PARTE UTILIZADA=Used part: Leño, corteza.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA=Pharmacological action: Sudorífico, depurativo, diurético, diaforético, afecciones cardíacas.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA =Chemical composition: Isolation of volatile conc. from the wood of Guaiacum bulnesia (Bulnesia sarmienti Lorenz ex Griseb., fam. Zygophillaceae), has been obtained by supercrit. extn. with carbon dioxide. To obtain a pure volatile ext. devoid of cuticular waxes, the extn. products were fractionated in two separators operating in series. A good extn. process was obtained operating at 120 bar and 80degrees in the extn. vessel, at 120 bar and at -5degrees in the first separator and at a pressure between 20 and 15 bar and temp. in the range (10-20degrees) in the second one. The compn. of the volatile conc. has been analyzed by GC-MS, the major component were alpha-guaiene, cis-beta-guaiene and alpha-bulnesene. A comparison with the oils obtained by hydrodistn. is also given. GC-MS anal. on the exts. revealed differences between the volatile oil obtained from supercrit. extn. and the one extd. by hydrodistn. In the case of supercrit. extn. the yield was of volatile oil was 0.7% by wt. of the charged material.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA=Geografical zone: Paraguay y N de Argentina. 

Summary
Palo santo (Bulnesia sarmientoi – Zygophyllaceae) is a common tree in the Chaco region of South America, comprising Southeastern Bolivia, Western Paraguay, Northern Argentina and also some areas of Matto Grosso state in Brazil. The bark of this species is important not only because of its medicinal properties (used externally as a wound healing agent, and internally in the treatment of digestive complaints) but also for industrial purposes. From a pharmacological point of view, only one study has been performed for the bark extract, showing antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms. However, further studies are needed in the future due to the importance of this species throughout the region.

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.139.

2) MARONGIU, Bruno, et al. Isolation of Guaiacum bulnesia volatile oil by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Journal of Essential Oil-Bearing Plants. 2007, vol.10, nº3, p.221-228.

3) ALONSO, Jorge ; DESMARCHELIER, Cristian. Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina : bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud.  Buenos Aires: L.O.L.A, 2005, p. 390.

4) Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina. Bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud / Jorge Alonso y Cristian Jorge Desmarchelier. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Corpus Libros Médicos y Científicos, 2015.