Lemon Essential Oil

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Lemon (Citrus limonum) Pure Essential Oil

General Information

 

 

 

Common Name:

Lemon

 

Scientific Name:

 

Citrus limonum

 

Family:

Rutaceae

 

Origin:

Native to Asia, probably east India; it now grows wild in the Mediterranean region especially Spain and Portugal. It is cultivated worldwide in Italy, Sicily, Cyprus, Guinea, Israel, South and North America (California and Florida)

 

Synonyms:

Cedro oil, citrus limon

Essential Oil Properties and Characteristics

A pale greeny-yellow liquid (turning brown with age), with a light, fresh, sweet odour, truly reminiscent of the ripe peel. The oil is composed mostly (up to 70%) of limonene, a monoterpene hydrocarbon.

Origin and History

A small evergreen tree up to 6 metres high with serrated oval leaves, stiff thorns and very fragrant flowers. The fruit turns from green to yellow on ripening. There are about forty-seven varieties which are said to have been developed in cultivation, such as the Java lemon (C. javanica). The lemon is also closely related to the lime, cedrat (or citron) and bergamot.

The juice and peel are widely used as a domestic seasoning. It is very nutritious, being high in Vitamins A, B and C. In Spain and other European countries, lemon is something of a 'cure-all', especially with regard to infectious illness. It was used for fever, such as malaria and typhoid, and employed specifically for scurvy on English ships at sea.

Lemon oil is extensively used in pharmaceuticals as a flavouring agent, and as a fragrance ingredient in soaps, detergents and perfumes.

Method of Extraction

The essential oil of lemon is extracted by cold expression from the outer part of the fresh peel. A terpeneless oil is also produced on a large scale (cedro oil).

Precautions During Use (Contraindications)

Lemon is non-toxic, but may cause dermal irritation or sensitization reactions in some individuals - apply in moderation. Phototoxic - do not use on the skin exposed to direct sunlight.

Therapeutic properties

At a subtle level, Moray compares lemon oil to rose oil. He says that the oil can help to open the heart - by alleviating fears and emotional involvement and of losing oneself in another person. Worwood says that the fragrance of lemon enables our meditations to be deeper and describes the oil as spiritually cleansing.

Other therapeutic properties reported include Analgesic, antispasmodic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulating, sudorific and vermifuge.

Leman essential oil blends well with lavender, neroli, ylang ylang, rose, snadalwood, olibanum, chamomile, benzoin, fennel, geranium, eucalyptus, citronellol, juniperberry, oakmoss, lavindin, elemi, labdanum and other citrus oils.

 

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