Table 3.
Safety summary for essential oils derived from Eucalyptus spp. and Mentha x piperita.
| Eucalyptus spp. (high cineole content) | Mentha x piperita | References | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazards | Essential oils rich in 1,8-cineole can cause problems with breathing and in the central nervous system in young children. | Choleretic, mucous membrane irritation (low risk). | Liedtke and Heller, 2007; Tisserand and Young, 2013 |
| Contraindications | Oral: inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and bile ducts, and severe liver disease (Commission E). Topical: do not apply to or near the face of infants or children under ten years of age. (Tisserand & Young 2014). |
All routes of administration: cardiac fibrillation (low-quality studies), G6PD deficiency. Oral: cholestasis, gastroesophageal reflux disease. Topical: do not apply to or near the face of infants or children. |
Liedtke and Heller, 2007; Tisserand and Young, 2013; Blumenthal et al., 1999 |
| Maximum adult daily oral dose | 600 mg (Commission E). | 152 mg | Tisserand and Young, 2013; Blumenthal et al., 1999 |
| Maximum dermal use level | 20 % (Commission E). | 5.4 % | Tisserand and Young, 2013; Blumenthal et al., 1999 |
| State regulations |
Canada: it is recommended not to use at a concentration of more than 25% in cosmetic products. Australia: “Schedule 6” poison, with “a moderate potential for causing harm, the extent of which can be reduced through the use of distinctive packaging with strong warnings and safety directions on the label”. |
USA: GRAS status. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded that peppermint essential oil is safe when used in cosmetic formulations, as long as the pulegone content of the essential oil does not exceed 1.0%. EU: The CEFS of the Council of Europe has set a group TDI for menthofuran and pulegone of 0.1 mg/kg bw. Germany (Commission E): it allows 5–20% in oily and semisolid preparations, 5–10% in aqueous-alcoholic preparations, 1–5% in nasal ointments and 6–12 drops (or 0.6 mL in enterically coated capsules) as an average daily oral dose. |
Tisserand and Young, 2013; Blumenthal et al., 1999; Nair, 2001b; Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist |