Tiger Balm
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Tiger Balm (Chinese: 虎標萬金油; pinyin: hǔbiao wànjīnyóu) is the trade name for a heat rub manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore.
History
It was originally developed in the 1870s by a herbalist, Aw Chu Kin, in Rangoon, Burma, who asked his sons Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par on his deathbed to perfect the product.[1]
Originally named for containing tiger bone, an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine dating back 1,500 years to treat pain, inflammation and to strengthen muscle [2], Tiger Balm now consists purely of herbal ingredients. Tiger Balm is available in several varieties, the weaker Tiger Balm White (which is recommended for use with headaches) and the stronger Tiger Balm Red (which is not to be used on the head). There is also another version called Tiger Balm Ultra.
From the notes that accompany Tiger Balm:
Tiger Balm is made from a secret herbal formulation that dates back to the times of the Chinese emperors. The Aw brothers, Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par inherited the formulation from their herbalist father who left China. They call it Tiger Balm, after Boon Haw, (whose name in Chinese meant "Tiger") who was instrumental in devising the remarkable selling strategies that made Tiger Balm a household name all over Asia today.
Composition
| Ingredient[3] | Red | White |
|---|---|---|
| Menthol | 10% | 8% |
| Camphor | 11% | 11% |
| Dementholised mint oil | 6% | 16% |
| Cajuput oil | 7% | 13% |
| Clove bud oil | 5% | 1.5% |
| Cassia oil | 5% |
The remainder is a petroleum jelly and paraffin base. The rub does not contain tiger parts.[4]
The original Tiger Balm Red and Tiger Balm White have 25% of Camphor[5]. A new product, named Tiger Balm White HR, uses Eucalyptus oil instead of Cajuput oil.[5] .
Uses
The Tiger balm can be used in the following cases:[6]
- Myalgia muscular pains.
- Migraines and headaches of light intensity to moderate.
- Mosquito bites: to relieve the itch.
- Cough: to release the respiratory voices, in application on the chest and the back.
- Stomach ache: rub on stomach to relieve upset stomach.
- Heartburn: rub on chest.
Popular Culture
Tiger balm is mentioned in the novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . It is also mentioned in the novel For the Win.
Gerard Depardieu was reported< [7] [8][9][10] to have instructed Robert DeNiro how to use Tiger Balm and water to solve an erection problem while shooting a scene for Bernardo Bertolucci's "1900" in 1977.
See also
References
- ^ Tiger Balm: Heritage, retrieved 2009-09-30
- ^ Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine
- ^ Tiger Balm information
- ^ Tiger Balm brand on brandchannel.com
- ^ a b Tiger Balm shop
- ^ Tiger Balm Specialist of Balms
- ^ http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Montreal+World+Film+Festival+Lion+French+cinema+schools+fans/3488785/story.html
- ^ http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/movie-guide/French+actor+leads+master+class/3503204/story.html
- ^ http://www.libertatea.ro/stire/depardieu-i-a-rezolvat-problema-de-erectie-lui-robert-de-niro-303411.html
- ^ http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/movies/2010/09/13/15334891-wenn-story.html