- Benzoin resin
Benzoin resin or styrax resin is a
balsam icresin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus "Styrax ". It is used in perfumes, some kinds of incense, and medicine (seetincture of benzoin ). Its principle component isbenzoic acid . [cite journal | author=Pastrorova I, de Koster CG, Boom JJ | title= Analytic Study of Free and Ester Bound Benzoic and Cinnamic Acids of Gum Benzoin Resins by GC-MS HPLC-frit FAB-MS | journal=Phytochem Anal | year=1997 | issue=8 | pages=63–73 | doi= 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1565(199703)8:2<63::AID-PCA337>3.0.CO;2-Y | volume= 8 ] Commonly called "benzoin", it is called "benzoin resin" here to distinguish it from the crystalline compoundbenzoin . 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 fromIndonesia .Use
Benzoin resin is a common ingredient in
incense -making andperfumery because of its aroma andfixative properties. Gum benzoin is a major component of the type of churchincense used inRussia and some other Orthodox Christian societies. Benzoin resin is also used in blended types ofJapanese incense , Indian incense, Chinese incense, andPapier d'Arménie . When called sambrani or sambraani, it is a popularIndia n incense used to scent and treathair and preventinfection s.There are two types of benzoin resin used in incense and perfumery, benzoin Siam and benzoin Sumatra. Benzoin Siam is obtained from "
Styrax tonkinensis " found across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Benzoin Sumatra is obtained from "Styrax benzoin " grown on the island of Sumatra. Both varieties arepathogenic 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.References
External links
* [http://www.thefifthsense.com/scent_dir_pages/scentdir_benzoin.htm Aroma of Benzoin]
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