Cajeput oil
essential oil
Cajuput oil (also spelled cajeput) is a volatile oil obtained by distillation from the leaves of the myrtaceous trees Melaleuca leucadendra, Melaleuca cajuputi, and probably other Melaleuca species. The trees yielding the oil are found throughout Maritime Southeast Asia and over the hotter parts of the Australian continent. The majority of the oil is produced on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The name "cajeput" is derived from its Malay name, kayu putih or "white wood".
Production and uses
The oil is prepared from cajeput leaves and twigs macerated in water, and steam distilled after fermenting for a night. The resulting oil is extremely pungent, flammable, and has the odor of a mixture of turpentine, eucalyptus and camphor. It consists mainly of terpenes such as cineol, from which cajuputene, having a hyacinth-like odor, can be obtained by distillation with phosphorus pentoxide. It is a typical volatile oil, and is used internally in doses of 2 to 3 minims, for the same purposes as clove oil.
Topical uses
If successful, pain management using cajeput oil may work by causing surface warmth and irritation through the help of a chemical called cineole, which is employed topically as a counterirritant. It is an ingredient in some liniments for sore muscles, such as Tiger Balm.
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