Benzoin resin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Gum benzoin)
Jump to: navigation, search

Benzoin resin or styrax resin is a balsamic resin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus Styrax. It is used in perfumes, some kinds of incense, and medicine (see tincture of benzoin). Its principle component is benzoic acid.[1] Commonly called "benzoin", it is called "benzoin resin" here to distinguish it from the crystalline compound benzoin. Benzoin resin does not contain this crystalline compound.

Benzoin is also called gum benzoin or gum benjamin, but "gum" is incorrect as benzoin is not a water-soluble polysaccharide. Its name probably came via Italian from Arabic lubān jāwī (لبان خاوي, "frankincense from Java"), because it was brought from Indonesia.

Benzoin resin is a common ingredient in incense-making and perfumery because of its aroma and fixtative properties. Gum benzoin is a major component of the type of church incense used in Russia and some other Orthodox Christian societies. Benzoin resin is also used in blended types of Japanese incense, Indian incense, Chinese incense, and Papier d'Arménie. When called sambrani or sambraani, it's a popular Indian incense used to scent and treat hair and prevent infections.

There are two types of benzoin resin used in incense and perfumery, benzoin Siam and benzoin Sumatra. Benzoin Siam is obtained from the Styrax tonkinensis Craib found across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Benzoin Sumatra is obtained from the Styrax benzoin Dryand. grown on the island of Sumatra. Both varieties are pathogenic resins, which are exuded from the tree when it is damaged.

In perfumery benzoin is used as a fixative, slowing the dispersion of essential oils and other fragrance materials into the air.

  1. Pastrorova I, de Koster CG, Boom JJ (1997). "Analytic Study of Free and Ester Bound Benzoic and Cinnamic Acids of Gum Benzoin Resins by GC-MS HPLC-frit FAB-MS". Phytochem Anal (8): 63-73. 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoin_resin"
Advanced Search
Included Web Search Engines


Safe Search

close

Top Matching Results

Occasionally Search.com will highlight specialized results that are based on the context of your query. Examples of specialized results include specific links to news, images, or video.

Top Matching Results may highlight information from other Search.com pages, content from the CNET Network of sites, or third party content. The listings are based purely on relevance. Search.com does not receive payment for listings in this section but our partners that provide this data may get paid for listing these products.

Sponsored Links

This section contains paid listings which have been purchased by companies that want to have their sites appear for specific search terms and related content. These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by a third party and are not endorsed by Search.com.

Search Results

Search.com sends your search query to several search engines at one time and integrates the results into one list which has been sorted by relevance using Search.com's proprietary algorithm. You can customize the list of search engines included in your metasearch from the preferences.

The search engines that are used in your metasearch may allow companies to pay to have their Web sites included within the results. To view the Paid Inclusion policy for a specific search engine, please visit their Web site. Search.com does not accept payment or share revenue with any search engine partner for listings in this section.