I found this one when I was looking up more information on Lemon Oil, from the posts Rabbitears did on essential oils.


http://www.uncleharrys.com/infobase/product/lemonmyrtle.php


Lemon Myrtle Oil

(Backhousia Citriodora)
Organic Lemon Myrtle oil is a recent newly developed oil that has been proven to be more effective than Tea Tree oil for all external applications. It has the added advantage over Tea Tree oil that it can be used internally for strengthening the immune system and is a wonderful natural flavor oil for cooking and herbal teas.

Our immune systems are continually being compromised by contact with toxins and parasites from our diet and environment. There are also increasing strains of viruses and bacteria that attack our weakened immune systems.

Organic Lemon Myrtle oil contains a natural substance called citral. It has more than any other known plant. Citral has a natural anti-viral action. Out of 49 Australian essential oils including eucalyptus and tea tree species, Organic Lemon Myrtle oil exhibited the best killing power against staphyloccus aureus, salmonella typhi and mycobacteria phlei.

Organic Lemon Myrtle oil is 16 times more effective than phenol, a chemical antibacterial agent. This is considerably more than tea tree and thus is considerably more effective than tea tree oil in controlling a broad range of micro-organisms.

Technical Information about Lemon Myrtle Oil

Latin Name: Backhousia Citriodora

Family: Myrtaceae

Common Names: Lemon-scented myrtle, Sweet verbena tree; Lemon ironwood. Origin: Rainforests of south east Queensland.

Descr*iption: A pale yellow or yellow mobile liquid of intensely fresh lemon-like odor with a pleasant sweet-green undertone. Its odour is much cleaner and fresher than Lemongrass oil and there are no grassy-fatty notes. Even the amylacetate-like fruitiness of Lemongrass oil is absent in B. citriodora.

Backhousia is a rare genus of 8 species of trees, characterised by opposite, shiny and strongly aromatic leaves. In rainforests, B. citriodora grows wild up to 30m high with lanceolate, strongly lemon-scented leaves. In early summer the tree is covered by clusters of tiny white four-petalled flowers. The tree prefers a moist climate and is frost sensitive. Propogation is by cuttings taken in spring.

Constituents: Leaves contain 1.5 - 2.0% essential oil consisting almost entirely of citral (85-97%).

Properties of essential oil: Citral is an aliphatic aldehyde in the monoterpenoid class. In plants such as lemongrass (Cymbopogon) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), citral occurs as two isomeric aldehydes, neral and geranial. Relative density: 0.89, refractive index 1.4928, optical rotation 1.0, solubility in 70% v/v ethanol 20 degrees C: 1.5ml.

Actions: Besides being antiviral, antibacterial, and germicidal as shown previously, it is also sedative (4), antifungal (5), antiseptic, carminative and corrective.

Indications: Common cold, influenza, bronchitis, indigestion and other irritable gastrointestinal disorders, herpes simplex - apply topically over area or on reflex points of feet. If caustic to sensitive skin, dilute with carrier oil. For sensitive skin, dilute 2 drops in one ounce of carrier oil. Do not use the oil directly on skin. Always dilute.

Applications: As an acne cream it would be vastly more effective than other products on the market. As B. citriodora has 25% more activity against a range of microorganisms than melaleuca (phenol coefficient of 16 versus 12) it would do well in preparations such as shampoos, toothpaste, hand soaps, antiseptic lozenges, deodorizers, dental applications, throat gargles, mosquito/insect repellants, cleaning formulations, veterinary products (flea repellant) and perfumes. One or more drops of citriodora makes an excellent tea and gargle. Even rock stars gargle herbal tea with B. citriodora added to an a herbal infusion to help with raw throats. Many people are reporting improvements using B. citriodora diluted in carrier oil topically on psoriasis, rashes, folliculitis, neuro-dermatitis, itching, tinea, candidiasis and headaches. It can effectively deter the most persistent case of ant colonies roaming a house with just a few countertop applications.

The main constitutent of lemon myrtle oil, citral, in tests against fungus, proved very active, more so than camphor. Essential oils, direct their action to the microorganisms’ cell membrane. Their activity is broad spectrum thus reducing the possibility of microorganisms developing a resistance.

In fact, whatever conditions are helped by Lemongrass or Melissa oils (e.g. depression) will receive even more benefit from lemon myrtle oil simply by virtue of the fact that it contains more citral.

Some people have reported mind-altering states as a result of sitting quietly and one­pointedly inhaling the vapors from a bottle.

Modes of Application: Use topically (always dilute with carrier oil to avoid irritating the skin), add small amounts (1 or 2 drops) to beverages and drinks as flavoring, wipe on counters, add to cleaning agents, shampoos, liquid soaps. Avoid prolonged inhalation via diffusion. Do not add to douches or enemas!

