Did you know that Halmaddi is exudation of Ailanthus malabaricum, a large tree of Malabar (Kerala), Konkan and Sri Lanka, yields an aromatic gum resinous substance used in incense or agarbatthis for its agreeable smoke when it burns?

Halmaddi, in the non official Pharmacopoeia of India, with scientific name, the Ailanthus Malabarica, is a tall ornamental deciduous tree of Indian origin in its Western Ghats, cultivated in Malabar (Kerala), Konkan (Karnataka) and Sri Lanka, yields an aromatic gum resinous substance. Apart from the name Halamddi or Guggul Dhup which is used in Kannada, its other vernacular names are Perumaram or Pongallyam in Malayalam, and Mattipal in Tamil.

When a moderately deep incision is made on the bark of standing trees, a fragrant resin, a sticky resin, called Halmaddi oozes out which is used. The resin is dried until it takes a brittle shape. It is hygroscopic in nature, which means that the material attracts moisture. After collection, it is distilled and then used in making incense such as dhoop and agarabathis. Its resin is thought to smell similar to plumeria flowers. In essence, it is quite similar to frankincense and myrrh, the holy resins from the Bible. 

In the past, Halmaddi was an important non-timber forest product (NTFP), and the Forest department used to lease out the right of its collection to contractors who tapped the resin from the trees by giving a blaze of specified dimensions on the trunk of the trees. However, due to overzealousness and greed, there was tendency among the contractors /tappers to over tap the resin by giving deeper and larger cut/blaze to the tree trunks. As a result, the practice of leasing was discontinued, to prevent mortality to the trees. This inappropriate extraction method resulted in near extinction of these trees, and since 1990s the Indian forestry department had banned its extraction.

The tall evergreen tree grows to a height of about 30 m with a maximum girth of 1.2 m diameter with straight and cylindrical trunk. The bark is grey, somewhat rough and resembling sandpaper to the touch. Leaves are pinnate, curved and sickle shaped drawn out to a point. Leaf bearing twigs are 1 cm or more in diameter. Flowers are polygamous with greenish yellow color. The timber of Ailanthus malabaricanes is light, whitish, soft and easy to work, and is used for various purposes such as boats, matches, packing cases, fishing floats, toys, drums, handles, veneer, and plywood, etc,. The wood, which is yellowish and brittle, is used to make excellent charcoal. 

Roots, leaves, bark and gum exudates of Halmaddi Ailanthus malabarica are used as medicine in traditional medical systems. Halmaddi resin is powdered and administered in small dose in milk for dysentery, and bronchitis. As the wood contains various alkaloids and quassinoids, including beta-carboline, it is also used in the treatment of dyspepsia, bronchitis, ophthalmia and snake bite. Smoke of Halmaddi is used as hair dryer, which is spread to dry over a basket inverted on a tray of red-hot charcoal embers, on which lumps of Halmaddi (fragrant gum from a tree ) are thrown.

- Narasipur Char