Ravensara Essential Oil: Uses, Benefits, and Blends

Ravensara essential oil is a powerful anti-microbial, wonderful for first aid when we develop coughs, colds, and skin conditions. But, this is not an essential oil that should be used long term, here we look at how aromatherapists use ravensara essential oils safely and effectively. 

Ravensara essential oil is extracted from the leaves of a tree that grows in Madagascar. Its powerful action made it so desirable, that by the 1990’s deforestation was so rife and the sustainability of the crop was challenged. 

Ravensara Essential Oil Benefits: Component Breakdown

• Limonene - Appears mainly in essential oils that have been expressed from citrus fruit rinds, but also in some conifer resins. It is very good at cleaning things, able to dissolve oily residues, so is often found in cleaning products. In the same way, it has mild effects on thick conditions in the body, like phlegm, and can sometimes be indicated for bronchitis. Limonene also has a vital part to play in the insecticidal actions of trees.  
• Sabinene - Sabinene is a dominant constituent in carrot seed and black pepper essential oils and contributes to the pepper’s spiciness. Sabinene has been studied for its possible uses for soothing skin eruptions, relieving arthritis pain, and digestion complaints. Sabinene is demonstrated to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. 
• Isoledene - May have anti-cancer properties.
• Estragole - Copiously available in many essential oils, estragole has powerful ani oxidant and antimicrobial effects. It has been demonstrated to be anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory and has been shown to be able to alleviate sciatica in rodent models. It seems likely most of estragel’s action arises from its ability to calm exciticity in the sodium channels of cells. However, there are concerns that estragole may also have carcinogenic properties and thus should only be used in small dilutions. 
• B-Caryophyllene - A weak agonist for the CB2 receptor that modulates pain, immunity, and inflammation. Visit our write-up on Copaiba essential oil for more details on that. 
• B-Myrcene - Myrcene has been demonstrated to possess antibiotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects.   
• a-Terpinene - Antioxidant effects and is being researched as a potential anti-cancer agent. 
• a-Pinene - In a scientific study published in Molecules magazine in 2019, Salehi et al. proclaimed a-Pinene and B-Pinene as “A Miracle Gift of Nature”, citing their actions as including antibiotic resistance modulation, anticoagulant, antitumor, antimicrobial, antimalarial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Leishmania, and analgesic effects. 
• Linalool - A component appearing in many essential oils, clinical trials demonstrate linalool to have anti-inflammatory and anti-depressive properties. 

Historical Uses of Ravensara Essential Oil

Pain-relieving for:

• Toothache

• Headaches

• Muscular  and joint pains

• Earache

• Reputed to be anti-allergenic – but I have not used it myself for this

Antispasmodic (especially to the respiratory system):

• Asthma, bronchitis, coughs
• Expectorant – shifts catarrh and mucus
• Also leg spasms, pain in the gut from diarrhea
• Antiviral – so useful for cleaning surfaces and treating colds and tummy  bugs
• Disinfectant
• Diuretic so useful for edema, swelling, bloating
• Rheumatic pain
• Aphrodisiac

Ravensara essential oil vs Ravintsara

Before we go any further, we should address one area of potential confusion, which is that two oils have very similar names and can often be confused. Bizarrely, the confusion probably derives from the fact that the original name for Ravensara derives from the original Malagasy name for Ravintsara which means  “Good Leaf”. As such then, it is more appropriate to refer to Ravensara essential oil as Aromatic Ravensare, more in line with its botanical nomenclature.

The chemistry between the oils is quite different. Ravintsara is predominantly comprised of 1,8 cineole, where Ravensara essential oil has high levels of the powerful antimicrobial agent estragole, however since estragole does have some concerns about high levels being potentially carcinogenic, understanding the difference between the two is vital. 

Ravensara essential oil is easy to use, speedily efficacious but should only be used for small amounts of time in acute cases. 

Best loved of the ravensara essential oils uses must be for colds. Use it as an inhalant. Just a couple of drops in a bowl of hot water, it cuts through blocked-up noses and boldly instructs the immune systems to gear up to fight. 

Blend it with helichrysum essential oil for edema and for swellings. 

It has a mildly aphrodisiac action which could be enhanced by blending it with jasmine absolute or ylang ylang essential oil. 

How To Use Ravensara Essential Oil?

Ravensara is an extremely powerful oil. Use it in a maximum dilution of 1%. (One drop to a teaspoon of carrier). It is too strong an oil to use on children. 

Ravensara Essential Oil Uses: For Wholesale Purposes

Ravensara Essential Oils Uses For Aromatherapists 

Ravensara is often used in pain blends and for fighting infections. It is the perfect addition to any preparations aimed at attacking congestion. 

Ravensara Essential Oils Uses For Soapmakers

What a great oil for men’s blends, especially for sweaty teenage boys!

Ravensara Essential Oil Blends: DIY Recipes

Chesty Cough Cream 

• 20 mL Aqueous Cream 
• 2 drops Ravensara essential oil (Ravensara aromatica) 
• 1 drop Tea tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) 
• 2 drops Hyssop essential oil ( Hyssopus officinalis) 

Method of use: Rub it onto your chest, as often as you remember during symptoms. This way you will be able to build up your levels of essential oils. 

Safety: This blend would not be appropriate for use during pregnancy (Ravensara), or if you suffer from any kind of delusory illness or epilepsy (Hyssop).

Aches, Pains, and Creaky Joints

• 10 mL Grapeseed carrier oil (Vitis vinifera)
• 10 drops Tamanu carrier oil (Calophyllum inophyllum)
• 3 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
• 2 drops Black pepper essential oil (Piper nigrum)
• 1 drop Ravensara essential oil (Ravensara aromatica)

Safety: This blend would not be appropriate for use during pregnancy (Ravensara)

Precautions of Using Ravensara Essential Oil

Tisserand and Young Essential Oil Safety for Health Professionals cite it as carrying a  risk of being carcinogenic in high dilutions based on its estragole content. Otherwise, it is regarded as safe.

Why Choose Vinevida?

At VINEVIDA, we love botanicals and the planet they come from. We believe in stocking the best at affordable prices and supplying to the discerning, which is why we are also members of both the Alliance of International Aromatherapists and the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy.  In recognition of our excellent standard of product, we are proud to hold a 2021 Certificate of Registration as a Cosmetic Products Establishment with the U.S. Drugs and Food Administration.

Our joy at seeing people make beautiful things means we stock from the smallest amounts to the largest. Our wholesale essential oil prices begin with our smallest carrier oil of 120ml to our largest of 396lb, meaning any manufacturing company can afford to stock as many or as few oils their business can accommodate without running the risk of spoilage of some of nature’s most precious commodities. Why not see if you can save money by buying your Ravensara oil in bulk? 

Don’t forget too, we like to look after our customers with reasonable prices and excellent customer service and reward the loyal ones with money off discounts over the year. 

Flash Point

86°C

Conclusion

Why not check out if you qualify for our loyalty scheme and start saving today with an environmentally friendly choice of oil for skin, hair, massage oils, and soapmaking.

Click to add Vinevida Ravensara essential oil to your cart today. 

Safety Data Sheet
Certificate of Analysis
GCMS Analysis
IFRA Statement
Allergen Statement
Safety Sypnosis
GLUTEN FREE STATEMENT
IMPURITIES STATEMENT
GMO STATEMENT
NATURAL STATEMENT
SEWAGE SLUDGE STATEMENT