Galbanum

Galbanum

Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain Persian plant species, chiefly "Ferula gummosa", syn. "galbaniflua" and "Ferula rubricaulis". Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran. It occurs usually in hard or soft, irregular, more or less translucent and shining lumps, or occasionally in separate tears, of a light-brown, yellowish or greenish-yellow colour, and has a disagreeable, bitter taste, a peculiar, somewhat musky odour, and a specific gravity of 1.212. It contains about 8% of terpene; about 65% of a resin which contains sulfur; about 20% of gum; and a very small quantity of the colourless crystalline substance umbelliferone.

Galbanum is one of the oldest of drugs. In the Book of Exodus 30:34, it is mentioned as being used in the making of a perfume for the tabernacle. Rabbi Shelomo ben Yitschak of the 1100s comments on this passage that galabanum is bitter and was included in the incense as a reminder of deliberate and unrepentant sinners.

It is occasionally used in the making of modern perfume, and is the ingredient which gives the distinctive smell to the fragrance "Must" by Cartier. Hippocrates employed it in medicine, and Pliny ("Nat. Hist." xxiv. 13) ascribes to it extraordinary curative powers, concluding his account of it with the assertion that "the very touch of it mixed with oil of spondylium is sufficient to kill a serpent." The drug is occasionally given in modern medicine, in doses of from five to fifteen grains. It has the actions common to substances containing a resin and a volatile oil. Its use in medicine is, however, obsolete.

Amber Jayanti, in her book "Living the Qabalistic Tarot" says that Galbanum oil is linked with the Tarot card called "The Fool". Also called "Fiery Intelligence", the Fool represents the divine spark that animates the universe. According to Richard Alan Miller ("The Magical and Ritual Use of Perfumes"), galbanum oil is steam-distilled to yield a green, fruity-floral odor reminiscent of green apples. The Fool card is also linked with the herb ginseng.


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  • galbanum — ⇒GALBANUM, subst. masc. Substance végétale proche de la gomme et de la résine, à odeur balsamique, extraite de deux variétés d ombellifères. Ils [les Pharisiens] frissonnèrent quand on les aspergea de galbanum et d encens, composition réservée… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • GALBANUM — (Heb. חֶלְבְּנָה, ḥelbenah), a gum resin mentioned among the ingredients of the incense in the Tabernacle (Ex. 30:34) and by Ben Sira as a spice (Gr. χαλβάνη). It was included in a baraita (Ker. 6a), dating from Second Temple times, among the… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Galbanum — (Gummi Galb., Mutterharz, Pharm.), Gummiharz einiger in Syrien, Persien, Arabien u. Äthiopien einheimischen, aber noch nicht näher bekannten Pflanzen (Galbanum officinale, Don., Bubon Galbanum, B. gummiferum, Ferula Ferulago, F. galbanifera u.… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • galbanum — GALBANUM. s. m. Espece de drogue. On dit, Donner du Galbanum, pour dire, Donner à quelqu un des esperances qui n aboutissent à rien, l amuser de promesses inutiles, Il m a donné du Galbanum. Il est populaire …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Galbanum — od. Mutterharz, äußerlich als Galban Pflaster, zertheilend und die Eiterung befördernd, innerlich reizend auf die Organe der Brust und des Unterleibes wirkend, ist der an der Luft erhärtete schleimharzige Saft einer bis jetzt noch nicht genau… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • GALBANUM — in Syriae monte Amano nascitur e ferula, quam eiusdem nominis resinae modo stagonitin appellant. Quod maxime laudant, cartilaginosum, purum, ad similitudinem Hammoniaci, minimeque lignosum sic quoque adulteratur fabâ aut sagapeno. Sincerumsi… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Galbănum [1] — Galbănum (röm. Ant.), grasgrüne, weibliche Kleidung …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Galbănum [2] — Galbănum (G. Don.), Pflanzengattung aus der Familie der Umbelliferae Silerinae, 5. Kl. 1. Ordn. L.; Art: G. officinale, in Persien heimisch, Mutterpflanze des Galbanumharzes …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Galbănum — (Galbanharz, Mutterharz), Gummiharz, der erhärtete Milchsaft von Ferula galbaniflua, vielleicht auch von einigen andern Ferula Arten (Umbelliferen) in Persien, der am Stengel und an der Basis der Blätter freiwillig austritt und erstarrt. Die Ware …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Galbanum — Galbănum, Mutterharz, Gummiharz von mehrern Arten Ferula (s.d.) in Persien und am Aralsee, in der Medizin und zu Kitten verwendet …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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