The Philippine 
Journal of Science 
VOL. 18 JUNE, 1921 NO. 6 
THE COMPOSITION, SOLUBILITY, AND OXIDATION OF 
LUMBANG OIL 
By Augustus P. West 
Professor of Chemistry, University of the Philippines 
and 
Zoila Montes 
Instructor in Chemistry, University of the Philippines 
THREE PLATES 
INTRODUCTION 
Lumbang oil is obtained from the nuts of Aleurites moluccana, 
which is a large tree reaching a diameter of 80 to 160 centi- 
meters. The genus Aleurites contains a number of species 
which yield nuts having a valuable oil. Perhaps the best known 
of these oils is Chinese wood oil (tung oil). This is derived 
from at least two Chinese species of the genus, Aleurites fordii 
Hemsley and Aleurites montana, Wilson, which do not occur in 
the Philippines. Tung oil, which has properties quite similar to 
those of Philippine lumbang oil, has been investigated exten- 
sively. It is used in large quantities for the preparation of 
paints, varnishes, linoleum, and for other similar purposes. In 
the Philippines, oil is obtained from the nuts of two species of 
the genus Aleurites. Oil from Aleuntes moluccana is known as 
lumbang oil, while that obtained from Aleurites trisperma is 
called baguilumbang. The oil now obtained in the Philippines 
from the genus Aleurites is almost entirely the product of 
Aleurites moluccana which is fairly abundant in a wild state in 
many parts of the Philippines and is also planted. Aleurites 
trisperma is reported from many localities but is probably not 
so abundant. Both species can be grown readily in plantations. 
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