Mandarin fruit was a traditional gift to the Mandarins of China, the scholar-bureaucrats that ran the imperial government. Mandarin trees were introduced to Europe in the 18th century, and the French were the first group to use mandarin oil to treat the elderly as well as children who were experiencing digestive issues.
Americans began cultivating mandarin trees shortly after the Europeans, and the varietal known as the tangerine became popular in many regions. The tangerine trees in the US and Europe produced fruit than was rounder and more yellow in color than the Asian mandarin, but tangerine oil and mandarin oil have the same therapeutic uses in aromatherapy.
The principle use of mandarin oil is to treat liver and digestive disorders as well as treat indigestion and intestinal issues. The oil is also used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia (and may be blended into Roman chamomile for the same purpose to and to reduce the chamomile’s intensity), mood swings, stress, oily skin, acne, and stretch marks. Mandarin may be used during pregnancy, and is often used on children who have the hiccups or an upset stomach.
Mandarin oil is especially effective when it is combined with sunflower oil for skin issues, and it may also be used with lavender, neroli, almond, and wheat germ oil to help prevent stretch marks (almost as well as helichrysum). When mandarin essential oil is combined with other citrus oils it helps calm the intestines. Thanks to the antiseptic, carminative, digestive, anti-spasmodic diuretic, laxative, sedative, and stimulant properties of the oil, its major application is in treating liver and stomach troubles.
The fresh sweet orange aroma of this essential oil also blends well with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Mandarin oil contains myrcene, limonene, linalool, alpha-pinene, ß-pinene, y-terpinolene, camphene, sabinene citronellal, terpineol-4-ol, geranial and nerol, and those constituents help promote a finely textured skin by encouraging the growth of new skin cells. The oil may cause a phototoxic reaction if the skin to which it has been applied is exposed to the sun for an extended period of time.
The chemical compounds found in limonene increase the quantity of liver enzymes that detoxify free radicals and the carcinogens that invaded the liver. Some studies indicate that limonene reduce mammary tumor growth. Linalool can also have a positive impact on liver functions by decreasing the viability of HepG2 cell line, which creates liver cancer. Linalool actually stops these cells from replicating.
Those two constituents as well as the others, play a significant role in preventing liver abnormalities, which allows the digestive and intestinal systems as well as all the other body systems to function effectively. Mandarin oil may not be the first essential oil on your list, but if your liver or intestinal system could use some support, you may want to seriously consider adding it to your medical cabinet.
