It is exported from
Bombay in wooden cases.
Two-year-old ganja is almost inert, and the law requires it to be burnt
in the presence of excise
officers. In the Calcutta areas the short tops are rolled under
foot instead of being trodden, the
weight of the workers being supported by a horizontal bamboo pole.
This variety is very active, and
is usually re-exported from England to the West Indies.
Hemp is prepared in various forms. Ganja is smoked like tobacco. Bhang,
sidhee, or subjee is the
dried, larger leaves, broken or mixed with a few fruits. It is pounded
with water to make a drink, and
is the chief ingredient of the sweetmeat majun. Churrus or charas is
the resin which exudes
spontaneously from the leaves, tops and stems. A usual way of collecting
it is for men in leathern
garments to rush through the bushes, the resin being afterwards scraped
off the clothes. In Nepal the
plant is squeezed between the palms of the hands, and in Baluchistan
the resin is separated by
rubbing the dried plant carefully between carpets. This is the hashish,
haschisch, or hashash of the
Arabians, the word 'assassin' being said to be derived from it, owing
to the wild, fanatical courage
given by its use. In Persia the woollen carpets, after scraping, are
washed with water, and the
evaporated extract is sold cheaply. Another way is to collect the dust
after stirring dry bhang, this
impure form of resin being only used for smoking.
Flat cakes called hashish by the Russians are a preparation made from
Hemp in Central Asia, and
also called nasha.
In Thibet momea or mimea is said to be made with Hemp and human fat.
Many electuaries and pastes are made with butter or other oily foundation,
such as majun of
Calcutta, mapouchari of Cairo, and the dawames of the Arabs.
The madjound of the Algerians is a mixture of honey and hashish powder.
Hemp Fibre is best produced by the plants in cooler latitudes, the best
being obtained from Italy, but
much from Russia. About one and a half million hundredweight are imported
annually for
cordage, sacking, and sail-cloths.
A varnish is made from the pressed seeds.
Two or three green twigs collected in spring and placed in beds will
drive bedbugs from the room.
---Constituents---Cannabinone or Hemp resin is soluble in alcohol and
ether. Cannabinol is
separated from it. It is fawn-coloured, in thin layers, and burns with
a clear, white flame, leaving no
ash. This is the active principle. There is a small amount of ambercoloured
volatile oil, one of the
linseed-oil group. It has been resolved into a colourless liquid called
cannabene, and a solid hydride
of this.
It is said that a volatile alkaloid has been found in the tops, resembling
nicotine. It also contains
alcoholic extract, ash, and the alkaloid Choline.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---The principal use of Hemp in medicine
is for easing pain and
inducing sleep, and for a soothing influence in nervous disorders.
It does not cause constipation nor
affect the appetite like opium. It is useful in neuralgia, gout, rheumatism,
delirium tremens, insanity,
infantile convulsions, insomnia, depression, etc.
The tincture helps parturition, and is used in senile catarrh, gonorrhoea,
menorrhagia, chronic cystitis
and all painful urinary affections. An infusion of the seed is useful
in after pains and prolapsus uteri.
The resin may be combined with ointments, oils or chloroform in inflammatory
and neuralgic
complaints.
The action is almost entirely on the higher nerve centres. It can produce
an exhilarating intoxication,
with rare instances of hallucinations, and is widely used in Eastern
countries as an intoxicant, hence
its names 'leaf of delusion,' 'increaser of pleasure,' 'cementer of
friendship,' etc. The nature of its
effect depends much on the nationality and temperament of the individual.
It is regarded as
dangerous to sleep in a field of hemp owing to the aroma of the plants.
---Dosage---Tincture, B.P. and U.S.P., 5 to 15 drops. Solid extract,
B.P., 1/4 to 1 grain. Fluid
extract, 1 to 3 drops. Of cannabis, 1 to 3 grains. Of best hashish,
for smoking, 1/4 to 1 grain. Of
tincture, 10 to 30 minims. Of tincture for menorrhagia, 5 to 10 minims.
three to four times a day (i.e.
