Manuka Oil Chemistry

Our products contain the fragrant oils of red manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and white manuka ('kanuka') (Kunzea ericoides), native New Zealand tea-trees that are abundant on Arapawa Island.

Manuka products were commonly used by Maori to remedy a wide range of ailments.  Today manuka oil is known for its antibacterial, antifungal, pain relieving, decongestant and muscle relaxing properties. Arapawa Island manuka yields an oil with a particularly sweet and pleasant fragrance.

Manuka oils typically contain 120 or so different compounds. Properties reported in the scientific literature for some of the main compounds are given below.

Alpha-pinene

Skin absorption enhancer. Anti-microbial activity.

Cadinene

Anti-inflammatory activity.

Caryophyllene

Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity. Anti-inflammatory activity. Possible muscle relaxant. Possible anticarcinogenic agent. Anti-histamine activity. Anti-malarial activity reported.

1,8-Cineole

Skin absorption enhancer. Anti-inflammatory in bronchial asthma. Analgesic activity. Kills lice. Anti-bacterial.

Elemene

Possible anti-tumor/tumor preventative activity.

Limonene

Skin absorption enhancer. Lice/flea killer. Potential anti-tumor/tumor preventative properties (undergoing testing for treatment of human mammary cancer).

Linalool

Anti-bacterial activity.

Myrcene

Non-opiate, non-asprin-like peripheral analgesic (pain-reliever). Anti-mutagenic activity.

Selinene

Auto-oxidation products reported as showing antimalarial activity.