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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| Botanical Name: | Inula helenium L. |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Synonyms: | Helenium grandiflorum, aster officinalis, aster helenium alantroot, inula, scabwort, alant, horseheal, yellow starwort, elf dock, wild sunflower, velvet dock, horse-heal. |
| See Also: | |
| Parts Used: | Dried roots and rhizomes |
| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation. |
| Appearance: | Dark yellow to brown yellow liquid |
| Aroma Description: | Soft, woody, honey like. |
| Perfume note: | |
| Consistancy: | Thick to semi solid |
| Strength of Initial Aroma: | |
| Blends well with: | |
| Historical Uses: | Used as a tea for asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough, also for digestion and intestinal disorders. |
| Modern Uses: | Used as a fixative and fragrance in soaps, detergents cosmetics and perfumes. |
| Cautions: | Not recommended for home use as it is a serious skin irritant. |
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