Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Cresols Found in Maskwio’mi (Birch Bark Extract)

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Chemistry
• Main Authors: Lyczywek, Viktor, Kaliaperumal, Rajendran, Zuieva, Volodymyra, Titcombe, Sarah, Bierenstiel, Matthias
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2024
• Subjects: Organic Chemistry; General Chemistry; Catalysis; Canada; Mi’kmaq; Mi’kmaw
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2023-0166; https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjc-2023-0166

Maskwio’mi (Mi’kmaw language for “oil made from birch bark”) is a traditional topical skin medicine of the Mi’kmaq people of Atlantic Canada and is produced in a torrefaction process by heating birch bark (Betula papyrifera, paper birch) inside a metal container in a fire. The resulting viscous, oily mixture is traditionally mixed with goose fat or bear grease to create a topical salve that is subsequently applied to affected skin areas. When birch bark is exposed to high temperatures, pyrolytic chemical processes produce a complex mixture of pharmacologically active compounds including potentially harmful side products such as ortho-, meta- and para-cresol. This study discusses the qualitative and quantitative GC-MS analysis of cresols found in maskwio’mi and the challenges of the complex organic matrix. Using caffeine as an internal standard, ortho-, meta-, and para-cresol in birch bark extract were determined to be in the approximate order of 50 to 1,500 ppm range with 3.24 ± 0.09 × 102 ng mg-1 (324 ppm), 8.7 ± 1.0 × 102 ng mg-1 (87 ppm) and 12.4 ± 1.6 × 102 ng mg-1 (1,240 ppm), respectively, and thus suitable by Health Canada and FDA cosmetics regulation standards when the extract is coformulated in creams to concentrations of 0.1 to 5 wt% for topical use.