Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendra and Melaleuca minor)
Cajeput or cajeput oil is oil processed from the leaves of the cajeput tree which is from the Myrtaceae family. Cajeput tree is native to Maritime Southeast Asia and Australia. There are about 200 species of the tree and one of the closest relatives is the tea tree which is processed to make tee tree oil. Cajeput oil is characterized by a strong camphor odor which may be comparable to eucalyptus oil. This oil is medicinal and therapeutic and has been used in traditional medicinal practice as well as modern day therapies.
Cajeput oil is used for the treatment of headaches, upper respiratory illnesses, chest congestion, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions. The oil is combined with other essential oils and is used to treat skin conditions like insect bites, acne, and herpes, it may also be used to improve digestion and reduce gas formation. And possibly the most popular use of cajeput is for muscle and joint pains. Diluted cajeput oil may be directly applied on the skin or it may be combined with other essential oils to create a topical pain relief medication.
The reason behind cajeput’s effectiveness is the presence of natural compound sesquiterpenes like alpha-terpineol, farnesol, linalool and cineole. Farnesol in cajeput oil is a natural antiviral and anti-parasitic while cineole has similar effects to eucalyptol and this is the reason why cajeput oil is effective as a counterirritant and topical analgesic.
Cajeput oil is always diluted or mixed with carrier oil. In the treatment of muscle and joint pain, it may be used as often as needed for the topical treatment of muscle pain, joint pain, joint stiffness and swelling as a result of inflammation. You can find cajeput oil in diluted preparations while most are combined with other oils to create a topical pain relief product.
References:
Cajuput oil- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retieved May 22, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajuput_oil
What is Cajeput? (with picture). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cajeput.htm
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