FEMA 2262

Химические свойства

Castoreumis an unpleasantly sharp-smelling, oily substance secreted by special glands of beavers, Castor fiber L. (Castoridae), living in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Both sexes secrete the substance, which accumulates in an abdominal pouch, also called castoreum. Dilute castoreum (e.g., as a tincture in ethanol) smells pleasantly of birch tar and musk and is slightly fruity.
Castoreum is a by-product of the fur industry. The beaver pouches are dried in the air or over a wood fire, the color of their contents then changes fromyellow to dark brown, and the consistency froma butter-like to resinous character.
In addition to alcoholic tinctures, castoreum is available in the form of resinoids, which are prepared by extracting dried, comminuted poucheswith suitable solvents.
The intense, leathery odor of castoreum obtained from Siberian beavers is caused largely by phenolic compounds (e.g., 4-alkylphenols and catechol derivatives), which the beavers take in with their food and excrete into their abdominal pouches. Castoreum was used mainly in fine fragrances for its characteristic, long-lasting odor, particularly for delicate leather nuances.

Физические свойства

Castoreum when fresh is yellow and of the consistency of syrup; when dry it is dark red or brown and of the consistency of hard wax.

Cостав эфирных масел

A resinous and crystalline material (1 to 2%) has been identified in castoreum, together with a butter-like portion containing albumins, fats, urates, salts and probably cholesterols. Castoreum contains castorin (0.33 to 2.5%), volatile oil (1 to 2%), benzoic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, phenols, chavicol, betuligenol, ketone, ionone derivative, castoramines, quinolizine alkaloids (CoE, 2000).