Ravensara aromatica now named Cryptocarya agathophylla steam distilled from the leaves in Madagascar. Commonly known under the names camphor tree, Ho wood, camphorwood or camphor laurel. Confusingly, the name ravensara is a latinization of the Malagasy word ravintsara. Other Malagasy names include havozo, hazomanitra and tavolomanitra.
Species of Cryptocarya are found in some parts of South America, southern Africa, Madagascar, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan, New Guinea and Australia. The leaves of C. woodii have been found in prehistoric settlements in Africa and are believed to have been used for insect control.
Ravintsara, Ravensara and Ho Wood oils are each different essential oils. Ravensara is endimic to Madagascar and ravintsara Cinnamomum camphora (also grown now in Madagascar) is originally is from China. Ravintsara is also known as Ho leaf oil and ravensara as Ho wood oil.
Aroma: Ravensara Essential Oil has a slightly fruity medicinal scent - camphorous aroma with woody notes, a bit like rosemary but more delicate and sweet.
History: Ravensara is used by the indigenous Americans to prevent scurvy and the needles are used to stuff mattresses and to repel lice and fleas. The ancient Egyptians used the kernels in their cooking.
Common Uses: Ravensara Essential Oil may assist with respiratory problems, colds and flu, canker and cold sores, cuts, wounds, burns, anti-biotic, liver, lung infections, flu, sinusitis, viral hepatitis, cholera, infectious mononucleosis, insomnia, and muscle fatigue. It is also viewed as an excellent treatment for athlete's foot.
Ravensara oil has been used as a tonic and for fighting infections: prevents bacterial infections, inhibits fungal infections, fights viral infections, prevent sepsis, acts as disinfectant. It reduces pain, including toothaches, headache, muscular and joint pain, and earaches; allergic reactions; reduces depression, cures spasms, expectorant, reduces stress.
Colour: Colorless to pale yellow liquid.
Consistency: Thin
Perfumery Note: Top
Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium
Active Ingredient: This batch sabinene: 18.80%
Ravensara oil is high in methyl eugenol, contains alpha pinene, delta carene, caryophyllenne, germacrene, limonene, linalool, methyl chavicol, sabinene, and terpineol.
Primary aromatic components are:
limonene 19.38%
sabinene 11.40%
methyl chavicol 7.94%
α-pinene 5.55%
linalool 5.26%
methyl eugenol 5.00%
germacrene d 4.76%
terpinen-4-ol 4.00%
e-caryophyllene 3.54%
δ-3-carene 3.52%
myrcene 3.43%
α-terpinene 2.98%
β-pinene 2.91%
γ-terpinene 2.15%
α-phellandrene 1.99%
camphene 1.33%
(z)-β-ocimene 1.30%
α-thujene 1.13%
1,8-cineole 1.08%
para-cymene 0.97%
α-humulene 0.79%
α-copaene 0.69%
β-elemene 0.63%
δ-cadinene 0.60%
terpinolene 0.56%
δ-elemene 0.55%
α-cubebene 0.47%
α-terpineol 0.38%
α-guaiene 0.37%
bornyl acetate 0.36%
elemol 0.34%
elemicin 0.23%
γ-muurolene 0.22%
borneol 0.21%
bicyclogermacrene 0.20%
γ-cadinene 0.19%
(e)-β-ocimene 0.19%
β-cubebene 0.16%
eugenol 0.12%
α-muurolene 0.11%
δ-amorphene 0.10%
α-eudesmol 0.10%
cis-para-menth-2-en-1-ol 0.10%
ortho-cymene 0.09%
β-selinene 0.09%
β-bourbonene 0.08%
trans-cadina-1,4-diene 0.08%
trans-para-menth-2-en-1-ol 0.08%
cis-sabinene hydrate 0.08%
trans-sabinene hydrate 0.08%
caryophyllene oxide 0.07%
β-copaene 0.07%
germacrene b 0.07%
cis-muurola-3,5-diene 0.07%
trans-cadina-1(6),4-diene 0.06%
γ-eudesmol 0.06%
β-eudesmol 0.05%
guaiol 0.05%
Safety: Ravensara is safe, generally speaking, as far as it is diluted professionally.
Photo thanks to See page for author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
