The essential oil of eucalyptus may not be popularly known to be useful in aromatherapy, but it undoubtedly contains much beneficial medicinal properties that are able to address a variety of ailments! It is derived from steam distillation of the dried leaves of the eucalyptus tree, scientifically known as Eucalyptus radiata and it evokes a woody yet sweet smell that is very strong.

The eucalyptus tree is native to Australia and it is used to support the wildlife in Australia, but it is also very beneficial for us, humans too! Eucalyptus has been historically used to heal wounds by the Aborigines as it became a strong antiseptic for them. Even surgeons during the 1880s used eucalyptus oil as an antiseptic agent during operations. Besides its antibacterial nature, this essential oil contains many other uses and benefits. Read on to find out more!

Health Uses of Eucalyptus Essential Oil:

1. Offers Respiratory Relief

Eucalyptus oil works as a great expectorant agent, as it is able to eradicate bacteria and other harmful virus out from the respiratory system that causes respiratory-related ailments in the first place. Its antimicrobial, coupled with its anti-inflammatory and decongestant nature make it an effective all-natural remedy for treating a whole host of respiratory related problems, such as cold, cough, runny nose, asthma, nasal congestion, bronchitis and sinusitis.

In fact, a 2004 study published in The Laryngoscope notes how eucalyptus oil is useful in helping to alleviate sinusitis as patients treated with the oil showed faster healing rates.

It helps to remove excess phlegm and mucus that may be dislodged within your nasal passageways, thus allowing for freer and unobstructed breathing. Its anti-inflammatory properties will also seek to help soothe the blood vessels, thus allowing for greater oxygen flow such that you will not experience any breathing difficulties and discomfort.

How to Use it: You can add a few drops of the oil into your diffuser or vaporizer and put it beside your bedside table. Alternatively, you can create a steam inhalation by adding about 10 drops of the oil into a bowl of hot, boiling water and proceed to inhale deeply the vapors emanating out for about 5-10 minutes. Make sure you cover your head with a towel while doing this.

2. Promotes Mental Health

Eucalyptus oil is also a stimulant, which means it helps to remove any forms of mental exhaustion and fatigue from a long, tiring and sluggish day. It revitalizes and energizes your mind while ridding you of stress at the same time. It provides mental clarity and stimulates mental activity in your brain by increasing blood flow and circulation to the brain through relaxed blood vessels.

As such, this helps to boost concentration and focus levels as you become more alert and less tired to focus on your tasks at hand. As such, with its cooling and rejuvenating effects, it is perfect for those who are looking for a mind booster to help with your work or even in school!

How to Use it: You can diffuse a few drops of eucalyptus oil into your diffuser or distiller and proceed to place it on your work desk table.

3. Hair Care

Eucalyptus oil is also perfect for maintaining the proper health of your hair. If your hair is looking dull, then you can always use the oil to evoke a moisturizing effect, thus making your hair much healthier, radiant and luscious!

Furthermore, it is able to help alleviate the persistence of lice in hairs because it can effectively repel bugs and other insects, owing to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. This is a much better alternative to other prescribed treatments for hair lice, as those might be ladened with dangerous chemicals that can cause adverse reactions.

How to Use it: You can combine a few drops of eucalyptus oil with equal amounts of a carrier oil (such as coconut or olive oil) and proceed to gently massage on the scalp.

4. Offers Pain Relief

The volatile oil of eucalyptus is also analgesic and anti-inflammatory in nature, which means it can help to alleviate pain associated from rheumatism, arthritis or any other forms of muscle pain and stiff joints since it helps to soothe tense muscles and allows for increased blood flow to the affected areas.

According to a 2003 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, eucalyptus oil demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in the mice which were being tested. As such, they concluded how eucalyptus oil can be incorporated in anti-inflammatory drugs as well!

How to Use it: You can mix a few drops of the oil with a carrier oil (such as coconut, grape seed or jojoba oil) in a 1:1 ratio and proceed to gently massage onto the affected areas in a circular fashion.

