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Eucalyptus globulus LABILL.


Botanical Name	:	Eucalyptus globulus LABILL.
English Name	:	Australian or Blue Gum Tree
Synonym(s)	:	Eucalyptus gigantea Dehn., Eucalyptus glauca DC., Eucalyptus perfoliata Desf., Eucalyptus pulverulenta Link.
Family	:	Myrtaceae

General Info

Description

A large tree attaining a height of 60 m or more with a straight, clean bole and smooth bark peeling off in long thin strips or sheets. Leaves on young twigs opposite, sessile, cordate-ovate, glaucous grey; adult leaves alternate, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, falcate. Flowers large, axillary, solitary or 2 to 3 together; calyx tube broadly turbinate, thick and woody. Fruits (capsules) semi-globular, containing numerous minute seeds. Stems of seedlings and coppice shoots quadrangular in cross section.

Herb Effects

The leaves, and the essential oil they contain, are antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant, febrifuge and stimulant. Its antiseptic properties confer some antimalarial action; carminative, alleviates spasms, antiperiodic, antiseptic, aromatic, deodorant, expectorant, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, stimulant and fungitoxic (leaf); antibacterial and stimulates the cardiovascular system (aerial part); antiseptic (mainly in skin diseases and for upper respiratory infections), stimulant and expectorant (essential oil); antipyretic (bark and leaf).

Links

Eucalyptus globulus Labill.
Plants for a Future
Botanical.com
California Invasive Plant Council
Herbal Monograph

Chemistry

Active Ingredients

Cineole (essential oil of leaf and aerial part); camphene,alpha-phyllandrene, beta-eudesmol, alpha and beta-thujone, caffeic acid, camphene, carvone, chlorogenic acid, citriodorol, cuminaldehyde, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hyperoside, P-cymene, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, sabinene, verbenone and flavonoids (leaf).

Chemistry of Active Ingredients

Name

CAS#

IUPAC Name

Formula

Structure

Cineole

8024-53-1

2,2,4-trimethyl-3-ox
abicyclo[2.2.2]octan
e

C₁₀H₁₈O

Camphene

5794-04-7

2,2-dimethyl-3-methy
lidene-norbornane

C₁₀H₁₆

beta-Eudesmol

473-15-4

2-(4a-methyl-8-methy
lidene-decalin-2-yl)
propan-2-ol

C₁₅H₂₆O

alpha-Thujone

546-80-5

2-methyl-5-propan-2-
yl-bicyclo[3.1.0]hex
an-3-one

C₁₀H₁₆O

beta-Thujone

1125-12-8

2-methyl-5-propan-2-
yl-bicyclo[3.1.0]hex
an-3-one

C₁₀H₁₆O

Caffeic acid

Not Available

3-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)prop-2-enoic acid

C₉H₈O₄

Carvone

53763-73-8

2-methyl-5-prop-1-en
-2-yl-cyclohex-2-en-
1-one

C₁₀H₁₄O

Chlorogenic acid

327-97-9

3-[3-(3,4-dihydroxyp
henyl)prop-2-enoylox
y]-1,4,5-trihydroxy-
cyclohexan e-1-carb
oxylic acid

C₁₆H₁₈O₉

Cuminaldehyde

122-03-2

4-propan-2-ylbenzald
ehyde

C₁₀H₁₂O

Ellagic acid

Not Available

C₁₄H₆O₈

Ferulic acid

24276-84-4

3-(4-hydroxy-3-metho
xy-phenyl)prop-2-eno
ic acid

C₁₀H₁₀O₄

Gallic acid

149-91-7

3,4,5-trihydroxybenz
oic acid

C₇H₆O₅

Hyperoside

482-36-0

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
(hydroxyme thyl)oxa
n-2-yl]oxy-chromen-7
-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₂

p-Cymene

Not Available

dichlororuthenium;
1-methyl-5,6-dihydro
-4H-pyrimidine;
p-cymene

C₁₅H₂₄Cl₂N₂Ru

Protocatechuic acid

5417-95-8

N',N'-diethyl-N-(3,5
,7,8-tetrazabicyclo[
4.3.0]nona-2,4,8,10-
tetraen-2- yl)propa
ne-1,3-diamine

C₁₂H₂₀N₆

Quercetin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-3,4,5-trihydroxy
-chromen-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₇

Quercitrin

6151-25-3

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
methyl-oxa n-2-yl)o
xy-chromen-7-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₁

Rutin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
[(3,4,5-tr ihydroxy
-6-methyl-tetrahydro
pyran-2-yl)oxymethyl
]tetrahydropyran-2-y
l] oxy-chromen-7-on
e trihydrate

C₂₇H₃₆O₁₉

Sabinene

3387-41-5

4-methylidene-1-prop
an-2-yl-bicyclo[3.1.
0]hexane

C₁₀H₁₆

Verbenone

80-57-9

2,7,7-trimethylbicyc
lo[3.1.1]hept-2-en-4
-one

C₁₀H₁₄O

Pharmacology

Medicinal Use

In rheumatism, asthma, spasmodic throat troubles, increases cardiac action, chronic bronchitis, skin diseases and for burns (essential oil of leaf and aerial part); in sporadic fevers (alcohol extract of bark and leaf); alleviating spasms (leaf); for relieving coughs and colds, sore throats and other infections (leaves essential oil); in the treatment of diarrhoea and bladder inflammation, externally it is applied to cuts etc (resin); in the form of a tincture in asthma and chronic bronchitis (dried leaves).

Contraindication

Eucalyptus oil should not be used by infants and children under the age of two, especially near the face and nose, due to the risk of airway spasm and possible cessation of breathing.Eucalyptus should not be used in large amounts by people with low blood pressure as it may cause a further drop in blood pressure.Although there are no known reports of drug interactions, the German Commission E monograph suggests that because eucalyptus oil may activate certain enzyme systems in the liver, it may potentially weaken or shorten the action of some medications, including pentobarbital, aminopyrine, and amphetamine (Blumenthal et al., 1998 and Brinker, 1997).

Reference

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.

The Himalaya Drug Company.

Bentley and Trimen, Medicinal Plants.

Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 127–8.

Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Institute Publishers, 1997, 46–7.

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