24 grains of resinous extract in a fluid ounce of rectified spirit).
Of extract, from 1 to 20 grains, according to quality.
The following is stated to be a certain cure for gonorrhcea. Take equal
parts of tops of male and
female hemp in blossom. Bruise in a mortar, express the juice, and
add an equal portion of alcohol.
Take 1 to 3 drops every two to three hours.
The intoxicating properties of hemp reside in a peculiar resinous extract
naturally secreted by the
plant when growing in a hot climate. So remarkable is this peculiarity,
that botanists until lately
insisted upon the hemp of India being a distinct species (C. indica).
It is now, however, decided that
there is really no specific difference, the change being simply climatal.
Myrrh
Botanical: Commiphora myrrha (HOLMES)
Family: N.O. Burseraceae
•Description •Constituents •Medicinal Action and Uses •Dosages •Other Species
---Synonyms---Balsamodendron Myrrha. Commiphora Myrrha, var. Molmol.
Mirra. Morr. Didin. Didthin. Bowl.
---Part Used---The oleo-gum-resin from the stem.
---Habitat---Arabia, Somaliland.
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---Description---The bushes yielding the resin do not grow more than
9 feet in height, but they are of sturdy build, with knotted branches,
and branchlets that stand out at right-angles, ending in a sharp spine.
The trifoliate leaves are scanty, small and very unequal, oval and entire.
It was first recognized about 1822 at Ghizan on the Red Sea coast, a district
so bare and dry that it is called 'Tehama,' meaning 'hell.'
Botanically, there is still uncertainty about the origin and identity of the various species.
There are ducts in the bark, and the tissue between them breaks down, forming large cavities, which, with the remaining ducts, becomes filled with a granular secretion which is freely discharged when the bark is wounded, or from natural fissures. It flows as a pale yellow liquid, but hardens to a reddish-brown mass, being found in commerce in tears of many sizes, the average being that of a walnut. The surface is rough and powdered, and the pieces are brittle, with a granular fracture, semi-transparent, oily, and often show whitish marks. The odour and taste are aromatic, the latter also acrid and bitter. It is inflammable, but burns feebly.
Several species are recognized in commerce. It is usually imported in chests weighing 1 or 2 cwts., and wherever produced comes chiefly from the East Indies. Adulterations are not easily detected in the powder, so that it is better purchased in mass, when small stones, senegal gum, chestnuts, pieces of bdellium, or of a brownish resin called 'false myrrh,' may be sorted out with little difficulty.
It has been used from remote ages as an ingredient in incense, perfumes, etc., in the holy oil of the Jews and the Kyphi of the Egyptians for embalming and fumigations.
Little appears to be definitely known about the collection of myrrh. It seems probable that the best drug comes from Somaliland, is bought at the fairs of Berbera by the Banians of India, shipped to Bombay, and there sorted, the best coming to Europe and the worst being sent to China. The true myrrh is known in the markets as karam, formerly called Turkey myrrh, and the opaque bdellium as meena harma.
The gum makes a good mucilage and the insoluble residue from the tincture
can be used in this way.
---Constituents---Volatile oil, resin (myrrhin), gum, ash, salts, sulphates,
benzoates, malates, and acetates of potassa.
It is partially soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. It may be tested by a characteristic violet reaction if nitric acid diluted with an equal volume of water is brought into contact with the residue resulting from the boiling of 0.1 gramme of coarsely powdered myrrh with 2 c.c. of 90 per cent alcohol, evaporated in a porcelain dish so as to leave a thin film.
The oil is thick, pale yellow, and contains myrrholic acid and heerabolene, a sesquiterpenene.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---Astringent, healing. Tonic and stimulant. A direct emmenagogue, a tonic in dyspepsia, an expectorant in the absence of feverish symptoms, a stimulant to the mucous tissues, a stomachic carminative, exciting appetite and the flow of gastric juice, and an astringent wash. acne, amenorrhea, antibacterial, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral, athlete's foot, blisters, bronchitis, carminative, chapped skin, cirrhosis of liver, cuts, dermatitis,
Natural myrrh resin is one of the oldest known perfumery materials. The oil has a sharp, balsamic, warm and spicy aroma that blends well in Oriental, woody and forest-type perfumes. It is also used in ointments and other skin care products. Myrrh has a long history of use as incense, especially with frankincense, during the Christmas season. Aromatherapy benefits: centering, visualizing, meditative.