A Rare Oil: Main B. citriodora forests near Gympie, Queensland were destroyed during World War II when a famous soft drink company in Australia could no longer obtain Lemongrass oil from India to flavor their drinks. They found the citral content in B. citriodora met their requirements so eventually the forests were severely depleted. A few companies now plantation-grow this unique resource so that endemic strands are no longer under threat of extinction.

The Source: Our supplier is committed to producing a superior quality organic product. The trees are grown approximately 2-3 metres high and are irrigated with mineral water. Organic farming principles are followed (no organochlorines or organosulphides) using natural fertilizers, mulch, microbes, rock dust and natural pest control. No synthetic insecticides are employed (the high citral content of B. citriodora repels most insects).The biomass is steam distilled then the oil is double filtered. No chemicals or solvents are used in the process.

As all new plants of a selected cultivar must be propagated asexually (cuttings), are difficult and slow to strike, require good soils to prosper, be on elevated land not subject to frost and given that it is a rare oil, the cost is expensive relative to other citral oils. However, the potency of B. citriodora means extensive dilution is possible, thereby reducing its actual cost.

Other Species: There are eight species of Backhousia all having aromatic foliage (viz. B. anisata, B. angustifolia, B. bancroftii, B. citriodora, B. hughesii, B. myrtifolia, B. sciadophora, B. kingii). B. citriodora. appears to have the highest level of citral of any plant in the world, ranging from 85-97% (Lemongrass oil is 75-85%).

History: Though an attempt to link all the known Backhousia oils together has been made, it is easier to describe work previously done on individual species. Schimmel & Co. was the first to investigate B. citriodora over 100 years ago and found it to’contain 95% citral. In 1920 John Blogg noted its citral content could be used to produce ionone (the highly aromatic component found in violets which is extremely hard to produce synthetically) (7). A few years later Penfold et al. reported the existence of a chemical variety of B. citriodora which contained 1-citronellal and d-isopulegol. Attempts to relocate this species were unsuccessful and the species remained hidden for nearly fifty years until recently rediscovered.

Toxicity: None reported. Citral is found in fresh fruits and has a long history of acceptance by U.S. and European regulatory bodies and has been accorded GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. Some studies performed on rats using .3glk essential oil of B. citriodora led to impaired reproductive function and prostatic enlargement in some animals, but not in others. Citral is reported to promote increased intraocular pressure in test animals, but a subsequent study failed to support this. Bear in mind, also that for therapeutic use, humans are only likely to be using a few drops of this oil at a time. Not only that, the results of animal research can never be accurately extrapolated to humans. If citral was dangerous for human health, it would not be possible to sell hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Lemon oil (which also contains citral), annually around the world!

Metabolic studies show that when minute quantities of citral are used as food flavoring, it is rapidly extracted from the food, altered into a more water-soluble form using specialized enzymes in the liver, sent to the kidneys and excreted in the urine so there is no accumulation of this chemical component in body lipids.

Because it has the world’s highest concentration of citral, without question, this is a very important oil for the aromatherapy and herbal industries along with personal hygiene products, food and beverages (both hard and soft). Already, the Japanese are very interested in adding B. citriodora to their tea for flavor enhancement. Its taste is very smooth, clean, lemon-like and pleasant. Some herbal practitioners like to add B. citriodora to teas and extract/tincture compounds to vastly improve the flavor and also to provide anti-microbial and possible immunostimulating benefits, so helpful during winter months.

As our world becomes more and more toxic with its corresponding negative effect on our first line of defense: the immune system, this potently anti-microbial essential oil deserves a place among some of the most therapeutic oils the world has to offer.

References:

Schnaubelt K., Potential Application of Essential Oil in Viral Disease, Int. J. Aromatherapy, 1988/89, 1/2:33
Atkinson W. & Brice H., Anti-Bacterial Action of Essential Oil from Some Australian Plants, Aust. J. Exp. Biology 1955, 33:547
Pengelly A., Australian Medicinal Plant, Aust. J. Med.
Herbalism, Vol 3 (3) 1991 Schnaubelt K.
Friendly Molecules, Int. J. Aromatherapy 1989, 2:20
Moleyar V. & Narasimbam P., Mode of Anti-Fungal Action of Essential Oil Components: Citral and Camphor, Indian J. Exp. Biology 1987:25:781
Tisserand R., The Essential Oil Safety Data Manual, Sussex - Tisserand Aromatherapy Institute, 1988
Blogg J., Some Australian Essential Oils, Science & Industry 1920 Vol 2: 242
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