Tolu balsam

Resin of the tolu balsam tree. The solvent toluene (C6H5-CH3) can be extracted from tolu balsam by distillation. Balsamum tolutanum is a drug that was formerly used in herbal medicines to treat catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract.

Quality defined in the European Pharmacopoeia.

HMPC: not processed

ESCOP: not processed

Commission E-monograph: catarrhs of the airways, now obsolete.

Cosmetic industry: Myroxylon balsamum resin (INCI)

Balsamum tolutanum contains between 1.5 and 3 % essential oil and also resin
(80 %) with benzoic acid, benzyl cinnamate, benzyl benzoate and cinnamic acid.

Balsamum tolutanum has an antimicrobial and expectorant effect.

Balsamum tolutanum is used for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract (see below chronic bronchitis).

The average daily dose is 0.6 g and is usually taken in the form of cough syrups and cough drops.

There are no known adverse effects.

There are no known contraindications.

No interactions with other medications were found.

1. Schilcher H (2016) In: Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag Munich, p. 322 f.
2. Blaschek W (2015) Wichtl-Teedrogens and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Munich. S 113-114
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/perubalsam.php