Western Herbalism
Balsam of Tolu
Balsamum Tolutanum
Also known as Tolu balsam, Tolu balsam tree, (Balsam) Balsam of Tolu, Tolu balsam; (tree) Tolu balsam tree.
Balsam of Tolu is the resinous exudate collected from incisions made in the trunk of Myroxylon balsamum, a tall leguminous tree native to the tropical forests of Colombia and Venezuela. The fresh balsam is a soft, aromatic, brownish resin that hardens with age; it has long been valued in Western herbal and eclectic medicine as a warming expectorant and topical vulnerary, and it remains a familiar flavoring and fixative in cough preparations and pharmaceutical compounding today.
Ask Herbert about Balsam of Tolu. Herbert is the master herbalist inside Bountiful Herbs: he answers from this plate and eleven hundred others, with dosing, pairing and cautions. Your first ten questions are free.
Ask HerbertActions
Indications what the tradition reached for it in
- Chronic bronchitis with copious mucus
- Persistent catarrh
- Productive cough
- Chronic laryngitis
- Slow-healing wounds and ulcers
- Scabies
- Ringworm of the scalp
- Chronic eczema
- Chilblains
- Chapped nipples
- Chronic leucorrhea
- Chronic diarrhea (traditional use)
Specific indications
Chronic bronchial catarrh with abundant thin secretion and a run-down, low-vitality picture
Sluggish wounds, ulcers, or chilblains on devitalized tissue that need a stimulating balsamic dressing to promote healing
Safety
Low dose botanical. Used in drop doses in the classical practice; not a plant to dose freely.
Pregnancy: Avoid in pregnancy given the absence of modern safety data and its historical reputation for renal and gastrointestinal irritation in excess.
Breastfeeding: Avoid in lactation for the same reason, as adequate safety data are lacking.
The record lists 5 contraindications; open the plate in the library to read them in full.
In practice
Tolu balsam is chiefly reached for as a gentle, warming expectorant in chronic catarrhal states where secretions are profuse but the tissue is sluggish and low in tone, rather than in acute febrile chest infections where its stimulating warmth is unwelcome.
Dosing as the sources wrote it
| Preparation | As written | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Tincture (1:5) | 0.3-1 mL three times daily | 0.3-1 mL |
| Syrup | 1-4 mL as an expectorant, up to three times daily | 1-4 mL |
| Topical ointment (10-20% in a fatty base) | applied to affected skin one to three times daily | |
| The dose is from 10 to 30 grains, frequently repeated, and given in tincture, syrup, or similar to balsam of Peru. | 648-1944 mg |
Doses are reproduced from the sources for practitioners and are not a recommendation for any person.
From the sources
Overview. Balsam of Tolu is the resinous exudate collected from incisions made in the trunk of Myroxylon balsamum, a tall leguminous tree native to the tropical forests of Colombia and Venezuela. The fresh balsam is a soft, aromatic, brownish resin that hardens with age; it has long been valued in Western herbal and eclectic medicine as a warming expectorant and topical vulnerary, and it remains a familiar flavoring and fixative in cough preparations and pharmaceutical compounding today.
Clinical Notes. Tolu balsam is chiefly reached for as a gentle, warming expectorant in chronic catarrhal states where secretions are profuse but the tissue is sluggish and low in tone, rather than in acute febrile chest infections where its stimulating warmth is unwelcome.
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage. This agent in medicinal doses occasions some cutaneous heat, increases the rapidity of the circulation, and augments the renal secretion, with irritation of the kidneys. Large doses, by producing gastro-intestinal irritation, may cause diarrhoea and vomiting.
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage. This tincture possesses the properties of balsam of tolu, and may be used in cough and chronic catarrhal diseases; also as an adjunct to cough and expectorant compounds. The dose is from ½ to 1 or 2 fluid drachms.
Drawn from King's American Dispensatory, 18th edition (Felter and Lloyd), and the Bountiful Herbs editorial.
Often paired with
StillingiaStillingia sylvatica
AcaciaAcacia
Gum arabicAcacia vera
SugarSaccharum
SassafrasSassafras albidum
Licorice rootGlycyrrhiza glabraNearby on the shelf
Balsam appleMomordica balsamina
Balsam firAbies balsamea
Balsam of PeruMyrospermum peruiferum
Balsam of PeruBalsamum Peruvianum
BanabaLagerstroemia speciosa
BananaMusa paradisiaca
BanyanFicus benghalensis
BaobabAdansoniaThe whole plate is in the library. The compass, Compare, the Sky of eleven hundred plants and the formulary open with an email address and a password, free, with the formula builder and its safety engine. Herbert without limit, his formulating, clients, the handouts and the labels are the paid room.
Open the library, free