Active Ingredient Eucalyptus Oil (e. Globulus Labillardiere, E. Fructicetorum F. Von Mueller, E. Smithii R.t. Baker)

eucalyptus oil is used commonly as a decongestant and expectorant for upper respiratory tract infections or inflammations, as well as for various musculoskeletal conditions. the oil is found in numerous over-the-counter cough and cold lozenges as well as in inhalation vapors or topical ointments. veterinarians use the oil topically for its reported antimicrobial activity. other applications include as an aromatic in soaps or perfumes, as flavoring in foodstuffs or beverages, and as a dental or

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: eucalyptus oil (e. globulus labillardiere, e. fructicetorum f. von mueller, e. smithii r.t. baker)

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
asthma	further research is needed to confirm anti-inflammatory and mucolytic activity before this agent can be recommended in upper and lower airway diseases.	c
chondrocalcinosis due to dicalcium phosphate crystals	aromatherapy using eucalyptus has been studied for its effects on pain, depression, and feelings of satisfaction in life in arthritis patients. aromatherapy may help reduce pain and depression, but does not appear to alter the feeling of satisfaction in life. additional study is needed to clarify these findings.	c
chronic gingivitis, plaque induced	although studies on combination mouthwashes show effectiveness (such as listerine ), it is not clear that eucalyptus oil by itself is effective or safe for this purpose.	c
chronic ulcer of unspecified site	limited evidence suggests that eucalyptus essential oil may be beneficial for patients with skin ulcers when combined with antibiotics. more studies are needed to confirm these early findings.	c
headache	effectiveness of eucalyptus oil applied to the skin for headache relief has not been supported with reliable human research.	c
tick-borne fever	preliminary research shows that citriodiol spray, containing eucalyptus, may reduce the number of tick bites and thereby tick-borne infections, although additional studies are warranted.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.