5. Indian Bdellium
Synonym Scented bdellium.
Biological Sources Indian bdellium is the oleo-gum-resin obtained from the bark of the naturally occurring plant Commiphora mukul Engler., Balsamodendron mukul Hook. ex. Stocks., and Commiphora weightii (Arn) Bhand, belonging to family: Burseraceae.
Preparation The oleo-gum-resin Indian bdellium is obtained by the incision made on the bark and the exudates are collected. Each fully grown plant produces about 0.5 to 1 kg of the product which is normally collected from January through March every year.
Characteristic Features The oleo-gum-resin from Indian bdellium has a brown to pale yellow or sometimes dull green colour. It has an agreeable balsamic and aromatic odour with a typical bitter taste. The drug is usually obtained as irregular mass, rounded or agglomerated cluster of tears. The tears are found to be transparent, having a waxy surface and quite brittle in nature. It is sticky in touch and has a fractured surface. It is partially alcohol soluble; but when triturated with water it usually gives rise to a white emulsion.
Chemical Constituents This oleo-gum-resin mostly comprises of resin (60%), gum (30%), volatile oil (1–1.5%) moisture (5%) and foreign organic substances (3-4%). The volatile oil fraction contains various terpenes, such as: β-murcene, dimyrcene, polymyrcene, caryophyllene and isocaryophyllene (Section 2.9.2).
