| Volatile
oil - see Eucalyptus Essential Oil |
Citronellal and Citronellol: Citronellal a Terpene Aldehyde and
Citronellol a Terpene Alcohol. Fragrant and regarded as highly valued oil in
aromatherapy and the perfume industry. Terpene alcohols are antimicrobial but
are a lot gentler on the skin than the phenols. Citronellal from Citronella
grass has a more pungent smell and is less gentle on skin. Aldehydes are
sedative, antiviral and antimicrobial but can be an irritant to the skin. |
Cineole: One of the two most important Monoterpene Oxides, the
other is Ascaridole, Cineole is one of the most widely distributed constituents
amongst plants as an oxidised product of monoterpenes. Cineole is often also
called Eucalyptol, named so because it is the major component of Eucalyptus oil. Cineole
is a expectorant widely used in commercial cough lozenges. It has a reputation
as a skin irritant amongst many practitioners but recent tests have failed to
confirm this. |
Pinene: Commonly found in Oil of Turpentine extracted from Pinus
specie trees, pinene (alpha-pinene and beta-pinene) is also widely distributed
in other plants. It is used for Rheumatism as a liniment but is best known by
Aromatherapists and a tonic of the mucus membranes of the respiratory system.
Pinene is also important for its pleasant fragrance and is believed to have
diuretic properties by many. |
