Eucalyptus Oil - 118ml

Eucalyptus

The Australian Aborigines were the first to use Eucalyptus for its medicinal properties. They would use the oil externally to heal wounds and infections. It is both an anti-septic and astringent and therefore effectively dries up and cleans the affected area.

It was later discovered that the oil's primary active ingredient eucalyptol (cineole) is what gave the leaves this anti-septic quality and its effectiveness against a variety of bacteria, especially Staphylococcus. Eucalyptus has the common name of fever tree, not only because it brings down fever, but more so because it helped to wipe out Malaria in the 1800's. The roots of eucalyptus trees absorb a huge amount of water, thus drying up mosquito infested marshes, sending the mosquitoes packing and stopping the spread of the deadly disease.

Eucalyptus is also a expectorant, anti-inflammatory, deodorant and anti-spasmodic. Ointments made of eucalyptus oil can be applied under the nose or over the chest to relieve congestion and loosen phlegm in the case of a dry cough. It is often added to cough drops, cough syrups and chest rubs for this purpose. Diluted eucalyptus oil can be used as a soothing rub for rheumatism, neuralgia, bruises, sprains, and sore muscles. Some individuals will use eucalyptus teas and tinctures as an internal deodorant for bad breath and body odour. As an anti-spasmodic, eucalyptus is again used for cough relief and to reduce menstrual cramping.

Eucalyptus is available as a tincture, cream, ointment, essential oil, or lozenge. Many health food stores carry fresh or dried eucalyptus leaf in bulk. Eucalyptus can be ingested through the use of teas or tincture preparations, inhaled, or applied externally. Undiluted eucalyptus oil should never be ingested. Small amounts of undiluted oil (even in amounts as little as one teaspoon) are toxic and may cause circulatory problems, collapse, suffocation, or death. Eucalyptus oil should always be diluted in a carrier oil such as almond, grapeseed, or other vegetable oil before applying to the skin. Applying eucalyptus to the skin may cause a rash in those who are sensitive or allergic to eucalyptus. Eucalyptus tinctures should include 5-10% essential oil, at a dose of 1-3 ml/day. Ointments should contain 5-20% essential oil to be effective.

FAQ's

What are essential oils?

Essential Oils are the naturally occurring volatile oils obtained by steam distillation or cold pressing (expression), having the characteristic aroma of the plant part from which it was derived. These 100% pure oils are "neat", meaning they have not been processed, diluted or manipulated in any way with solvents or other additives. Although a particular species of plant harvested and distilled for its essential oil during a particular growing season in a specific region may produce a fragrance that differs from the same species grown in a different region, many of the main chemical markers and physical specifications may be very similar.

NOW's citrus fruit essential oils are 100% cold pressed. Our other essential oils are typically 100% steam distilled.

Do essential oils have a grading system to tell me which is better?

There is no official grading system that grades essential oils as A, B, C or Therapeutic grade. All NOW 100% pure essential oils are accurately labeled as such and are the highest purity and quality available.

Are NOW essential oils pure or do they have anything added to them?

All of our 100% pure essential oils are labeled as such. We also sell clearly labeled oil blends that are formulated with essential oils or absolute extracts and another oil as a base, usually pure grapeseed oil.

Natural Essential Oils by their very nature will vary slightly from season to season. We allow nature to take its course and do not add isolated compounds to the oil to try to standardize the naturally occurring variations of a particular oil. We take both the organoleptic (sight, smell and taste) and chemical properties into account when selecting and testing NOW essential oils.

What are NOW's criteria for testing essential oils?

Our Quality Assurance and Quality Control departments adhere to specifications used by the Essential Oils and Flavor Industry and published in The Essential Oils by Guenther, as well as Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients.

These texts, as well as other sources of scientific information, detail specific physical and chemical properties of a particular oil. A partial list of the components that we analyze include Specific Gravity, Refractive Index, Optical Rotation, Flash Point, Infrared Absorption (as published in FCC), Solubility, Taste/Odor, Color/Appearance, Heavy Metals and Predominant Active Chemical Components.

Our in-house laboratory employs state-of-the-art analytical equipment that allows us to perform highly specialized analyses, such as Gas Chromatography and Infrared Spectrometry. We use our own analysis results to confirm specification sheet results and certificates of analyses received from 3rd party outside laboratories and vendors. As always, when it comes to Essential Oils, individual practitioners and consumers will decide for themselves which variety of a flower or leaf produces the essential oil that best suits their particular need. With NOW 100% pure essential oils, you can be assured that you have the real thing.

NOW Foods is committed to offering the purest and most potent natural Essential Oils available.

Aromatherapy

How does it work?
There are two proposed mechanisms. The first follows the theory that the aroma of the oils have a direct influence on the brain. Through the olfactory system, our nose, the aromas travel to the limbic system of the brain.

The limbic system is involved in various functions in the body such as emotional responses, memory storage and hormone regulation. It also plays a role in sensory perception and motor function, as well as olfaction, the sense of smell.

Another theory is simply that, just as plants and herbs have medicinal properties, essential oils made from the same plants and herbs have pharmacological effects, as well. This theory relies on the ability of the scented oils to be absorbed through the skin and exert their medicinal effect on deeper bodily processes that way. These two mechanisms support the argument that the oils can be, but do not necessarily have to be applied on the skin to achieve their healing goals.

Aromatherapy offers treatment for a wide range of health concerns. It is commonly used for the treatment of mental emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia and lack of concentration. It has been used in the treatment of chronic concerns, such as respiratory conditions, muscle and joint pain, and overall weakened immune system. It is also helpful in the case of acute nausea, exhaustion or headache.

Aromatherapy is a well known treatment for low libido and overall stress reduction. There are sadly few scientific studies to prove the effectiveness of Aromatherapy as medicine, simply because it is a difficult area to study as the treatments are designed for individual use.