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General info
Ylang ylang means
"flowers of flowers."
A variety, Cangana odorata macrophyllka (Cannagium odoratum macrophylla)
yields Cananga oil, also used in the manufacture of cosmetics and soap,
flavoring of foods as gelatins and puddings.
Botany
Tree growing 10-30
meters, with pendulous branches, with drooping, leafy twigs. Flowers
are fragrant, axillary, in umbellate hanging clusters, with three sepals
and seix petals, twisted when young and drooping when mature. Leaves
are dark green, up to 20 cm in length, alternate, simple, entire. Fruit
is black in color, 1.5-2 cm in length, in axillary clusters, fleshy
and olive-like, with six to 12 seeds in each fruit.
Properties
and constituents
• Sedative,
antidepressant, and nervous system tonic.
• The oil extracted from fresh flowers has a floral fragrance.
• Fractionation of essential oil isolated 17 compounds. From the
volatile, oxygenated and hydrocarbon fractions, 52 compounds were identified,
among them: (alpha)-cedrene, (alpha)-amorphene, (gamma)-gisabolene and
cadinols.
• From the leaves and branches, two unusual lactones were isolated:
one already known, isosiphonodin; and the other, canangone, a new terpenoid
spirolactone.
Distribution
Cultivated for ornamental
purposes.
Parts
used
Flowers, bark..
The oil is distilled from freshly harvested flowers.
Uses
Folkloric
Oil Used for a variety
of infectious and skin diseases, acne and scalp conditions.
Sedative and antidepressant.
Reduces sebum in oily skin.
Use for insect bite.
Thought to decrease blood pressure.
Others
• Oil is used as
a fragrance for cosmetics (1% in perfumes), soaps, shampoos, creams
and lotions.
• Oil also used as flavoring agent for beverages, ice cream, candies
and baked goods.
• Also
regarded as an aphrodisiac. In some Asian countries, the flowers are
laid out in matrimonial beds.
• An ingredient
in motion sickness medicine, MotionEaze.
• Essential oil used in aromatherapy.
Studies
• Cytotoxic
/ Anticancer: Cytotoxic constituents
of the Fruits of Cananga odorata:
A new guaipyridine sesquiterpene alkaloid, cananodine, and two new eudesmane
sesqiuiterpenes were isolated from the fruits of CO and were evalutated
for cytotoxicity against two human hepatocarcinoma cell lines.
• Antibacterial and cytotoxic compounds
from the bark of Cananga odorata: Isolated compounds
from the bark showed antibacterial activities, as well as antifungal
and cytotoxic activities.
• Relaxing effect of ylang ylang
oil on humans after transdermal absorption: Study showed
post absorption decrease in blood pressure and an increase in skin temperature.
The relaxing effects provide some evidence for the use of oil in aromatherapy
such as causing relief of depression and stress in humans.
• Antifertility
/ spermatotoxic: The study of ethanol
extract of Cananga odorata possesses antifertility effects with statistically
significant alterations in sperm morphology as well as activity of HMG
CoA reductase and G6PD activities and serum testosterone.
Safety
Probably safe
in the amount found in foods.
No known interactions with herbs and other dietary supplements.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated for ornamental use.
Essentials oils from the cybermarket.
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