Inula Organic Essential Oil from Corsica

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Inula Organic Essential Oil from Corsica

Batch: E1001419

 Inula Graveolens

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Other common names: sweet inula, stinkwort, camphor inula, stinkweed, Cape Khakiweed, and Stinking Fleabane

Please note, it must not be confused with elecampane ‘Inula helenium’, which is sometimes also referred to as ‘inula’.

Latin name: Dittrichia graveolens Syn. Inula graveolens

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)

Method of extraction: steam distillation

Plant part used to extract the oil: from flowering tops

Cultivation method: certified organic

Area of origin: Mediterranean Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia up to the Western Himalayas; our oil comes from Corsica

Historical notes:

Plants from the “Inula” genus of the Asteraceae family are famous for their therapeutic and medicinal properties and have a long history of use. The term “inula”, is thought to originate from the ancient Greek word “ineo” which means “I purge”. Indeed, it is believed that Inula helenium (elecampane) – a cousin of Inula - was regularly prescribed by Hippocrates (460 to 370 BC).

There are around 80 species in the Inula genus, several of which are popular garden flowers, with cultivation going back to antiquity.

Botanically, sweet inula is now classified as belonging to the “Dittrichia” genus  (Dittrichia, is named in honour of a German botanist, Manfred Dittrich) within the Asteraceae botanical family. The species name, “graveolens”, comes from Latin and means "heavy smelling/ heavily scented/rank-smelling."

Biochemical group: ester

Main chemical constituents: bornyl acetate, borneol, camphene, T-cadinol, tricyclene, β caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, α-terpineol, inula lactone, α-terpineol, α-thujene, β-pinene, limonene, α-copaene, caryophylla-4(12),8(13)-dien5-ol, isobornyl acetate 0.51, prenyl benzoate, γ-cadinene, terpinen-4-ol, dehydro-1,8-cineole, others

Colour:  yellow or turquoise-green (torquise-green colour comes from distillation in a copper still) – both oils as equally effective

Consistency: thin

Aroma strength: medium

Perfumery note: middle

Aroma: camphoraceous, floral and sweet, slightly medicinal, peppery, earthy, somewhat chamomile-y

Traditional Aromatherapy Uses:      

Traditionally in aromatherapy treatments, Inula essential oil is associated with the following therapeutic properties: powerful mucolytic, mildly anti-infectious, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, antitussive, anxiolytic, calming, cicatrisant, decongestant, sedative, vulnerary

Qualified aromatherapists may use inula essential oil for common complaints such as:

• respiratory issues - known as the ‘queen of mucolytics’ in the aromatherapy world – it is used for a wide range of respiratory conditions such as coughs, colds and sinusitis; it is also useful for bronchitis and asthma
• nervous system – calming, stress-related issues, anxiety, panic’ encourages good sleep
• skin care - it is used for oily skin with blocked pores, acne and spots tendency; it is thought to be useful for wound healing
• others

How we use it:

Inhalation / Vaporisation:

- For respiratory issues use in an aroma inhaler – try on its own or combine with other oils depending on the situation/need – it blends well with lavender or lavandin, eucalyptus, etc.

- Vaporise a couple of drops or use in an aroma inhaler for that calm, tranquil sleep (especially when suffering from catarrh / congested sinuses)

Skin applications:

- For oily skin with a tendency to blocked pores (hardened sebum) – try it in a light cream blended with helichrysum, lavender or tea tree

Please, also see our How to Use Essential Oils Safely page for more information

Safety considerations:

Tisserand and Young do not indicate any contraindications when using Inula Essential Oil.

Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 310.]

 Please, also see our How to Use Essential Oils Safely page for more information.