Peru Balsam

At a glance

Origin / distribution: South America, Danish, Dominican Republic, Dutch, German, English, Panama, French

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Antiseptic, Bactericide, Bronchitis, Catarrh

Science studied: BENZALDEHYDE, BENZOIC, ALPHA-BOURBONENE, BETA-BOURBONENE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Flacourtiaceae

Scientific name: Myroxylon balsamum

Common names: Peru Balsam, Tolu Balsam, Balsam of Tolu, Balzaminis taukminas, Bálsamo, Bálsamo del perú, Bálsamo kara, Chikawinia, Chikiáiniua, Corteza de bálsamo, Isturaki, Kaíp, Quina-quina, Sesepëquësoquë, Yemenga tanoe, balsam of Tolu, balzamovník voňavý, bálsamo, cabreúva

POWO: 166483-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in South America, Danish, Elsewhere, Dominican Republic, Dutch, German, English, Panama and 4 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Antiseptic
• Bactericide
• Bronchitis
• Catarrh
• Cold
• Cough
• Expectorant
• Fumigant

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• South America
• Danish
• Elsewhere
• Dominican Republic
• Dutch
• German
• English
• Panama
• French
• Spanish
• Colombia
• Portuguese

Documented cultural uses

• Antiseptic
• Bactericide
• Bronchitis
• Catarrh
• Cold
• Cough
• Expectorant
• Fumigant
• Pectoral
• Perfume
• Rheumatism
• Sclerosis

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Antiseptic · South America · "
• Antiseptic · Danish · "
• Bactericide · Elsewhere · "
• Bronchitis · South America · "
• Catarrh · Elsewhere · "
• Cold · South America · "
• Cough · South America · "
• Cough · Elsewhere · "
• Expectorant · South America · "
• Expectorant · Dominican Republic · "
• Expectorant · Elsewhere · "
• Expectorant · Dutch · "
• Fumigant · German · "
• Pectoral · English · "
• Perfume · South America · "
• Rheumatism · Elsewhere · "
• Sclerosis · Panama · "
• Sore · Dominican Republic · "
• Stomachic · Dominican Republic · "
• Stomachic · Elsewhere · "
• Tonic · French · "
• Tuberculosis · Elsewhere · "
• Venereal · Elsewhere · "
• Vulnerary · Spanish · "

9 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Attenuation of biofilm-encoding genes and virulence attributes in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii by essential oil derived from Myroxylon balsamum. · 2026 source ↗
• The estimation of permitted daily exposure (PDE) values for <i>Myroxylon balsamum</i> (L.) Harms var. <i>pereirae</i> (Royle) Harms, balsamum (balsam of Peru) for regulatory toxicology purposes: application of various toxicological strategies. · 2022 source ↗
• [The Peru balsam. 5. Conditions of growth, and cultivation]. · 1950 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BENZALDEHYDE
• BENZOIC
• ALPHA-BOURBONENE
• BETA-BOURBONENE
• CADALENE
• DELTA-CADINENE
• ALPHA-CALACORENE
• CINNAMALDEHYDE
• CINNAMIC-ALCOHOL
• CINNAMYL-BENZOATE
• CINNAMYL-CINNAMATE
• ALPHA-CURCUMENE
• DIHYDROBENZOIC-ACID
• DIHYDROCINNAMIC-ACID
• 1,2-DIAPHENLYETHANE
• BETA-ELEMENE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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