Botanical briefs: ylang-ylang oil--extracts from the tree Cananga odorata.

VOLUME 77, MARCH 2006 149 Clinical Importance/Cutaneous Manifestations Ylang-ylang is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the fragrant flowers of the tree Cananga odorata. In Victorian times, ylang-ylang oil was mixed with coconut oil to create the famous Macassar hair oil, which was used by both men and women to enhance the hair’s luster and to promote its growth. At the turn of the century, ylang-ylang oil was used to treat malaria and other tropical fevers.1,2 Currently, ylang-ylang oil can be found in a vast array of cosmetic products including massage oils, scented candles, soaps, moisturizing creams, and perfumes. The use of ylang-ylang oil also is becoming increasingly common in the growing field of aromatherapy, which is the use of aromatic botanical extracts for medicinal purposes. The purported uses of ylang-ylang extract include the treatment of depression, high blood pressure, and anxiety; additionally, the extract potentially has a relaxing and soothing effect on the skin. Despite ylang-ylang oil’s increasing popularity in the United States, robust evidence of beneficial clinical effects is lacking. Ylang-ylang oil is a known cause of contact dermatitis and has been reported to induce hyperpigmentation, especially on the face.3-7 In one study from Japan, 183 women with cosmetic contact dermatitis were evaluated and patch tested for allergic reactivity; of these patients, 25 (14%) reacted to ylang-ylang oil.6 Larsen et al8 found that greater than 90% of patients with known perfume sensitivity reacted to either Balsam of Peru, a fragrance mix, or both. Three essential oils—sandalwood, narcissus, and ylang-ylang—were detected in almost all the remaining patients who did not react to Botanical Briefs: Ylang-Ylang Oil— Extracts From the Tree Cananga odorata