Resins and Resin

Combinations
3rd year 5th semester
Course 513
DR. MADIHA KHAN
Ph.D Scholar
 Introduction
• Amorphous products with a complex
chemical nature
• oxidation products of terpenes
• Usually formed in schizogenous or
schizolysigenous cavities as end product
of metabolism
• Hard, transparent to translucent and
soften to melt after heating
• Chemically, complex mixtures of resin
acids, resin alcohols, resinotannols, esters
and resenes
• Insoluble in water
• Occurs mostly as homogenous mixtures with volatile
oils, oleoresins
• Natural oleoresins examples are, Terpentine, Copaiba,
• Pharmaceutic oleoresin are derived from ginger, and
capsicum

• Oleoresins also occurs as mixtures with gums as oleo-

gum-resins
• Can be separated easily from oleoresins as CHO are
water soluble
• E.g., Asafoetida and Myrrh
• Balsams are resinous mixtures containing cinnamic
acid, benzoic acid or both or esters of these
• E.g, Benzoin, Peru balsam, Tolu balsam and Styrax

• In few cases, resins are found in glycosidal

combinations called as Glucoresins or Glycoresins
• E.g, Jalap, Podophyllum
 RESINS
• Resins may be the final product of
destructive metabolism
• Their principle constituents are:
– Resin Acids contains a large proportion of
oxyacids, combining the properties of
corboxyacids and phenols
– Their metallic salts are Resinates used in
manufacture of cheap Soaps and Varnishes
– E.g, Abeitic acid in Colophony
– Copaivic and Oxycopaivic acid in Copaiba
– Commiphoric acid in Myrrh
– Resin alcohols; complex alcohols of high molecular
weight known as Resinotannols which give tannin
reaction with iron salt while Resinnols donot
– E.g, Aloeresinatannol from aloe
– Peruresinatannol from balsam of Peru balsam
– Siaresinatannol and Sumaresinatannol from
Benzoin
– Toluresinatannol from balsam of Tolu

– Resinnols are; benzoresinol from benzoin and

storesinol from storax
– Resenes are complex neutral substances

– Glycoresins complex mixtures yielding

sugars and complex resin acids on
hydrolysis e.g, Resin of Jalap
 Pharmaceutic Resins
• Usually obtained by:
– By extracting the drug with alcohol and
precipitating resin in water as resin of Jalap and
Podophyllum

– By separating oil from oleoresin by distillation as

Rosin from Terpentine and Copaivic resin from
Copaiba

– By collecting natural product that has exuded as

oleoresin from plants
 ROSIN
• Rosin or Colophony is a solid resin
obtained from Pinus palustris Miller
(Family Pinaceae)
• Commercial grade vary in colour from
light amber to black
• Only light coloured transparent rosin is
used medicinally
• Rosin is hard brittle and easily
pulverized usually occur as shinny
sharp angular fragments
• Constituents
– 80-90% anhydrides of Abietic acid, sylvic acid,
sapinic acid, pimaric acid and resene
• Uses
– As stiffening agent in Cerates, plasters &
ointments
– As diuretic in veterinary medicine
– Commercially used in manufacturing of Varnishes,
paints, inks, soaps, sealing wax floor coverings etc
 PODOPHYLLUM
• Podophyllum peltatum L Family,
Berberdiaceae consist of dried roots and
rhizome
• Also known as mayapple or mandrake.
• Podophyllum means, footlike leaf; peltatum
means, shield like.
• Plant is a perineal herb, with long jointed
and branching rhizomes.
• The stems grow to 30–40 cm tall.
• Umbrella-like leaves up to 20–40 cm
diameter with deeply cut lobes.
• Plants produce several stems from a
creeping underground rhizome.
 Chemical constituents

• Podophyllum contains 3.5 to 6% of resins.

• Whose active principles are lignans.
• Including:
– Podophyllotoxin 20%
– α- peltatin 10%
– β- peltatin 5%

• Podophyllum possess drastic purgative properties.

• Employed in form of resin as an antimitotic and
caustic.
 ERIODICTYON
• Dried leaf of Eriodictyon californicum or
Yerba Santa, family Hydrophyllaceae
• Eriodictyon means wooly referring to
hairy leaves
• Constituents
– Resin eriodictyol, xanthoeriodictyol,
eriodictyonic acid, formic acid, butyric acid,
volatile oil and tannins
• Uses
– Its a flavour used to mask bitterness of
quinine drugs
– Also used as stimulating expectorant in 1 g
dose
 JALAP
• Dried tuberous roots of Exogonium purga
family Convulvulaceae
• Yields not less than 9% of resin
• Named on the city Jalapa of Mexico from
which the drug was first obtained
• Jalap roots are usually dug in fall, placed in
nets, and dried over open fires
• This process accounts for their odour
• Jalap resin occur as yellowish brown
powder or masses
• Constituents
– Jalap contains resins, volatile oil, starch, gums and
sugars
– Resin contain number of glycosides as ipurganol, a
phytosterol glycoside and jalapin alongwith β-
methyl esculetin & palmitic and stearic acid
– Jalap resin is prepared by extracting powdered
jalap with an alcohol-water mixture
• Uses
– Jalap resin is cathartic with hydragogue activity
– Usual dose is 125 mg
 MASTIC
• Concrete resinous exudate from
Pistacia lentiscus family Anacardiaceae
• Mastic is a Greek word which means to
chew, lentiscus refer to lenticular
cavities where the resin is secreted
• The resinous juice is collected in
cavities in inner bark, long incisions are
made in trunk and larger branches
through which resin exudes and
collected
• Constituents
– Mastic contains about 90% of resin consisting of
α-resin, soluble in alcohol and β-resin insoluble in
alcohol, and volatile oil