Powerful purifier. Helps to heal bacterial,
fungal and viral infections. Anti-inflammatory. Good
for oral hygiene and gum infections. Good for dry skin conditions.
*Not for use during pregnancy. Do not overuse. Promotes faithfulness.
Inspires positive thoughts and words. Holy blessings.
It is used in chronic catarrh, phthisis pulmonalis, chlorosis, and in amenorrhoea is often combined with aloes and iron. As a wash it is good for spongy gums, ulcerated throat and aphthous stomatitis, and the tincture is also applied to foul and indolentulcers. It has been found helpful in bronchorrhoea and leucorrhoea. It has also been used as a vermifuge.
When long-continued rubefacient effect is needed, a plaster may be made with 1 1/2 OZ. each of camphor, myrrh, and balsam of Peru rubbed together and added to 32 OZ. of melted lead plaster, the whole being stirred until cooling causes it to thicken.
Myrrh is a common ingredient of toothpowders, and is used with borax in tincture, with other ingredients, as a mouth-wash.
The Compound Tincture, or Horse Tincture, is used in veterinary practice for healing wounds.
Meetiga, the trade-name of Arabian Myrrh, is more brittle and gummy than that of Somaliland and has not its white markings.
The liquid Myrrh, or Stacte, spoken of by Pliny, and an ingredient of
Jewish holy incense, was formerly obtainable and greatly valued, but cannot
now be identified.
---Dosages---10 to 30 grains. Of fluid extract, 5 to 30 minims. Tincture,
B.P. and U.S.P., 1/2 to 1 drachm. Of tincture of aloes and Myrrh, as purgative
and emmenagogue, 30 minims. Of N.F. pills of aloes and Myrrh, 2 pills.
Of Rufus's pills of aloes and Myrrh, as stimulant cathartic in debility
and constipation, or in suppression of the menses, 4 to 8 grains of Br.
mass.
---Other Species---
Bissa Bôl, or perfumed bdellium of theArabs, has an odour like
mushrooms. Though it is sent from Arabian ports to India and China, it
was formerly known as East Indian Myrrh. It is of a dark colour, and may
be a product of Commiphora erythraea, var. glabrescens, of B. Kalaf, A.
Kafal, B. Playfairii or Hemprichia erythraea.
B. Kua of Abyssinia has been found to yield Myrrh.
Mecca balsam, a product of B. or C. Opobalsamum, is said to be the Myrrh of the Bible, the Hebrew word mar having been confused with the modern Arabic morr or Myrrh in translation.
Bdellium, recognized as an inferior Myrrh and often mixed with or substituted for it, is a product of several species of Commiphora, according to American writers, or Balsamodendron according to English ones. Four kinds are collected in Somaliland, making sub-divisions of African Bdellium:
Perfumed Bdellium or Habaghadi,
African Bdellium,
Opaque Bdellium,
Hotai Bdellium.
These African bdelliums, said by some writers to be products of Balsamodendron (Heudelotia) Africanum, are in irregular, hard, roundish tears about an inch in diameter, pale yellow to red-brown, translucent, the fracture waxy, taste and odour slight.
The product of Ceradia furcata is also called African Bdellium.
The commercial Gugul, or Indian Bdellium, is said by some writers to be a product of Commiphora roxburghiana, by others of B. Mukul, and by others again of B. roxbhurghii or Amyris Bdellium. It is more moist than Myrrh; is found in irregular, dark reddishbrown masses, with a waxy fracture; softens with the heat of the hand; adheres to the teeth when chewed; and smells slightly of Myrrh.
It is used in the East Indies in leprosy, rheumatism and syphilis, and in Europe for plasters.
---Dosage---10 to 40 grains.
