Eucalyptus is a tree originating from Australia. There are several hundred species of Eucalyptus. Many eucalyptus trees are known as gum trees; other names for various species include mallee, box, stringybark, and ash. Cineole is a chief constituent of eucalyptus oil and constitutes almost 80% of this essential oil.
Benefit
Chem Biodivers. 2015. Botanical, Phytochemical, and Anticancer Properties of the
Eucalyptus Species. The genus Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) is mainly native to
Australia; however, some species are now distributed globally. Eucalyptus has
been used in indigenous Australian medicines for the treatment of a range of
aliments including colds, flu, fever, muscular aches, sores, internal pains, and
inflammation. Eucalyptus oils containing volatile compounds have been widely
used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries for a multitude of purposes.
In addition, Eucalyptus extracts containing nonvolatile compounds are also an
important source of key bioactive compounds, and several studies have linked
Eucalyptus extracts with anticancer properties.
Eucalyptus Research
ScientificWorldJournal. 2014 Jan 12. Potential of Eucalyptus Oil as
Repellent against House Rat, Rattus rattus. Rodent repellents are
chemicals which by taste or odour or possibly by both will prevent
animal from feeding or gnawing. Such substances may be used in
protecting an area from rodent infestation or in protecting packaged
food, packing materials, electric cables, and other important vulnerable
materials. Mature and healthy house rat, Rattus rattus of both sexes,
was exposed to 5, 10, and 20% eucalyptus oil applied as spray in
laboratory pens in bichoice tests. Each concentration was applied
through three different modes of application, that is, daily, once, and
alternatively in a week. Repellent effect of the oil was assessed based
on food consumption from treated and untreated sides for four days. In
overall, food consumption was significantly low from treatment side
compared to the untreated side indicating significant repellent effect
of the oil at all the three concentrations tested. Repellent effect of
the oil was, however, not found to differ significantly between the two
sexes. Percent repellency in both male and female rats was apparently
more with daily application of 5 and 10% eucalyptus oil. Present studies
reveal the potential of eucalyptus oil in repelling away R. rattus;
however, further studies may be conducted to enhance the persistence of
repellent effect for longer period of time.
Antibacterial effects of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract on pathogenic
bacteria isolated from specimens of patients with respiratory tract
disorders.
Clin Microbiol Infect. 2006.
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Institute of
Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran.
The antibacterial activity of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract was
determined for 56 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, 25 isolates of
Streptococcus pyogenes, 12 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and seven
isolates of Haemophilus influenzae obtained from 200 clinical specimens of
patients with respiratory tract disorders. MIC(50)s for these species were
64, 32, 16 and 16 mg/L, respectively; MIC(90)s were 128, 64, 32 and 32
mg/L, respectively; and MBCs were 512, 128, 64 and 64 mg/L, respectively.
These results suggest that further studies to clarify the possible
therapeutic role of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract in the treatment of
respiratory tract infection are warranted.
Local tolerability of two preparations with
eucalyptus oil and pine-needle oil
MMW Fortschr Med. 2005.
The objective of this open-label, single-centre study was to assess the
tolerability of two locally applicable eucalyptus oil and pine-needle oil
preparations using patch testing as an accepted and standardised method.
Two eucalyptus oil and pine-needle oil preparations were applied
to the forearm of 46 subjects with healthy skin using standardised
patches. The patches were removed after 48 hours and skin reactions were
assessed immediately and after 24 and 48 hours. The major objective was
the reaction of the patch test. Neither preparation caused any
positive skin reaction in any of the subjects. Skin
tolerability to the two eucalyptus oil and pine-needle oil preparations is
very good with regard to their active ingredients and other excipients.
Eucalyptus globulus (camphor oil) against the
zoonotic scabies, Sarcoptes scabiei.
J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2003.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University,
Cairo, Egypt.
In Egypt, Scarcoptes scabiei is the most prevalence mites of medical
importance infesting man. This is true in overcrowded and poorly hygienic
areas. Many effective acaridical regimens are available, but being
compounds used as insecticides. With the success of camphor oil in treated
human demodicidosis, it was applied for treating human scabies. Camphor
oil with or without glycerol dilutions gave complete cure, with
concentrations (100%, 75% and 50%) within five to ten days.
Anti-inflammatory activity of 1.8-cineol
(eucalyptol) in bronchial asthma: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Respir Med. 2003 Mar.
Department of Pneumology, Medical Outpatient Clinic, Bonn University
Hospital, Germany.
Airway hypersecretion is mediated by increased release of inflammatory
mediators and can be improved by inhibition of mediator production. We
have recently reported that 1.8-cineol (eucalyptol) which is known as the
major monoterpene of eucalyptus oil suppressed arachidonic acid metabolism
and cytokine production in human monocytes. Therefore, the aim of this
study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of 1.8-cineol by
determining its prednisolone equivalent potency in patients with severe
asthma. Thirty-two patients with steroid-dependent bronchial asthma were
enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. After determining
the effective oral steroid dosage during a 2 month run-in phase, subjects
were randomly allocated to receive either 200 mg 1.8-cineol t. i.d. or
placebo in small gut soluble capsules for 12 weeks. Oral
glucocorticosteroids were reduced by 2.5 mg increments every 3 weeks. The
primary end point of this investigation was to establish the oral
glucocorticosteroid-sparing capacity of 1.8-cineol in severe asthma.
Reductions in daily prednisolone dosage of 36% with active treatment vs. a
decrease of only 7% in the placebo group were tolerated. Twelve of 16
cineol vs. four out of 16 placebo patients achieved a reduction of oral
steroids. Long-term systemic therapy with 1.8-cineol has asignificant steroid-saving effect in steroid-depending asthma. This is
the first evidence suggesting an anti-inflammatory activity of the
monoterpene 1.8-cineol in asthma and a new rational for its use as
mucolytic agent in upper and lower airway diseases.
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Q. Is it possible to smoke the eucalyptus leaf? A friend of mine
says in India they smoke the eucalyptus leaf.
A. When I was in Greece I met a Swiss woman who was
married to a man from India and she had cigarettes with her that were
crushed eucalyptus leaves. I took a couple of puffs and noticed a slight
buzz for about 10 minutes.
Eucalyptus oil price was about USD 9.80-10.50/KG at Sept.~Dec.,2013. So the farmers didn't like to distill the crude oil in the end of 2013. In December, the price went up a lot to USD 10.50-USD11.10/KG.In early Jan. 2014, there is limited crude oil in Yunnan area. The price now raise to USD 11.10/KG. John Huang.Goufeng Aroma Manufacturing Co., LtdADD: No. 23. JinPin Road, Nanhua Industrial Zone,NanHuan, Yunnan Province, China