• Uses
– Mastic is used in form of dental varnishes to seal
cavities
– Formerly used as breath sweetener
 KAVA
• Kava or kava kava is the dried rhizome or
roots of Piper methysticum family Piperaceae
• Drug contains starch and resin
• Act as central acting skeletal muscle relaxant
with antipyretic and local anaesthetic
properties
 CANNABIS
• Cannabis, Indian hemp, marihuana or
pot consist of dried flowering tops of
the pistillate plants of Cannabis sativus.
• Family Moraceae.
• Annual herb indigenous to central and
western Asia.
• Cannabis is the ancient Greek name for
hemp.
• Known as Hashish in Arabic and Persia.
 Chemical constituents

• 2 genetics types of cannabis have evolved:

– One designated the drug type, is rich in THC.
– Other refered to as Hemp type, contains little
active principle (cannabidiol) with elongated bast
fibre for rope manufacture.

• Indian cannabis yield 15 to 20 % of a resin

containing major active euphoric principle Δ9-
trans-tetrahydrocannabinol or Δ9-THC.
• Other constituents issolated from
cannabis resins include
– Cannabinol, cannabidol, cannabidiolic
acid, cannabichromene, cannabigerol and
Δ8-THC
• THCs possess euphoric activity.
• Cannabinol is weakly active.
• Cannabidiolic acid, Cannabichromene
are sedative principles.
• Δ9-THC was found to be more potent
when smoked then when taken orally.
 OLEORESINS
TURPENTINE
• Concrete oleoresin obtained from Pinus
palustris Miller & other species of pinus
Family Pinaceae
• Occurs as yellowish, opaque masses, glossy,
sticky when warm and bitter in cold
• Freely soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform
and glacial acetic acid
• Constituets volatile oils and resin
• Employed externally as counterirritant
 CAPSICUM
• Or Cayene pepper is the dried, ripe fruit
of Capsicum frutescens L
• African chillies are most pungent but
desirable as condiment
• Medicinal value of capsicum depends
upon its pungency
• Capsicum contains capsaicin (phenol)
0.02%
• Constituents
– Capsicum contains 1.5% of volatile oil, fixed
oil, carotenoids, 0.2% ascorbic acid
• Uses
– Irritant and carminative
– Used as rubefaciant, stimulant and
condiment
– Usual dose is 60 mg
– Capsicum oleoresin has same properties
with dose of 15 mg
– Capsicum is an ingredient in number of
external analgesic preparations like, Infra-
Rub ®, Omega-Oil®
 GINGER
• Is the dried rhizome of Zingeber officinale Roscoe
• The rhizomes are dug and pealed in December and January
• As soon as rhizomes are peeled, washed in water then dried in
sun for 5-6 days
• Characteristic odour due to its volatile oil, principal constituents
are sesquiterpenes; bisabolene, zingiberine and shogoal
• Also contain starch more than 50%
• Uses
– As flavor, condiment, aromatic stimulant and carminative
– Ginger oleoresin has the same properties
 COPAIBA
• Oleoresin derived from species of Copaifera
family Leguminosae
• Formed in schizolysigenous cavities in wood
• Sometimes several liters of oleoresin
• Copaiba consist of volatile oil, resin acid and
small quantity of bitter principle
• Uses
– As genitourinary disinfectant
– Diuretic, stimulant, expectorant and laxative
– Dose: 1ml
 Oleo-gum-resins
myrrh
• Obtained from Commiphora molmol
family Burseraceae
• From Arabic word Murr means bitter,
Commiphora Greek word means gum
bearing
• Resin exudes naturally or from
incisions made in bark
• First it is at yellowish color, soon
hardens due to intense heat and then
collected
• There are two commercial varieties of
myyrh, African/Somali and
Arabic/Yemen
• Former is considered better of two
• Constitutes
– Myrrh contains a yellow or yellowish green, thick,
volatile oil with characteristic odour
– Resin acids (α-,β- and gamma-commiphoric acids)
– Resens and Phenolic compounds (protocatechuic
acid and pyrocatechin)
– Gum 60% consist of soluble and insoluble portions
forming a mucilage
• Uses
– Myrrh is protective, also employed as a stimulant
and stomachic
– Also used in mouth washes as an Astringent
– From early times it has been used in domestic
medicine as aromatic and as an embalming material
 asafetida
• Oleo gum resin obtained by insicing
living rhizomes and roots of Ferula
assafoetida L
• F. foetida, F. rubricaulis, and other
species family Umbelliferae
• Asa means gum, aza means healing,
foetida refers to ill smelling, offensive
smell of drug
• Sometimes refers to as devils dung
• Asafetida occurs as soft, semiliquid mass
as irregular masses of agglutinated tears
• Range from 1 to 4 cm in diameter
• Fresh are tough, yellowish white and
translucent
• Changes color gradually to pinkish, violet
streak finally to reddish brown
• Hard and brittle when dry
• Internally tears are milky white and opaque
• Persistent alliaceous odor and bitter taste
• Should be kept in tightly closed containers
• Constituents
– Contains 4 to 20% volatile oil
– 40 to 65% of resins
– 25% of gum
– Main constituent of oil is isobutylpropanyl disulfide and
number of other organic disulfides and terpenes
– Resin consist of asaresinotannol free and combined with
ferulic acid
– And umbelliferone
• Uses
– Carminative, expectorant, antispasmodic, laxative
– Asafetida tincture is commercially available
 balsams
storax
• Balsam obtained from the trunk of Liquidambar
orientalis Miller (Levant storax) or L. styraciflua
(American storax)family Hammamelidaceae
• Styrax is arabian means sweet-smelling
exudation, liquidus is latin means fluid, ambar
means amber (sweet gum)
• Storax is a pathological product, formation is
induced by bruising and puncturing the tree bark
in early summers
• In autumn when the bark is saturated with
balsam, is pealed off and balsam is recovered by
pressing
• Bark is them boiled in hot water and pressed
again
• Constituents
– Levant storax consist of 50% of two resin
alcohols, α and β-storesin, free and in
combination with cinnamic acid
– Also contain storesin cinnamate, styracin or
cinnamyle cinnamate, phenylpropyl cinnamate
– Volatile oil 0.5 to 1%, traces of Vanillin