Onycha/Labdanum (Cistus or Rock Rose)
Cistus ladanifer (Family, Cisgaceae)
An excellent fixative in perfumery, used in
some expensive brands.
Helpful in meditation and counseling sessions,
has calming, stress
reducing and mood uplifting properties.
Source: resin, Morocco and Spain
production method: steam distillation
aromatherapy class: stimulating, toning, soothing,
aphrodisiac, soothing, warming
aroma type: balsamic
traditional use: aroma fixative, skin conditioner
blends well with: clary sage, juniper berry,
bergamot, cypress,
vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, olibanum,
lavender, labdanum
Avoid internal use. Terpeneless cistus oil is less toxic.
Styrax Benzoin
Storax
Stacte?
Botanical: Liquidambar orientalis (MILL.)
Family: N.O. Hamamelaceae
Description
Constituents
Medicinal Action and Uses
Dosage
Adulterants, Substiutes, Allied Balsams
---Synonyms---Liquidambar imberbe. Styrax Praeparatus. Prepared Storax.
Styrax liquidus.
Flussiger Amber. Liquid Storax. Balsam Styracis.
---Part Used---Balsam obtained from the wood and inner bark.
---Habitat---Asia Minor.
---Description---A tree of 40 feet or more in height, with many branches,
and a thick, purplish-grey
bark; leaves palmately cut into five, three-lobed sections, and white
flowers arranged in little, round
solitary heads. The name Liquidambar was given by Monardes in the sixteenth
century as the name
of the resin obtained in Mexico from the American species, now L. styraciflua.
L. orientalis was
not known botanically until the middle of the last century, when it
was grown in Chelsea, Kew, and
other botanical gardens from seed brought from the Levant via Paris.
It forms forests near Budrum,
Melasso, Moughla, Marmorizza and a few places near, but does not appear
to be found wild in any
other district. The genus Liquidambar is very similar to that of Platanus,
and this species to L.
styraciflua.
Styrax officinale has been proved to be the source of the solid Storax
of the Ancients, which was
always scarce and valuable, and is now never found in commerce, though
it is probable that the
cultivated S. officinale of Europe is capable of yielding Storax. Storax
appears to be a pathological
rather than a physiological product; when the young wood is injured,
oil-ducts are formed in which
the Storax is produced. Its extraction is chiefly carried on by a tribe
of wandering Turcomans called
Yuruks. The outer bark of the tree is removed, the inner bark is stripped
off and thrown into pits
until a sufficient quantity has been collected. It is then packed in
strong, horse-hair bags and pressed
in a wooden press. After removal, hot water is thrown on the bags,
which are pressed a second
time, when the greater part of the balsam will be extracted. Another
account says that the bark is
first boiled in water in a large copper over a brick fire, by which
process the balsam is separated,
and can then be skimmed off. The boiled bark is then put into bags
over which hot water is thrown,
and submitted to pressure as described above, by which an additional
quantity of balsam (Yagh, or
oil) is obtained. In either mode of procedure the product is the semi-liquid,
opaque substance called
Liquid Storax. This is chiefly forwarded in barrels to Constantinople,
Smyrna, Syria and Alexandria;
some to Smyrna, in goat-skins, with a certain proportion of water;
thence it is forwarded to Trieste
in barrels. Much goes to Bombay for India and China, but little comes
to the United States or
Britain. Liquid Storax is known in the East as Rosemalloes or Rosemalles.
The residual bark left
after the extraction of the balsam constitutes the fragrant, leaf-like
cakes known as Cortex
Thymiamatis, Cortex Thuris and Storax Bark.
The quality of Storax now on the market appears to be much inferior
to that of a few years ago, and
is usually much adulterated. As imported, Liquid Storax is a soft,
viscid, opaque substance, about
the consistence of honey, of a greyish-brown colour, and containing
a variable quantity of water,
which, after it has been allowed to stand for a time, floats on the
surface. It has an agreeable,
balsamic odour, though, when fresh, this is a little contaminated by
naphthalin or bitumen. Its taste is
burning, pungent, and aromatic.
