an olefinic hydrocarbon.
Biological activity of the plant is hypothermic and CNS active.
Eucalyptus globules Labill.
Family Myrtaceae.
Habitat Native to Australia; now cultivated mainly at the hill-stations of India.
English Blue-Gum tree, Australian Gum tree.
Ayurvedic Tilaparna, Tailaparna, Sugandhapatra, Haritaparna Neelaniryaasa, Tribhandi, Triputaa, Saralaa, Suvahaa, Rechani, Nishotraa.
Unani Neelgiri oil.
Siddha/Tamil Karpooramaram. Action Essential oil from leaves— antiseptic, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, antispasmodic, decongestant, antiasthmatic, expectorant, antirheumatic, diaphoretic. Used in chronic, bronchitis, migraine, congestive headache, neuralgia and ague, as an inhalant or internal medicine. Root—purgative.
Key application Leaf tea for catarrhs of the respiratory tract. Oil used externally for rheumatic complaints, contraindicated internally in inflammatory diseases of the
gastrointestinal tract, bile ducts, and in severe liver diseases. (German
Commission E.) Oil—internally
as adjuvant treatment of chronic
obstructive respiratory complaints, including bronchitis and bronchial asthma, also for symptomatic relief of colds and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract; externally for
symptomatic treatment of colds and rheumatic complaints. (ESCOP)
Leaf—antiseptic. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
E. globulus is the main commercial source of Eucalyptus leaf oil; yield is 2.12%; 1,8-cineole exceeds 70% (pharmaceutical grade oil requires a minimum cineole content of 70%).
Several potent euglobals, having closely related acyl-phloroglucinolmonoterpene (or sesquiterpene) structures, are isolated from the leaves and flower buds. These compounds showed strong granulation-inhibiting activity and inhibition of TPA induced EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus) activation.
Phloroglucin derivatives, isolated from leaves, showed better anti- inflammatory activity than indomethacin.
Natural antioxidants have also been isolated from the plant.
