In addition to those already seen, essential oil drugs are numerous: myrtle, cloves, fennel, coriander and common cooking spices. Among the terpene mixtures are to be mentioned resins and balms, which differ from essential oils for the presence, in addition to mono and sesquiterpenes, of terpenes with high molecular weight and phenolic substances, which give these drugs more antiseptic properties. stand out.
Resins and balms differ in their consistency (the first semi-solid, the second more viscous) and in the different quantity of mono and sesquiterpene compounds, greater in the balms rather than in the resins.
Balms: from a botanical and pharmacological point of view they are substances produced by exudation from wounds or incisions made on plants of different nature, or products obtained from the distillation of some resins, in which the terpene component with the lowest molecular weight has been separated from that of higher molecular weight (which identifies resins, especially of conifers). These balms, obtained from the distillation of resins, are also known as oleoresins or turpentine, and have generalized beneficial properties.
The phytotherapeutic practice also considers balms other types of products; in fact, their name refers to the beneficial properties in a general sense: a balm is called such because it has beneficial, therefore balsamic, properties. Some examples of non-exuding balms:
-Camphor balm: artificially produced mixture, consisting of camphor and acetic acid; it is used as a soothing agent for acute itchy stages.
-Catholic or Salesian balm: hypericum oleolite (macerated in oil) with healing and vulnerary properties.
In general, the purposes of conditioners and resins are antiseptic or bactericidal ones.
-Balsam of Peru: obtained by exudation following lesions on trees in South America; it has healing, keratoplastic and balsamic properties (beneficial for the respiratory system).
Resins: substances of a terpenic nature that have purgative and irritating properties for the intestine, so much so that they are no longer part of a herbal use.
Polyisoprene mixtures: mixtures obtained from exudates, compounds with a high molecular weight made up of many isoprene units; an example of this is rubber, improperly known as rubber (rubber is a mixture of carbohydrates).
Other articles on "Conditioners and resins"
- Chamomile essential oil
- Pharmacognosy
- Iridoid drugs