Eucalyptus oil, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation from the plants Eucalyptus globulus (family Myrtaceae) or Cinnamomum camphora (family Lauraceae), or from other plants of the same genus within these two families.Blue eucalyptus is cultivated throughout southern and southwestern China; camphor is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. It has the efficacy of dispelling wind and relieving pain. It is primarily used to treat skin itching and neuralgia.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation from the plants Eucalyptus globulus (family Myrtaceae) or Cinnamomum camphora (family Lauraceae), or from other plants of the same genus within these two families.Blue eucalyptus is cultivated throughout southern and southwestern China; camphor is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. It has the efficacy of dispelling wind and relieving pain. It is primarily used to treat skin itching and neuralgia.
Chinese Name : 桉油
Aliases : Eucalyptus Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Blue Eucalyptus Leaf Oil
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Bitter and pungent in taste; cool in nature
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Eucalyptus oil has the efficacy of dispelling wind and relieving pain.
Indications
Eucalyptus oil is primarily used to treat skin itching and neuralgia.
Usage and Dosage
External use: Apply an appropriate amount to the affected area.
Precautions
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Chemical Constituents
It consists primarily of eucalyptol (70%–80%), along with small amounts of α-pinene, myrcene, camphene, terpinol, linalyl acetate, citral, and piperonal, among others.
Pharmacological Actions
Modern pharmacological research has found that eucalyptus oil has anti-scabies, anti-trichomoniasis, and mosquito-repellent effects.
Applications
Related Medicines
Cooling Oil, Shidi Shui Soft Capsules, and Wind Oil.
Notes
References for this entry: 1. *Chinese Pharmacopoeia* 2. *Newly Compiled Guide to Chinese Herbal Medicine Dispensing* 3. *Illustrated Atlas of Chinese Herbs from Yaowangshan, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine* 4. *New Clinical Applications of Common Chinese Herbs* 5. *Manual of Common Pharmaceutical Excipients*
Processing & Preparation
Storage Methods
Keep tightly sealed and store in a cool, dry place.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
This product is a colorless or slightly yellowish clear liquid; it has a distinctive aromatic odor, slightly resembling camphor; the color may darken slightly with prolonged storage. This product is readily soluble in 70% ethanol. The relative density should be 0.895–0.920, and the refractive index should be 1.458–1.468.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Eucalyptus globulus (family Myrtaceae) and Cinnamomum camphora (family Lauraceae).
Morphological Characteristics
1. Blue Eucalyptus: An evergreen tree reaching a height of up to 7 meters. The bark peels off in thin flakes, and young branches are square in cross-section. Leaves are bluish-green and often covered with a white powdery coating; normal leaves are alternate, lanceolate, sickle-shaped, 12–30 cm long, with glandular dots, and lateral veins that fuse at the leaf margin; abnormal leaves are sessile or have short petioles, opposite, and ovate.Flowers are white, approximately 4 cm in diameter, and appear singly or in clusters of 2–3; the cap-like structure—formed by the fusion of the calyx tube, sepals, and petals—is slightly flattened, hard, and bears small tuberculate projections; it is covered with a bluish-white waxy powder, has a conical protrusion in the center, is shorter than the calyx tube, and falls off early; there are numerous stamens arranged in several rows, with white filaments.The capsule is cup-shaped, 1.8–2.5 cm in diameter, with a thick margin bearing four ridges and indistinct tubercles or grooves; the fruit valves number four and are flush with the margin. Fruiting occurs in summer and winter.
2. Camphor Tree: An evergreen tree, 20–30 meters tall. The bark is grayish-brown or yellowish-brown and longitudinally fissured; twigs are pale brown and smooth; both branches and leaves have a camphor scent.Leaves are alternate, leathery, ovate-elliptic to ovate, 6–12 cm long and 3–6 cm wide, with an acuminate apex, a blunt or broadly cuneate base, and entire or undulate margins; the upper surface is dark green and glossy, while the lower surface is gray-green or powdery white; they are glabrous, with young leaves pale red; the veins are trifid above the base, with raised glands in the axils of the veins;petioles 2–3 cm long. Panicles are axillary; flowers are small, greenish-white or pale yellow, about 2 mm long; the perianth is 6-lobed, elliptical, about 2 mm long, with the inner surface densely covered with fine soft hairs; there are 9 fertile stamens with 4-chambered anthers; the ovary is ovate, smooth and glabrous, with a short style and a capitate stigma.The drupe is spherical, about 1 cm wide, purplish-black when ripe, and surrounded at the base by a persistent, expanded perianth tube. Flowering period: April–June. Fruiting period: August–November.
Distribution Area
1. Blue Eucalyptus: Cultivated throughout southern and southwestern China. 2. Camphor Tree: Distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, and other regions.