Eucalyptus Globulus Oil

#### Eucalyptus Globulus. Some decades ago, a pharmacist wouldn't think of buying a eucalyptus oil unless it was a genuine **Eucalyptus Globulus **oil. And this surname has remained in many price lists of today, even in cases where the Globulus has long since been replaced with other oils of very similar constitution. Pharmaceutically, it is the most important (type) of all the eucalyptus oils, and if we consider all the **Cineole**-types of eucalyptus oil as one big "pharmaceutical eucalyptus oil", this will be the largest in quantity by far. Various producers actually speak of **Eucapharma Oils**** **when they market oils of high-**Cineole **type. The essential oil of Eucalyptus Globulus is scarcely produced in its homeland at present. The tree originated in Tasmania, but no oil has been exported from Australia or from its small neighbor island for many years. However, the **Globulus **tree is planted practically all over the world in temperate and semi-tropical regions and in tropical highlands or swamps. The tree is found in France, Spain, Portugal, Algeria (and North Africa in general), Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and India. There are more eucalyptus trees in Brazil than in any other country outside of Australia. To a minor extent, it is planted in California and in numerous African and European countries. In the Belgian Congo, the **Globulus **tree has now been replaced with **Eucalyptus Smithii **(see this monograph). **Eucalyptus**** ****Globulus**** **oil is steam distilled from the fresh or partly dried, long and narrow leaves of this large beautiful tree. Distillation is carried out locally. In Algeria and a few other countries, the leaves are also dried completely and sold to drug houses, but these leaves are not distilled. They would yield little and poor oil. The oil is colorless and quite mobile when rectified. It is pale to dark yellow when old or poorly stored. Rectification or "redistillation" is often carried out on the spot since this operation improves the keeping qualities of the oil. Lower aliphatic aldehydes in the foreruns are partly removed, together with resinified terpenes in the tail fractions; the oil becomes a "Codex" or Pharmacopoeia-quality with a higher **Cineole**** **content, and thus easier to export. Incidentally, the lower aldehydes are usually held responsible for a cough-provoking effect which is not exactly wanted in the eucalyptus oil used in cough-drops, etc.! The total annual production of **Eucalyptus**** ****Globulus**** **and other **Cineole**-type oils ("**Eucapharma**** ****Oils**") is in excess of 1000 metric ton, thus placing the Eucapharma Oils among the "upper ten" in quantity. The approximate distribution of the production is: Australia: 60% of world production (mainly **Polybractea,**** ****Smithii**** **and **Leucoxylon**** **oils) Brazil: 15% of world production (mainly **Globulus**) Spain: 10% of world production (mainly **Globulus**) Belgian Congo: 8% of world production (mainly **Smithii**) Portugal: 2% of world production (mainly **Globulus)**** **Other countries: 5% of world production. The main use for **Eucalyptus Globulus **oil is in the pharmaceutical preparations, flavoring of cough drops, vaporizers, mouth-gargles, toothpaste, etc., as well as a rubefacient and general germicide. The germicidal effect is not very outstanding. In perfumery, the oil enters numerous formulas for low-cost perfumes, industrial perfumes, in the masking of various odors, and as a replacement for other essential oils. It is comparatively stable in soap and it has a powerful radiation or "lifting" effect upon the other ingredients in the soap perfume. Fractions from the rectification of eucalyptus globulus oil are frequently used in the unethical "art" of "cutting" essential oils such as rosemary, spike lavender, thyme, spanish sage, etc. More artistically, certain fractions can be used as perfume ingredients of special effect. The literature gives full information of such isolates from various types of crude eucalyptus oils. **Eucalyptus**** ****Globulus**** ****Oil**** **is no longer the most common of the pharmaceutical eucalyptus oils, but it remains the largest of those grown and distilled in Europe. See also **Eucalyptus**** ****Australiana,**** ****E.**** ****Leucoxylon,**** ****E.**** ****Polybractea,**** ****E.**** ****Sideroxylon**** **and **E.**** ****Smithii**** **which are the "large" sources of the **Eucapharma **oils of today.