GENERAL DESCRIPTION
There are several cedarwood oils with differ-
ent physical and chemical properties. They are
often referred to in the literature simply as
cedarwood oil. The most common ones, ce-
darwood oil Virginia, cedarwood oil Texas,
and cedarwood oil Atlas, are derived from
J.virginiana,J.mexicana, andC.atlantica,
respectively. Others such as cedarwood oil
Himalaya, cedarwood oil East Africa, and
cedarwood oil Japanese are obtained from
other conifers (ARCTANDER).Juniperus ashei
Buchh. is also used as a source of cedarwood
oil; other species (e.g.,J.erythrocarpaCory
andJ.scopulorumSarg.) containing high oil
content are potential sources.^1
Cedarwood oil Virginia is obtained by
steam distillation of the wood (sawdust, shav-
ings,andotherlumberwastes)ofJ.virginiana,
commonly known as red cedar, eastern red
cedar, and savin, which is a tree up to about
33 m high growing in North America east of
the Rocky Mountains. The tree has many cul-
tivatedvarieties.Thisoilisprimarilyproduced
in the United States and is most commonly
referred to as cedarwood oil or cedar oil; it has
a sweet ‘‘pencil wood’’ and balsamic odor.
Cedarwood oil Texas is prepared by steam
distillation of the wood (shavings, etc.) of
J.mexicana, which is a small tree up to about
6 m high growing in mountains of southwest-
ern United States, Mexico, and Central Amer-
ica. The oil is produced in Texas; it has an odor
similar to that of Virginia cedarwood oil.
Cedarwood oil Atlas is obtained by steam
distillation of the wood ofC.atlantica, which
is a pyramidal tree closely related to the pines
up to about 40 m high and growing in the
Atlas Mountains of Algeria. This oil is pro-
duced primarily in Morocco; it has different
odor characteristics than the Virginian and
Texan oils.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Cedarwood oil Virginia contains mainly
a-andb-cedrene (ca. 80%), cedrol (3–14%),
and cedrenol. Other sesquiterpenes present
include thujopsene, b-elemene, caryophyl-
lene, cuparene, a-acoradiene (‘‘acorene’’),
and others. Monoterpenes are also present
(mostly sabinene and sabinyl acetate)
(MASADA).2–8
Cedarwood oil Texas contains similar ma-
jor constituents as cedarwood oil Virginia
(ARCTANDER;KARRER).3,5,9
Cedarwood oil Atlas contains as its major
odoriferous componentsa- andg-atlantone.
Other constituents include acetone,a-ionone,
anda-caryophyllene, among others.10–12PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIESOil ofCedrus atlanticainhibited thegrowth of
Candida albicans in vitro^13 and has shown
molluscicidal activity.^14
Exposure to cedrol evaporated in the air
produced sedative effects in mice and rats. In
rats, cedrol exposure also caused a significant
prolongation of sleeping time.^15
Humans exposed to cedrol fumes showed
significant decreases in heart rate,diastolic and
systolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate.
Tests indicted that cedrol inhalation also
caused a reduction in sympathetic and an
increase in parasympathetic nervous system
activity, results supporting the alleged relaxant
effect of cedar oil.^16 In addition, a decrease in
nonrapid eye movement sleep latency was
found in humans exposed to cedar essence.^17TOXICOLOGYCedarwood oil, most likely Virginia, showed
tumor-inducing properties on mouse skin.^18
Cedarwood oil (Virginia and/or Texas)
is reported to have slight local allergenic
(acute and chronic) and acute local irritant
properties (SAX).^19 However, other dermato-
logical data indicate that cedarwood oils
(Virginia, Texas, and Atlas) are generally
nontoxic.6,9,12Cedarwood oil 163