Myroxylon Balsamum Balsam Oil: proprietà, usi, pro, contro, sicurezza, alternative

Myroxylon Balsamum Balsam Oil è un composto oleoso del balsamo prodotto industrialmente dalla resina della corteccia dell'albero Balsam tolu, Myroxylon balsamum (L.), Harms, Leguminosae. E' formato principalmente di resine, oli essenziali e solitamente acidi cinnamici e benzoici. Dalla stessa pianta si ricava un prodotto cosmetico chiamato Balsamo tolu o Balsamo di tolu con caratteristiche pressoché simili ma con nomi INCI differenti.

A cosa serve e dove si usa

Cosmetica

Profumo. A differenza della fragranza che può contenere anche odori leggermente meno gradevoli o caratteristici, la dizione profumo indica soltanto le profumazioni molto gradevoli.

In commercio sono presenti i seguenti prodotti, con e senza restrizioni, tenendo conto che la valutazione di sicurezza cosmetica espressa può essere differente da studio a studio, da composizione a composizione. Come si può osservare dalla tabella sottostante solo 4 ingredienti su 9 non hanno restrizioni cosmetiche, ma anche per questi valgono le considerazioni di sicurezza che espongo più avanti.

Sicurezza

E' considerato un allergene anche se non tutti gli allergeni principali non sono ancora stati identificati in quanto oltre all'acido benzoico, cinnamato, eugenolo, almeno altri 10 risultano non identificabili. E' comunque nota la dermatite allergica da contatto che provoca (1) ed è noto che sia tra i  sensibilizzanti più frequenti che possono provocare dermatite da contatto perioculare (2).

Alternative

Vedi     Balsamo del Perù

Bibliografia_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Nanda, A. and Wasan, A., 2016. Allergic contact dermatitis to balsam of Peru. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 117(2), pp.208-209.

(2) Temesvári E, Pónyai G, Németh I, Hidvégi B, Sas A, Kárpáti S. Periocular dermatitis: a report of 401 patients. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Feb;23(2):124-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2008.02949.x. 

Abstract. Background: Periocular contact dermatitis may appear as contact conjunctivitis, contact allergic and/or irritative eyelid and periorbital dermatitis, or a combination of these symptoms. The clinical symptoms may be induced by several environmental and therapeutic contact allergens. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to map the eliciting contact allergens in 401 patients with periocular dermatitis (PD) by patch testing with environmental and ophthalmic contact allergens. Methods: Following the methodics of international requirements, 401 patients were tested with contact allergens of the standard environmental series, 133 of 401 patients with the Brial ophthalmic basic and supplementary series as well. Results: Contact hypersensitivity was detected in 34.4% of the patients. Highest prevalence was seen in cases of PD without other symptoms (51.18%), in patients of PD associated with ophthalmic complaints (OC; 30.4%), and PD associated with atopic dermatitis (AD; 27.9%). In the subgroup of PD associated with seborrhoea (S) and rosacea (R), contact hypersensitivity was confirmed in 17.6%. Most frequent sensitisers were nickel sulphate (in 8.9% of the tested 401 patients), fragrance mix I (4.5%), balsam of Peru (4.0%), paraphenylendiamine (PPD) (3.7%), and thiomersal (3.5%). By testing ophthalmic allergens, contact hypersensitivity was observed in nine patients (6.7% of the tested 133 patients). The most common confirmed ophthalmic allergens were cocamidopropyl betaine, idoxuridine, phenylephrine hydrochloride, Na chromoglycinate, and papaine. Limitations: Patients with symptoms of PD were tested from 1996 to 2006. Conclusions: The occurence of contact hypersensitivity in PD patients was in present study 34.4%. A relatively high occurrence was seen in cases of PD without other symptoms, in PD + OC and in PD + AD patients. The predominance of environmental contact allergens was remarkable: most frequent sensitizers were nickel sulphate, fragrance mix I, balsam of Peru, thiomersal, and PPD. The prevalence of contact hypersensitivity to ophthalmic allergens did not exceed l.5%.