Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum "gum of the balsam tree", ultimately from a Semitic source such as Hebrew basam, "spice", "perfume") owes its name to the biblical Balm of Gilead.
Chemistry
Balsam is a solution of plant-specific resins in plant-specific solvents (essential oils). Such resins can include resin acids, esters, or alcohols. The exudate is a mobile to highly viscous liquid and often contains crystallized resin particles. Over time and as a result of other influences the exudate loses its liquidizing components or gets chemically converted into a solid material (i.e. by autoxidation).
Balsams often contain benzoic or cinnamic acid or their esters. Plant resins are sometimes classified according to other plant constituents in the mixture, for example as: pure resins (guaiac, hashish), gum-resins (containing gums/polysaccharides), oleo-gum-resins (a mixture of gums, resins and essential oils), oleo-resins (a mixture of resins and essential oils, e. g. capsicum, ginger and aspidinol), balsams (resinous mixtures that contain cinnamic and/or benzoic acid or their esters), glycoresins (podophyllin, jalap, kava kava), fossil resins (amber, asphaltite, Utah resin).
Usually, animal secretions (musk, shellac, beeswax) are excluded from this definition.
The Balsam of Matariyya
The Balsam of Matariyya was a substance famous as a panacea among physicians in the Middle East and Europe during the Antique and Medieval periods. The substance has long been used as a medicine, with early references to the substance recorded as far back as 285 BC. The Balsam of Matariyya was said to be derived from an Egyptian plant and is sometimes also referred to as the balm of Gilead or the balm of Mecca.
List of balsams
Acaroid resin (Xanthorrhoea spp.) Acouchi balsam (Protium spp.) Ammoniacum Asafoetida (Laser) Balm of Gilead Balm of Mecca Balsam fir - (Abies balsamea) Balsam of Peru Balsam of Tolu Balsam Specific Bisabol Bdellium Benzoin resin Bukhoor Cabreuva balsam (Myrocarpus frondosus, Myrocarpus fastigatus) Camphor Canada balsam Chinese lacquer (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) Copaiba balsam (Copaifera spp.) Copal Corneiba balsam (Schinus terebinthifolius or Lithraea brasiliensis) Damar Dragon's blood (Calamus draco) Elemi Frankincense (Olibanum) Galbanum Guayacán (Guaiacum officinale) Guggul Gurjun balsam Imbauba balsam (Cecropia adenopus) Labdanum Mastic Myrrh Obira balsam (Apocynaceae) Opopanax Umiri balsam (Humiria floribunda) Rosin (Colophony) Sagapenum Sandarac Sarcocolla Storax balsam Turpentine Venice turpentine (Larch turpentine) (Larix occidentalis) Wallaba balsam (Eperua spp.)
Safety
Some balsams, such as Balsam of Peru, may be associated with allergies. In particular, Euphorbia latex ("wolf's milk") is strongly irritant and is cytotoxic.
