Cajeput Essential Oil
Melaleuca leucadendron / Melaleuca cajuputi
Description
Cajeput Essential Oil is a must-have oil to keep on hand for cold and flu season, especially for use in the diffuser. When well diluted, it can be used topically, but there is some indication that it may cause skin irritation.
Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendron) is a relative to Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia).
Aromatically, Cajeput Essential Oil is quite campherous but possesses a fresh, uplifting, fruity quality.
Cajeput Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Coughs
- Muscle Aches
- Oily Skin
- Rheumatism
- Sinusitis
- Sore Throat
- Spots
Source: Julia Lawless, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Updated Edition) (London: Harper Thorsons, 2014), 56-57.
Botanical Name
Melaleuca leucadendron / Melaleuca cajuputi
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Clear with a Yellow Tinge
Consistency
Thin
Perfumery Note
Middle
Strength of Initial Aroma
Medium
Aromatic Description
Cajeput Essential Oil smells fresh and campherous with a slightly fruity characteristic.
Sustainability and Conservation Status
Least Concern
Source: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/73231040/135987383
To learn more about the conservation status of essential oil bearing plants and how to use the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, please refer to AromaWeb's Guide to Essential Oils and Sustainability.
Major Constituents
- 1,8-Cineole
- a-Terpineol
- p-Cymene
- Terpinolene
- Gamma-Terpinene
- (+)-Limonene
- Linalool
- a-Pinene
See Essential Oil Safety for a more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: O. Motl, J. Hodacova, K. Ubik, Composition of Vietnamese Cajuput Essential Oil. (Flavour Fragrance Journal 5, 1990), 39-42.M.J. Milchard, R. Clery, N. DaCosta, et al. Application of Gas-Liquid Chromatography to the Analysis of Essential Oils. (Perfumer & Flavorist 29, 2004), 28-36. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 224.
Cajeput Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young indicate that due to the 1,8 cineole content, Cajeput Oil may cause CNS and breathing problems in young children. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 224.]
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
