What is Cedarwood Essential Oil & What is it good for?

Cedarwood           

Botanical Name:  Cedrus altlantica

Family: Pinaceae

Safety:  Do Not Use during pregnancy

Blending Note:  Base

Aroma Strength: Medium to Strong

Scent Description and General uses: A warm, woody, scent with a sweet with a grounding, balsamic undertone, similar tthat wonderful scent you smell in the forest after a rain. Great for grounding, relaxing, emotional stress.

Blends well with: Bergamot, cinnamon, cypress, frankincense, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, linden blossom, neroli, rose, rosemary

Indepth profile

Extraction: Steam distillation.  Also resinoid and absolute

Chemistry: Sesquiterpene 50% Cedrene,  Alcohol  30% Atlantol 

Approved claims and benefits from Health Canada Recommendations:

1.  Used in aromatherapy for symptomatic relief of acne/boils.2.  Used in aromatherapy to relieve minor skin irritation/cuts/bruises/burns.4.  Used in aromatherapy as a nervine/calmative.5.  Used in aromatherapy to help relieve joint/muscle pain associated with sprain/strain/rheumatoid arthritis.8.  Used in aromatherapy to help relieve colds/cough.

Safety and usage information:

Do not take internally, Do not use undiluted (NEAT) on the skin, check individual safety information for any and all combinations when blending or using blended products.

Check essential oils and medications that individuals are currently using for contraindications. Keep out of reach of children.  Caution with all animals. Do not use topically on cats.  Essential oil and water do not mix you must blend a dispersant with the essential oil before adding to water (including when using in baths), keep away from flame.

Herbal Folk and Traditions:

History: The disappearing Mediterranean conifer forests & eco-regions of N. Africa specifically extend over N. Morocco, N. Tunisia and N.W. Algeria. A non-peer reviewed, but informative paper by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF undated) describes the conservation status of these conifer forests as Critical / Endangered. The conifer zone of Morocco is described in the same article as consisting largely of Cedrus atlantica together with other species, according to location – indeed the Atlas Cedar in strongly associated with Morocco’s ancient forests in literature covering the last 5,000 years (Mardaga 1999). Many of the taxa found in the Moroccan conifer forests are amongst some two hundred included as threatened species in the IUCN Red List (2004) for Morocco

 Since that time more recent dendroclimatological studies (Touchan 2011) have indicated that the current series of droughts are at least as intense as any that have occurred in the last thousand years. Projections for future climate change indicate a continued decrease in precipitation

Traditionally used in herbal medicine for the following issues:

Emotions: Nervous tension, fear, anger, disconnectedness

Endocrine: Regulates glandular system

Immune: Stimulant, Stimulates lymphatic system

Mind:  Aids meditation, sedative,

Muscular: Rheumatism and arthritic pain

Respiratory: Excess phlegm, bronchitis, coughs, kills airborne bacteria and fungus

Skin:  oily and acne prone, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, alopecia, scabs and

pus, cellulite, fungus.

Urinary: Kidney tonic, urinary tract infections, vaginitis, urethritis, water retention