Description
History – Australian Blue Cypress
Traditional Usage
The Tiwi people of Melville and Bathurst Island have traditionally used Australian Blue Cypress for probably thousands of years. They crushed the plant material and used it as both a hygienic wash and to keep away the little pests of dusk and dawn. Plant pieces were also placed on hot stones or ashes the vapours inhaled.
Early European Usage
The tree is reasonably plentiful in the wild and was used quite extensively for house construction in Darwin, as the timber is quite termite resistant. The first timber milling occurred around 1876. It was used to build the ‘Administrative Building’ (the main government building of the day) in Darwin. The resin from the Australian Blue Cypress was called Australian Sandarac resin and was used medicinally for coating ‘gastro-resistant’ capsules, so the capsules did not dissolve in the stomach.
Present Day Usage
Australian Blue Cypress essential oil is being rediscovered by the aromatherapy community and others seeking natural products. Blue Cypress essential oil is used for meditation and relaxation, however it appears to have excellent medicinal potential too. Australian Blue Cypress essential oil is used as a base or fixative for perfumery. The fragrant wood has recently seen small volumes of timber exported to China for fragrant furniture making.
Chemical Constituents of Australian Blue Cypress Essential Oil
As per Distillation June 5th 2019
beta-elemene 1.04%
alpha-guaiene 1.86%
myrtenic acid 1.76%
gamma-selinene 1.51%
beta-selinene 2.92%
alpha-selinene 1.41%
guaiol 12.36%
elemol 1.80%
bulnesol 9.53%
gamma-costol 2.10%
guaiazulene 0.35%
beta-eudesmol 6.34%
alpha-eudesmol 5.87%
gamma-eudesmol 7.30%
callitrin isomer 1.68%
callitrisin 0.53%
columellarin 1.34%
dihydro columellarin 10.47%
Optical rotation@ 20C: +12.2
Relative Density@ 20C: 0.982
Refractive index @ 20C: 1.5069