Eucalyptus: The Genus Eucalyptus

by John J.W. Coppen (Editor)

Overview

Eucalyptus, a genus of over 800 species, is a multiproduct crop par excellence. Not only is it grown for timber, pulp and fuelwood, but, as the Aborigines discovered thousands of years ago, it has numerous medicinal and aromatic properties. Since the first commercial distillation of eucalyptus oil 150 years ago, a vast array of eucalyptus-based products has entered the marketplace, mainly for pharmaceutical, fragrance and flavor use.
Eucalyptus provides an invaluable reference for all those with an interest in Eucalyptus - in academia and industry alike, for researchers as well as producers, processors, importers and end users - but there are also issues discussed and lessons learned that extend to medicinal and aromatic plants.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415278799
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/25/2002
Series:	Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles Series , #22
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.69(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John J. W. Coppen

Table of Contents

Part 1. General Aspects Part 2. Cultivation and Production of Eucalypts Around the World: With Special Reference to the Leaf Oils. Appendices: Sources of Eucalyptus Seed. Estimates of Eucalypt Plantations Worldwide. Advice to a Prospective New Producer of Eucalyptus Oil or Other Leaf Extractive. Composition of Some Commercially Distilled Eucalyptus Oils. Quality Criteria and Specifications of Eucalyptus Oils. Packaging and Labeling Requirements for the Handling and Transportation of Eucalyptus Oils. Useful Addresses.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Gabay, PharmD (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy)
Description: This is one in a series of books that brings together information on medicinal and aromatic plants from a variety of sources. The book reviews several topics related to the genus eucalyptus including general aspects of the plant, cultivation and production, and biological and end use aspects. Unique elements in this book include in-depth reviews of research involving eucalyptus, concise illustrations, and a variety of appendixes covering topics from sources of eucalyptus seeds to quality criteria for eucalyptus oils.
Purpose: According to the authors, the purpose of this book and the whole series, is to summarize information related to medicinal and aromatic plants from a variety of references in one resource. Each book in the series gives an in-depth review of a single plant genus ranging from production of the plant to market trends and quality control. These are worthy objectives which the authors have met. There are few, if any, books on medicinal and aromatic plants that are as comprehensive for a single plant genus.
Audience: This book is written for anyone with a more specialized interest in, or performs research with, medicinal or aromatic plants. The book itself contains detailed scientific information regarding botany, genetics, chemistry, chemical ecology, and research trends. Eucalyptus is compiled by approximately 30 authors with a broad spectrum of expertise in the area of medicinal and aromatic plants.
Features: Eucalyptus covers a wide spectrum of topics including general botany of the genus, cultivation and production of the plant, formulations, clinical uses, and future research trends. The book is part of a series reviewing medicinal and aromatic plants a genus at a time. The concept behind the book is innovative due to the fact that few books exist bringing together as much useful information regarding a single medicinal plant. Each topic is presented in great detail with useful references, illustrations, and appendices. The appendices include information on sources of eucalyptus seeds, composition of commercially available oils, and packaging and labeling requirements for the oils. The main shortcoming of the book may be its limited range of audience appeal particularly in the Western world where familiarity and use of medicinal plants is still in its infancy.
Assessment: This is a high-quality, well-researched, detailed reference on the genus eucalyptus. For people with a specialized interest in medicinal or aromatic plants, all the books in this series would be viewed as extremely useful. For general clinical use however, practitioners may want to avoid this series of books and purchase a less specialized natural product reference such as the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database..

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