Chemistry, Biological Activities, and Uses of Copal Resin (Bursera spp.) in Mexico

Abstract

Copal is an aromatic resin that has been extracted by people from several arboreal species of the Burseraceae family—also known as copal—for at least two thousand years. In Mexico, two species in the genus Bursera (B. copallifera and B. bipinnata) are particularly important for the diversity of their uses, geographical distribution, and trade in commercial networks. At present, the use of copal resin continues to have ritual significance for numerous Mesoamerican peoples. The present chapter summarizes the past, present, and potential uses of copal, its identified chemical compounds, and their known biological activities. Some of the more frequent uses of copal are as an irreplaceable element in ritual ceremonies, in traditional medicine, and as an agglutinant in the elaboration of varnishes, pigments, and fixatives. Among the most abundant compounds in copal resin are the sesquiterpenes germacrene D and β-caryophyllene, the triterpenoids α- and β-amyrin, and the monoterpenes α- and β-pinene, β-phellandrene, and limonene. The chemical components of copal stems, bark, leaves, and resin have anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antineoplastic properties, because of which developing its application in pharmacology provides a promising opportunity.