Bursera graveolens
| Bursera graveolens | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Burseraceae |
| Genus: | Bursera |
| Species: | B. graveolens |
| Binomial name | |
| Bursera graveolens Triana & Planch. |
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Bursera graveolens, known in Spanish as palo santo ("holy wood") is a wild tree native from Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula to Peru and Venezuela[1] that inhabits the South American Gran Chaco region (northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and the Brazilian Mato Grosso). It is also found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru[2] and on the Galapagos islands. The tree belongs to the same family (Burseraceae) as frankincense and myrrh. It is widely used in folk medicine for stomach ache, as sudorific, and as liniment for rheumatism.[1] Aged heartwood is rich in terpenes such as limonene and α-terpineol.
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[edit] Modern uses
Palo Santo (or Palosanto) is used for crafting objects, to produce burning sticks; however, production of essential oil is attracting most of the modern interest. Chemical composition, as reflected by aroma, is variable.
The essential oil of Palosanto is generally termed "Palo Santo Oil", and has received the Chemical Abstract Services number, 959130-05-3. When used as an ingredient in cosmetics the INCI name "Bursera graveolens wood oil" should be listed.
Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware used palo santo wood from Paraguay in 2006 to build the largest wooden brewing tank in America since prohibition. The 10,000 gallon tank is used to brew their Palo Santo Marron brown ale, imparting caramel and vanilla complexity to the beer.[3]
[edit] Essential oil
A quantitative analysis of steam distilled Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) oil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the major constituents to be:[4]
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- Limonene 58.6%
- α-Terpineol 10.9%
- Menthofuran 6.6%
- Carvone 2.0%
- Germacrene D 1.7%
- γ-Muurolene 1.2%
- trans-Carveol 1.1%
- Pulegone 1.1%
[edit] Ethnobotany
The use of Palo Santo from B. graveolens is reported to be traditional in South America, especially in Ecuador.[citation needed] According to the local customs, it is used against the "mala energia" (bad energy) ("Palo Santo para limpiar tu casa de la mala energia, Palo Santo para la buena suerte" or "Palo Santo to clean your house of bad energy, Palo Santo for good luck"), which may sometimes refer to clinical disease.
Three main uses have been reported:[citation needed]
- Sahumerio: or by fumigation, also to preserve cattle from the vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)
- Agüita, or as a component of herbal medicinal teas, for respiratory, urinary, bowel ailments and to improve mood
- External uses of the fresh juice or of the resin
[edit] References
- ^ a b Nakanishi, Tsutomu; Yuka INATOMI, Hiroko MURATA, Kaori SHIGETA, Naoki IIDA, Akira INADA, Jin MURATA, Miguel Angel Perez FARRERA, Munekazu IINUMA, Toshiyuki TANAKA, Shogo TAJIMA, and Naoto OKU (02-2005). "A new and known cytotoxic aryltetralin-type lignans from stems of Bursera graveolens.". Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 53 (2): 229. PMID 15684524. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb/53/2/229/_pdf. Retrieved 10-31-2011.
- ^ "Taxon: Bursera graveolens (Kunth) Triana & Planch". GRIN Taxonomy for Plants. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?8169. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/palo-santo-marron.htm
- ^ D. Gary Young and Sue Chao, et al.; "Essential Oil of Bursera graveolens (Kunth) Triana et Planch from Ecuador"; Journal of Essential Oil Research, 19, 525-526 (November/December 2007)