– American storax contains related storesins and

other principles
– Yields 7% of volatile oil by steam distillation
– Also contains cinnamic acid, cinnamein, resin
esters and resin acids
• Levant storax
– occurs as viscid, grayish brown, opaque mass that
deposit dark brown oleoresin stratum on standing
• American storax
– is nearly clear, yellowish brown semi liquid that becomes
hard and opaque and dark coloured
• Insoluble in water and soluble in warm alcohol
• Uses
– Storax is pharmaceutic aid for compound benzoin tincture
– Used as stimulant, expectorant, and antiseptic
– Dose is 1g when used internally
 benzoin
• Balsamic resin obtained from Styrax benzoin
Dryander, S. paraleloneurus, (sumatra
benzoin)
• S. tonkinensis and other species of genus
styrax called as Siam benzoin family,
styraceae
• Storax means sweet-scented-gum and
benzoin means fragrant
• Benzoin is pathological product developed by
incision in bark
• After 2 months, exuding balsamic resin
becomes less sticky and firm enough to
collect
• Sumatra benzoin
– occurs as blocks or irregular masses as tears of
variable sizes
– Brittle and internally tears are milky white
– Soft when warm and gritty when chewed
– Taste is aromatic and resinous

• Siam benzoin
– Occur mostly as concavo-convex tears
– Yellowish to rusty brown and milky white when
freshly broken
– Tears are brittle, soft when warm and plastic when
chewed
– Vanilla like odour
• Sumatra benzoin
– Contains free balsamic acids, cinnamic 10%,
benzoic 6%, and their esters
– Triterpene acids (19-hydroxyoleanolic acid, 6-
hudroxyoleanolic acid), vanillin traces,
phenylpropanyl cinnamate, cinnamyle
cinnamate and phenylethylene are also present
• Siam benzoin
– Consist of coniferyl benzoate (60 to 70%), free
benzoic acid 10%, triterpenes, siaresinol 6%,
and traces of vanillin
• Uses
– Siam benzoin is confined almost entirely to perfumery
– Antiseptic, stimulant, expectorant and diuretic
– Compound benzoin tincture employed as topical
protectant. It contains aloe, storax, benzoin and tolu
balsam and is valuable as expectorant
 Peruvian balsam
• Obtained from Myroxylon pereirae Royle
• Myron means ointment, xylon means wood
• Peru balsam is pathologic product, formed as a
result of injury to trees
• Peru balsam occur as dark brown, viscid liquid
that appears reddish brown and transparent in
thin layers
• Free from stickiness and has empyreumatic
odour and bitter acrid persistent taste
• Constituents
– Drug contains cinnamein 60% which is a volatile
oil consist chiefly of benzyl cinnamate and
lesser amount of benzyl benzoate
– Resin esters 30 to 38%consist of
peruresinotannol cinnamate and benzoate
– Vanillin, free cinnamic acid, peruviol etc
• Uses
– Local protectant and rubefacient
– As parasiticide in certain diseases
– Antiseptic
– Also used in various preparations to treat
hemorrhoids as Anusol® and Eudicaine ®
suppositories
 Bibliography

• Pharmacognosy by Varro E Tyler

• Pharmacognosy by Trease and Evans