Niaouli Oil

#### Niaouli Oil. Among the more well-known "tea-tree" oils (see monographs on **Melaleuca**** ****Oils**), is **Niaouli**** ****Oil**** **which is steam distilled in New Caledonia (French Pacific islands) from the leaves of **Melaleuca**** ****Viridiflora**. The tree grows wild and in such abundance that cultivation is not at all necessary. Production of the oil has been as high as 60 metric tons in one year, but the interest in the genuine oil has declined significantly. Production in 1959 was about 10 metric tons. The New Caledonian tree is a native of Australia and it exists in several physiological forms. The **Melaleuca Viridiflora **which yields **Niaouli Oil is **usually considered as a "typical" form of the tree, while the varieties which still grow in Australia yield oils of entirely different composition. The best known of these Australian oils is the **Melaleuca Viridiflora**, variety "A" (see monograph). The essential oil from this tree contains significant amounts of **Nerolidol**, and the oil has at one time been considered as a possible source for isolation of this interesting sesquiterpene alcohol. **Niaouli Oil, **also called **Gomenol **in French speaking countries is a pale yellow to greenish-yellow or almost colorless liquid of strong, fresh. sweet-camphoraceous, but cooling odor, reminiscent of eucalyptus oil and cardamom oil, however, less spicy than the latter. The flavor is warm. only slightly biting, aromatic, somewhat sweet and fresh eucalyptuslike. The sweetness in odor and flavor is quite characteristic, different from eucalyptus oil, cajuput oil, etc. **Niaouli Oil **is used in medicinal or pharmaceutical preparations, in flavors for cough drops, more or less as an active ingredient in vaporizer liquids, mouth sprays, gargles, toothpaste flavors, etc. The oil is frequently adulterated in countries where it is not readily available (far from the source of supply). Eucalyptus oil, to which is added trace amounts of terpinyl esters, aldehydes, terpineol, terpinolene, benzaldehyde, borneol, etc. is often sold as niaouli oil. The fact that the larger part by far of the entire production of niaouli oil is shipped indirectly from New Caledonia to the consumers, is a major cause of the frequent adulteration. Large amounts of Niaouli Oil are used locally for all kinds of ailments.