Dragon's blood
Dragon's blood is a reddish brown natural resin of various plants, as phytopharmacon ( herbal remedy ) and is used as a coating material and dye.
About the Name
Originally called dragon's blood resin from the island of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden and the resins of the palm Daemonorops draco in Southeast Asia. The name stretched out to other similar resins from plants of the genus Daemonorops, and Dracaena ( dragon trees ), Croton ( a genus of Euphorbiaceae ) and Pterocarpus ( a genus of leguminous plants ) are obtained. In addition, ( abgezapftes blood ' Latin Sanguis Draconis, Chinese血竭, ) is in the historical literature, the name for vermilion ( cinnabar ) and other red essences usual.
Nature and composition
Dragon's blood is a counted to the group of oleoresins resin which comprises about two-thirds of Dracoresin, a red ester resin, and Dracorresen and Draco Alban. But the main dye is the Draco Rubin C32H24O5 contained less than 1%.
Dragon's blood does not dissolve in water or petroleum and turpentine, but alcohols, acetone, acetic acid and glycerol, different in other solvents. Draco ruby is not soluble in ether. It melts, depending on the purity and origin, between 60 ° and 100 °, and when heated are red, highly irritating gases from. Theoretical chemical formula is C18H18O4.
The commercial product of the resin is opaque reddish brown to reddish brown, interspersed with shiny fracture and up to a quarter with plant debris and other things. The taste of the resin is sweet, some scratching.
Production and trade
Daemonorops - Dragon's Blood ( East Indian dragon's blood ) is today mainly from South India, Borneo, Sumatra and the Moluccas. It is obtained from the envelope of ripe fruit. They are scarlet, about 2 cm in size and grow in dense clusters. After the maturity of the Dragon Blood pours out, and dries up. The fruits are placed in sacks and thrown off the resin.
Socotrisches dragon's blood is obtained today from cinnabari Dracaena ( Dracaena Socotrischer ). The resin exudes from the trunk, and is similar to natural rubber harvested by the natural Sickerrisse also be enlarged. The one -drying resin is but scratched from the tree. Similarly Canarian dragon's blood from Dracaena draco L. ( Dragon Tree ) from the Canary Islands. Socotrisches dragon's blood is mentioned in the Periplus Maris Erythraei, a Seehandelsregister of the 1st century of the Pacific Ocean, and was traded on the Incense Route. Canarian dragon's blood was imported since the 15th century via Spain to Europe. Due to the rarity of wild dragon trees in the Canary Islands is obtained here no longer a dragon's blood.
American dragon's blood is native to the West Indies plants ( Pterocarpus ).
Crops for dragon's blood are:
- Croton. Croton draconoides Müll.Arg, Croton draco Schltdl. & Cham., Croton lechleri Müll.Arg. , Salutaris Croton, Croton plano stigma, Croton urucurana Baill. , Croton xalapensis Kunth
- Daemonorops: .. . Daemonorops draco flower ( dragon's blood palm), Daemonorops didymophylla Becc, Daemonorops micranthus Becc, Daemonorops motleyi Becc, Daemonorops rubra ( Reinw. ex Blume) Mart, Daemonorops propinquus Becc. .
- Pterocarpus: Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq.
In the commercial shellac -like dragon's blood comes in fragments, kilo heavy cake, or in platelets, formerly in schilfumwickelten rods and rosary similar gefädelten grains.
Use
Dragon's blood was used externally for scurvy and in the treatment of wounds as an antiseptic, given internally in diarrhea and respiratory diseases, as well as incense and in embalming. It is already described in Dioscorides (1st century AD) and in ancient times as well as the Middle Ages important commodity. It has lost its medical importance, in Chinese medicine it can still find use.
In violin making and carpentry, as well as the restoration using dragon's blood for paints, varnishes, tinted and color mixtures. Finest dragon's blood resembles Madder Lake.
Draco Rubin paper is an indicator paper, to distinguish it from benzene ( red color ) and motor gasoline (brown staining).
In the Chemigrafie ( American Zinkätzung ) Photographic equipment, it is used as etching ground.