The Prepared Storax is obtained from Liquid Storax by means of rectified
spirit and straining. It is
then described officially as 'a semi-transparent, brownish-yellow,
semifluid balsam, of the consistence of thick honey, agreeable fragrance,
aromatic sweet, vanilla-like, bland taste.' The odour is slightly less
agreeable than that of the balsam of Peru. It is imported in jars holding
14 lb. each. anxiety, clarifying, exhaustion, nervous
tension, penetrating, rejuvenating, soothing, stress, uplifting, warming
---Constituents---The most abundant constituent of Storax is Storesin,
in two forms,called alpha
and beta, both free and in the form of a cinnamic ester. It is an amorphous
substance, melting at 168
degrees C. (334.4 degrees F.), and readily soluble in petroleum benzin.
Cinnamic esters of
phenylprophyl, of ethyl, of benzyl, and especially cinnamate of cinnamyl,
the so-called Styrasin, have
also been observed. The yield of cinnamic acid varies from 6 to 12
per cent, or even as much as 23
per cent of crystallized cinnamic acid can be obtained.
Another analysis gives free cinnamic acid, vanillin, styrol, styracin,
cinnamic acid-ethyl ester, cinnamic
acid-phenylprophyl ester, and storesinol partly free and partly as
cinnamic acid ester.
Crude Storax contains from 1 to 9 per cent of matter insoluble in alcohol,
and up to 30 per cent of
water. When purified, it is brownish-yellow, viscous, and transparent
in thin layers; entirely soluble in
alcohol (90 per cent) and in ether. Boiled with solution of potassium
chromate and sulphuric acid, it
evolves an odour of benzaldehyde. It loses not more than 5 per cent
of its weight when heated in a
thin layer on a water-bath for one hour.
Owing to the demand for the cinnamic esters of Storax for perfumery
purposes, much of the
commercial drug has been deprived of these before it is put on the
market.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---A stimulating expectorant and feeble
antiseptic, at present very
seldom used except as a constituent of the compound tincture of benzoin.
Externally, mixed with 2 or
3 parts of olive oil, it has been found a useful local remedy in scabies.
It has the same action as
balsams of Tolu and Peru and benzoin. It has been recommended as a
remedy in diphtheria, in
pulmonic catarrhs, and as a substitute for South American copaiba in
gonorrhoea and leucorrhoea.
Combined with tallow or lard, it is valuable for many forms of skin
disease, such as ringworm,
especially in children. The taste and smell of opium is well concealed
by the addition of Storax in
pills, its fragrance being used frequently also in ointments.
anticoagulant, antidepressant, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, arthritis, asthma, astringent, bronchitis, carminative, chapped skin, circulatory stimulant, colds, coughs, cracked skin, cuts, cystitis, deodorant, digestive, diuretic, dry skin, expels mucous, fixative, gout, influenza, insomnia, itching, laryngitis, normalizes skin, osteoporosis, rheumatism, sedative, shortness of breath, sinusitis, whitlows, yeast infections
---Dosage---10 to 20 grains.
---Adulterations, Substitutes, Allied Balsams---L. styraciflua, or Sweet
Gum, the American
variety, is sometimes confused because its product, obtained by spontaneous
exudation, is often
called Liquidambar, as well as Liquid Storax or copalm balsam. It contains
cinnamyl cinnamate, with
ethyl, benzyl, and other esters of cinnamic acid. Another of its products,
obtained by boiling the
young branches, has also been confounded with Liquid Storax, which
it resembles. It is used in
Texas for coughs. A syrup of the bark is used for diarrhoea and dysentery
in the Western States.
L. storesin is said to be known also in Eastern markets.
Aromatic resins are also obtained in China from L. Formosana, and in
Java and Burma from L.
Altingea (Altingia excelsa), where the Storax-like substance varies
in colour from white to red.
Styrea reticulata and other species in Brazil have a fragrant secretion
similar to benzoin, which is
used in churches as frankincense.
The commonest adulterations are sawdust and turpentine.