BOIS DE ROSE OIL
Source: Aniba rosaeodoraDucke (Family
Lauraceae).
Common/vernacular names:Rosewood oil,
cayenne rosewood oil.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Medium-size evergreen tree, growing wild in
the Amazon region, notably Brazil, French
Guiana, Peru, and East Surinam. The essential
oil is obtained from chipped wood by steam
distillation and occasionally water distillation.
Brazil and Peru are the major producers of the
oil; French Guiana is also a producer, produc-
ing cayenne bois de rose oil that is considered
the best quality among the bois de rose oils
(ARCTANDER;MASADA).
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The major component is linalool, which is
present in 90–97% in cayenne bois de rose
oil and 80–90% in Brazilian Oil (MASADA).1,2
The balance is made up of cineole (up to 10%),
a-terpineol, geraniol, citronellal, limonene,
a-pinene, b-pinene, b-elemene, cis- and
trans-linalool oxides, sesquiterpenes, and
others (MASADA).3,4
PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES
Available data indicate acetylated bois de rose
oil to be nontoxic when applied externally.^5
Linalool, the major component of bois de
rose oil, has weak tumor-promoting properties
in mice.6,7It also has been reported to have
anticonvulsant activity in mice and rats, spas-
molytic activity on isolated guinea pig ileum,
antimicrobial properties, and others.^7
USES
Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Used as a source of natural linalool or linalool
acetate, which are extensively used in perfum-
ery. Acetylated bois de rose oil is reportedly
used in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and
perfumes, with maximum use level of 1.2% in
perfumes.^5
Food. Used extensively as a flavor ingredi-
ent in most major categories of foods, ages,
frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods,
gelatins and puddings, meat and meat pro-
ducts, and gravies. Average maximum use
levels aregenerally below 0.003% (24.9 ppm).
COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS
Oil and acetylated oil. Bois de rose is official
in F.C.C.]
Regulatory Status. GRAS (§182.20).
REFERENCES
See the General References forARCTANDER;FEMA;GUENTHER;LIST AND HO€RHAMMER;MA;MCGUFFIN1&2;
UPHOF.
- A. Alpande de Morais et al.,Acta Amazon.,
2 , 41 (1972).
- A. Alpande de Morais et a1.,An. Acad.
Bras. Cienc., 44 (Suppl.) 303 (1972).
- G. Chiurdoglu et al.,Ind. Chim. Belge., 28 ,
636 (1963).
- I. C. Nigam and L. Levi,Perfum. Essent.
Oil Rec., 54 , 814 (1963).
5. D. L. J. Opdyke,Food Cosmet. Toxicol.,
11 , 1039 (1973).
6. F. Homburger and E. Boger,Cancer Res.,
28 , 2372 (1968).
7. D. L. J. Opdyke,Food Cosmet. Toxicol.,
13 , 827 (1975).
106 Bois de rose oil
