Terpenes - Resins

Question 1

What are resins?

Answer 1

Resins - Mixture of resin acids, resin alcohols and resin phenols

Sticky, then harden and created to protect from insects

Often associated with:
* Essential oils (when mixed with resins = oleoresins)
* Gums (gum + resins)
* Oil and gum (oleo-gum resins e.g. myrrh).
* Soluble in alcohol, not water

Question 2

What are oloresins and what examples are there?

Answer 2

• We looked an an example before - found in conifers, a mixture of EO and resins, turpentine from the Pinus tree.
• An example of a phenolic resin is propolis, collected by bees from resinous plants.

Oleo-gum resin is usually
* astringent (resins) and
* antimicrobial (resin and essential oil) properties - antiseptic, stimulating.

An example is Benzoin, resin from Styrax benzoin trees
* Also contains cinnamic, benzoic and triterpene acids
* Antiseptic, stimulant expectorant, diuretic, and antifungal.

Another example is Myrrh: antiseptic in the mouth and throat, thought to provoke a local leucocytosis. Oleo-resin from Commiphora mukul, C. guggul used in Ayurveda:
* Anti-hyperlipidemia
* Antischistosomal
* Antiseptic
* Anaesthetic
* Anti-tumour

Question 3

What is a Gum Oloresin?

Answer 3

Frankincense, Boswellia serrata: is a blend of water soluble gums, some non water soluable EOs and heavier resinous compounds.

• Anti-inflammatory
• In vivo/vitro and clinical trials support the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis
• European Medicines Agency specified Boswellia as a treatment for peritumoral brain oedema.

Question 4

How do resins affect Calendula officinalis tincture?

Answer 4

You need a high percentage alcolohol to get resins out. With calendula we use 90% as an antispetic and antifungal, but lower for other reasons as 90% tinctures are very different from 25% tinctures.

Resins: contact allergens that can cause oral ulceration and contact dermatitis.