Botanical Overview
Balm Of Gilead (Populus tacamahacca) belongs to the Salicaceae family. Limited but reliable traditional records indicate this plant has recognized medicinal applications in one or more healing traditions. This species belongs to the Salicaceae family, a group of flowering plants.
General Description
The genus name Populus is from the Latin for poplar, and the specific epithet balsamifera from Latin for “balsam-bearing”.
ⓘ Information
Description adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Family Context
The Salicaceae family is widely distributed. Notable medicinal members include:
- Balsam Poplar — 24 documented uses
- Black Poplar — 16 documented uses
- White Willow — 16 documented uses
Active Compounds
Phytochemical research has identified 30 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).
The identified compounds include the following categories:
- Alkaloid: nitrogenous compounds with diverse pharmacological activities
ⓘ Information
Information on this page is compiled from Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (USDA ARS), a public domain resource. Consult a healthcare professional before using any herbal preparation.