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 ETYMOLOGY
Eucalyptus, coming from the greek, eu = good and kaluptw, to cover, is an allusion to the operculum that encloses the flowering stem’s nut; globulus refers to the spherel shape of the flower.
BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Family: Myrtaceae
Description:An evergreen tree with smooth bark on its trunk that comes off in thin and elongated strips. The young leaves oppose each other two by two and are welded together at the base. In adults, the leaves are scattered along the branches, are thick, pale green-gray, and have base asymmetries.
The flowers are single, with no petals and many stamens, while the fruit is a capsule that contains many seeds.
Habitat:A native of Australia and Tasmania, eucalyptus is now widespread throughout the tropical regions of the globe, including the Americas, Africa, along the Atlantic / Mediterranean and in Italy.
Cultivation: Eucalyptus is commonly found in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate climates, and dislikes the cold. While it grows in varied terrain, it tends to preferring marshy or waterlogged areas.
Method of Harvest:
The mature leaves are harvested from June to September. It is best to avoid picking them during extremely warm periods.
Parts Utilized:
Leaves.
ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS: Essential oil (1-3% in dried leaves), most notably the compund Cineole (54-95%).
MODE OF ACTION
Actions: Eucalyptus has balsamic, antiseptic, expectorant and lightly antispasmodic actions.
Precautions: Never use its pure essential oil in cases of gastrointestinal and/or biliary tract inflammation, or in cases of serious liver disease.
COMMON INDICATIONS
As a medicinal herb: Eucalyptus is used for chronic bronchitis, catarrh of the bronchus and larynx, and for inflammation of the throat, related to asthma, etc.
PREPARATION AND USE
Internal Use: 4-6 grams of the bulk herb as an infusion or in other forms that yield the equivalent amount (40-180 mg) of essential oil per day.
External Use: The essential oil may be diluted with almond oil to equal a 3-5% concentration and then massaged into the thorax as a soothing, warming and a slight local anesthetic which helps to calm infections of the respiratory tract.
Cosmetic Use: The essential oil of eucalyptus or even some leaves of the plant are often used in warm, moist, areas (such as a bathroom or steamroom) for an invigorating and deodorizing effect.
HISTORY AND LEGENDS
The root of eucalyptus were traditionally chewed by Aboriginal Australians to obtain the water stored within. In 1840, the crew of a French ship anchored off the coast of Sydney developed a disease accompanied by a fever. They treated it with an infusion of eucalyptus, and the plant thereby became known in Europe as the "Australian fever tree." By the end of the 1800’s, the essence of the leaves was used in the treatment of malarial fevesr (the Gardener's Chronicle, the first journal of botany, reported several cases of persistent fevers being healed by treatment with Eucalyptus). In folk medicine, the plant was primarily used in respiratory disorders and for other ailments such as inflammation and infections of the urinary tract.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Reference
“Effect of eucalyptus essential oil on respiratory bacteria and viruses” Curr Microbiol. 2008 Jan;56(1):89-92. Epub 2007 Oct 31
“Oxygen and nitrogen reactive species are effectively scavenged by Eucalyptus globulus leaf water extract.” J Med Food. 2009 Feb;12(1):175-83
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