Cedarwood Oil: Benefits, Uses & Historical Applications

Used for thousands of years for purposes ranging from cosmetic to medicinal, cedar wood oil is used today in alternative medicine for psychological and physical ailments.

Historical Benefits

• Native Americans in New Mexico believed that cedar wood oil contained insect repelling benefits. In ancient Egypt it was also thought to repel insects and was used for the benefit of its spicy scent in cosmetics and perfume as well as for embalming.

Alternative Physical Benefits

• In alternative medicine cedar wood oil is believed to have therapeutic benefits including as an antiseptic, astringent, antispasmodic, antiseborrheic, diuretic, expectorant, emmenagogue, fungicide, insecticide and sedative, according to Esoteric Oils CC and Sallamander Concepts (Pty) Ltd.

Alternative Psychological Benefits

• Psychological benefits of cedar wood oil in alternative medicine include a soothing effect, which benefits people with such conditions such as anxiety and nervous tension. It is also thought to improve mental clarity and sleep.

Insecticide

• In the May 1984 issue of Naturwissenschaften, it was shown that cedar wood oil has an insecticidal benefit, serving to eliminate disease-carrying insects such as mosquitos.

Clearing Agent

• Cedar wood oil is used as a clearing agent in microscopy, in the preparation of specimens for examination.