Witnessed by: Western
Peru balsam (Myroxylon balsamum), of the Fabaceae family. Tall evergreen leguminous forest tree with pinnate leaves and winged one-seeded pods; native range: the Pacific coastal forest of Central America, above all the Balsam Coast of El Salvador; planted through the American tropics. Globally recognized as balsam of Peru · Peruvian balsam · Indian balsam in English, bálsamo negro · bálsamo de San Salvador in Spanish, and Balsamum Peruvianum in Latin. The part used is the balsam, an oleoresin drawn from the beaten and scorched bark. A dark brown, viscid, syrupy liquid, translucent and reddish in a thin film, not sticky to the touch; it smells richly of vanilla and benzoin and tastes acrid and bitterish, leaving a lasting burn in the throat.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
PERU BALSAM
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Peru balsam
- Scientific name
- Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms var. pereirae (Royle) Harms
- Family
- Fabaceae
Form
- Part used
- the balsam, an oleoresin drawn from the beaten and scorched bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- acrid (biting and balsamic, with a bitter vanilla warmth)
Temperature
- Western
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- skin · lungs · mucous membranes
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- antiseptic, parasiticide, vulnerary and stimulant to granulation, expectorant, and a mild stimulant to the circulation
Cautions
- Contraindications
- known balsam sensitivity; not for prolonged application over broad or raw surfaces
- Toxicity
- a well-known contact allergen and a standard patch-test antigen, cross-reacting with benzoin, cinnamon and vanilla; prolonged or extensive external use may inflame the kidneys, and large internal doses irritate the stomach and urinary tract
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