Description
Extraction and Farming Method
Manuka oil is extracted by steam distillation. This involves using steam from boiling water to extract the essential oil from the plant.
The heat from the steam causes the plant’s cell walls to open allowing the essential oil to be released.
Currently most essential oil is harvested from wild stands in New Zealand. Australia has concentrated on Manuka trees for their honey collection.
History – Manuka Essential Oil
Manuka is a native of Australia but also is naturally found in New Zealand. Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) existed in New Zealand before Polynesian settlement. However after fire and forest clearing by the Polynesians, Manuka became more common.
Despite some Manuka development in Australia (particularly Manuka honey), New Zealand is the main producer of the essential oil.
Traditional Usage
Indigenous Australians collected the leaves and applied them to the skin as a treatment for damaged skin.
Present Day Usage
Manuka essential oil is emerging as an alternative to Tea Tree oil for some applications. It may have more powerful properties than Tea Tree oil.
Typical Chemical Profile of Manuka Essential Oil
alpha-pinene 0.9%
alpha-cubene 3.3%
alpha-copaene 2.7%
beta-elemene 2.3%
caryophyllene 4.5%
iso-ledene 5.8%
beta-seliene 8.9%
alpha-seliene 8.9%
germacrene D 1.1%
delta-cadinene 4.3%
cis calamenene 9.5%
flavesone 1.5%
iso leptospermone 2.7%
leptospermone 5.1%
cubenol 1.9%
intermedol 1.8%
Relative Density @ 20 C: 0.950-0.990
Refractive Index @ 20 C: –
Optical Rotation –