Boldo Essential Oil

Botanical Nomenclature: Peumus boldus
Extraction Method: Distillation

Boldo essential oil is distilled from the leaves of Peumus boldus, a small tree that grows wild in parts of South America. Indigenous people in the Andes Mountains have used boldo medicinally for years.

Characteristics of Boldo Oil

Boldo oil is yellow in color and, like most other distilled oils, thin. It has a strong spicy scent. George Burdock, of Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, describes the scent has "similar to melissa".

Psychological Aromatherapy

Though various preparations of boldo have been used or centuries, today's aromatherapists agree that essential oil of boldo should not be used in aromatherapy, due to its ascaridole content.

Traditional Uses for Boldo Oil

Though there's little evidence that an essential oil of boldo was ever used medicinally, various cultures in its native South America used other boldo preprations (especially infusions) for infections, arthritis and even liver and gall bladder disorders.

Perhaps boldo was best-known as a treatment for gonorrhoea. It was extensively used for inflammation of the genitals and urinary tract.

Serious Medical Studies on Boldo Oil

In preparation for this article, we could find no scientific studies on the use of boldo oil for any medical condition.

Safety Issues

Boldo is not considered safe for aromatherapy--at least by most popular aromatherapy authors--mainly due to its ascaridole content. Like most other essential oils, boldo hasn't been exhaustively studied.

References:

Battaglia, S. (2005). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy.

Burdock, G. (2004). Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients.

Vogel, H. (1999). Studies of Genetic Variation of Essential Oil and Alkaloid Content in Boldo (Peumus boldus).

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