Elecampane Essential Oil
Elecampane is a perennial composite plant common in many parts of Great Britain, and ranges throughout central and Southern Europe, and in Asia as far eastwards as the Himalayas. It is a rather rigid herb, the stem of which attains a height of from 3 to 5 feet; the leaves are large and toothed, the lower ones stalked, the rest embracing the stem; the flowers are yellow, 2 inches broad, and have many rays, each three-notched at the extremity. The root is thick, branching and mucilaginous, and has a warm, bitter taste and a camphoraceous odor. For medicinal purposes it should be procured from plants not more than two or three years old. The ancients used the root both as a medicine and as a condiment, and in England it was formerly in great repute as an aromatic tonic and stimulant of the secretory organs. As a drug, however, the root is now seldom resorted to except in veterinary practice, though it is undoubtedly possessed of antiseptic properties.
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| GRAS Status: | Elecampane is approved by the FDA for food use (21 CFR 121.1163 in alcoholic beverages only) |
Properties, Indications
and Uses: |
Properties: ()
Indicated for: ()
Uses: ()
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| Toxicity: | LD50 - (oral) rat 45mg/kg; (dermal) rabbit >g/kg.
Irritation Elecampane oil tested at 4%, produced no irritation after 48hr patch test. (a)
Sensitivity Elecampane oil tested at 4%, produced severe reactions in 23 out of 25 subjects after second induction application. (a)
Phototoxicity - Nil reported |
| Perfumery Uses: | |
References:-
(a) D.L.J. Opdyke, Monographs on Fragrance Raw materials, Vol, 14 p307.
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