5. Helps to Heal Infections

As alluded to earlier, historical uses of eucalyptus focused on their antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, especially when it comes to healing wounds, cuts and scrapes obtained externally on the skin. Therefore, whenever you have a wound, abrasion, cut or burn, you can always use eucalyptus oil as a potent antiseptic agent to help clean out the bacteria from the affected area. This helps to prevent wounds from becoming septic or incurring any other infections.

Its analgesic properties also works as as effective pain reliever to help alleviate and ease the pain associated with such wounds, cuts and abrasions.

In fact, according to a research study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine in 2012, researchers found that eucalyptus oil also exhibited strong inhibitory activities against the E.coli and S.aureus bacterial strains, thus attesting to their antiseptic and bactericidal attributes.

They concluded that the essential oil of eucalyptus can possibly be exploited as a natural antibiotic agent for the treatment of infections caused by these two bacteria strains.

How to Use it: Dilute the oil with a carrier oil in a 1:1 ratio and proceed to gently apply it onto the affected area. However, be careful to avoid open wounds.

6. Serves as a Natural Cleanser for Your Home

Because of its antimicrobial and antifungal properties, eucalyptus oil is a great agent to cleanse your homes. Not only would it give your room a nice, sweet and aromatic fragrance, but it seeks to kill bacteria, molds and yeast on kitchen tops and surfaces as well when you put the oil in your home cleaning agents such as detergents, toilet cleaner and window cleaner solutions.

Not only that, if you have smelly shoes or just a bad-smelling bed, try using eucalyptus oil to get rid of such foul-smelling odours. Thus, eucalyptus oil is great for keeping your surrounding environment clean and sterilized.

It also makes for a potent insecticide agent as it helps to eradicate unwanted creepy crawlies and bugs away from your homes. Research published in the Forest Ecology and Management in 2008 has illustrated how eucalyptus contains much herbicidal and insecticidal properties which makes it an effective pest control agent against bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes, weeds and mites.

As such, this natural pesticide is a great alternative as opposed to synthetic, commercial pesticides since those contain various toxicological and environmental implications.

How to Use it: You can add a few drops of the oil into your home cleaning products to effectively remove bacteria from your kitchen tops, floors or surfaces. To get rid of odours, you can mix eucalyptus oil with lemon or tea tree oil to create an anti-foul spray and spray it to the items which have the odours. For an air cleanser, you can even mix eucalyptus with clove or tea tree oil in a spritz bottle containing water to cleanse the air and eradicate molds.

7. Augments Oral Health

Being an antimicrobial agent, eucalyptus essential oil also makes for an excellent mouthwash to ensure the proper maintenance of our oral health. It helps to kill off any bacteria lingering within your mouth cavity, therefore preventing the onset of any oral-related diseases and infections.

Thus, it ensure that our mouth cavity is always kept clean and healthy at all times, which can undoubtedly help to boost our confidence and communication levels!

How to Use it: You can add about 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil into a cup of water to create a gargle mixture and proceed to gargle it, while being careful not to ingest the mixture.

Safety Guidelines:

• Do not ingest eucalyptus essential oil as it can be toxic when consumed in large quantities.

• Pregnant and nursing women as well as children should avoid using eucalyptus oil as well.

• Before topical application onto the skin, ensure that there is proper dilution of the oil with a carrier oil in a 1:1 ratio.

• Perform a skin patch test first to ensure that you do not have any irritant, allergic or sensitive reactions to it.

• Avoid the eyes and mucus membranes when using this oil.

• If you have any pre-existing allergies or medical conditions that requires medication, always consult your doctor first before using essential oils as a form of treatment.

References:

Jeane Silva, et. al., “Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of essential oils of Eucalyptus”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2003); 89(2-3)

Daizy R. Batish, et al., “Eucalyptus essential oil as a natural pesticide”, Forest Ecology and Management (2008); 256(12)

Raho G Bachir, M Benali, “Antibacterial activity of the essential oils from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus”, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012); 2(9)