Cubeb EO
Essential Oil Constituents of *Piper cubeba* L. fils. from Indonesia
Description: This is viscous, thick and of a pale green or bluish colour, with a very characteristic scent of pepper plus a note of camphor.
The principal constituents: Cubeb is similar to pepper in its constituents, but has a high percentage of cubebine (40 – 55 per cent); others are amorphous cubebic acid, azulene, camphor, cubebin, dipentene, lineal, pinene and an alcohol which crystallizes when cold.
Dangers: Cubeb oil is often used to adulterate other essentials, and it in tum is often falsified with other oils. This, of course, completely destroys the therapeutic properties. It would be nice to revitalize the interests in cubeb oil, but it would mean that distillers would have to produce an absolutely pure oil. For a long time I have been unable to find a supply on which I can rely 100 per cent. There are, in fact, several cubeb distilleries in India, but the oil is not exported because there is no current demand in the West.
ITS USES
In illness
Cubeb is well worth using on skin rashes and inflammations: combine 50 ml (2 fl oz) almond, 2 drops wheatgerm and 5 drops cubeb. It is also useful for laryngitis, sore throat and other throat infections. Add 3 drops cubeb to a bowl of hot water for use as an inhalation, or cool this down for an antiseptic gargle.
Other uses
Cubeb is not used much as a spice, although in medieval times it was combined with other weird and wonderful sounding spices such as galangale and grains of paradise. It was one of the spices used in the wine cordial called Hippocras. Read more...