# Remedy/Waxes

Waxes are mixtures of organic compounds that characteristically consist of long aliphatic alkyl chains, although aromatic compounds may also be present: (natural waxes) unsaturated bonds and include various functional groups such as fatty acids, primary and secondary alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and fatty acid esters; (synthetic waxes) often consist of homologous series of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons (alkanes or paraffins) that lack functional groups.
Def. any "oily, water-resistant, [solid or semisolid] substance; normally long-chain hydrocarbons, alcohols or esters" is called a wax.

## Animal waxes

Waxes of animal origin typically consist of wax esters derived from a variety of fatty acids and carboxylic alcohols.
Spermaceti: (occurs in large amounts in the head oil of the sperm whale) one of its main constituents is cetyl palmitate, another ester of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol. Lanolin is a wax obtained from wool, consisting of esters of sterols.

### Beeswaxes

A major component is myricyl palmitate which is an ester of triacontanol and palmitic acid.
"The total [polycosanol] PC contents of wheat straw (164 mg/kg) and sugar cane peel (270 mg/kg) were of the same order of magnitude. The total PC contents of brown beeswax were about 20 and 45 times higher than those of the [wheat germ oil] WGO-solids and sugar cane peel, respectively. Commercial dietary supplements contained less total PC than were claimed on the product labels."

### Chinese waxes

Chinese wax is produced by the scale insect Ceroplastes ceriferus.

### Lanolin

Lanolin is from the sebaceous glands of sheep.

### Shellac waxes

Shellac wax is from the lac insect Kerria lacca.

## Plant waxes

Plants secrete waxes into and on the surface of their cuticles as a way to control evaporation, wettability and hydration. The epicuticular waxes of plants are mixtures of substituted long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, containing alkanes, alkyl esters, fatty acids, primary and secondary alcohols, diols, ketones and aldehydes.

### Bayberry waxes

Bayberry wax is from the surface wax of the fruits of the bayberry shrub, Myrica faya.

### Candelilla wax

Candelilla wax is from the Mexican shrubs Euphorbia cerifera and Euphorbia antisyphilitica.

### Carnauba wax

Carnauba wax is from the leaves of the Carnauba palm, Copernicia cerifera.

### Castor waxes

Castor wax is catalytically hydrogenated castor oil.

### Esparto waxes

Esparto wax is a byproduct of making paper from esparto grass, Macrochloa tenacissima.

### Japan waxes

Japan wax is a vegetable triglyceride (not a true wax), from the berries of Rhus and Toxicodendron species.

### Jojoba waxes

Jojoba wax is a composed almost entirely (~97%) of mono-esters of long-chain fatty acids and alcohols (wax ester), accompanied by only a tiny fraction of triglyceride esters, from the seed of Simmondsia chinensis.

### Ouricury waxes

Ouricury wax is from the Brazilian feather palm, Syagrus coronata.

### Rice bran waxes

Rice bran wax is obtained from rice bran (Oryza sativa).

### Soy waxes

Soy wax is from soybean oil.

### Tallow tree waxes

Tallow Tree wax is from the seeds of the tallow tree Triadica sebifera.

## Petroleum waxes
### Paraffin waxes

In waxes of plant origin, characteristic mixtures of unesterified hydrocarbons may predominate over esters.

## Brown coal waxes

Montan wax is a fossilized wax extracted from brown coal and lignite.

## Lignite waxes

Ozocerites are found in lignite beds.

## Ceresin waxes

Ceresine occurs naturally as Ozokerite.
Ceresin (also cerin, cerasin, cerosin, ceresin wax or ceresine) is a wax derived from ozokerite by treating with heat and sulfuric acid. It is an alternative to beeswax in ointments.

## Peat waxes

Raw peat wax is typically a mixture of three primary components: asphalt, resins and wax.