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Eucalyptol, also frequently called 1,8-cineol, is the primary constituent of oil produced by聽Eucalyptus聽spp. It is also found in tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil,聽Artemisia聽spp. (e.g., wormwood and sagebrush), and even聽Cannabis sativa.
French chemist Fran莽ois Stanislas Cloez isolated eucalyptol from聽Eucalyptus globulus聽in 1870. Another聽Eucalyptus蝉辫别肠颈别蝉,听E. cloeziana, was named in his honor.
Because it鈥檚 Thanksgiving week, you might have guessed that eucalyptol has something to do with the holiday. If so, you鈥檇 be right. In addition to the species mentioned above, eucalyptol is an ingredient in many spices used to prepare the turkey day meal: bay leaf, cardamom, rosemary, and sage, to name a few. It is a contributor to the wonderful aroma of holiday cooking.
Eucalyptol is also used as a flavor ingredient in oral hygiene products and cough suppressants. It is safe to ingest in small quantities, but it is toxic in larger doses. In 1981, M. Verma and C. E. Meloan found that eucalyptol in bay leaves is an effective cockroach repellent.
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