Pure Natural Fragrance Oil, Gardenia Oil for Aromatherapy

Most of us know gardenias as the big, white flowers that grow in our gardens or the source of a strong, floral smell that is used to make things like lotions and candles. But did you know that gardenia flowers, roots and leaves also have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Gardenia plants are members of the Rubiaceae plant family and are native to parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands, including China and Japan. Today the ethanol extract of gardenia fruit and flowers is still utilized in many ways in herbal medicine and aromatherapy. There are more than 250 different types of gardenia plants, one of which is called Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, the type primarily used to make Essential Oil.

As you’ll learn much more about, gardenias have been shown to have numerous actions, including serving as a natural antibacterial, analgesic, antifungal, diuretic, antiseptic, detoxicant and antispasmodic. Uses of the oil, supplements and other products include diffusing the oil to fight stress, applying it to your skin to treat wounds and drinking gardenia tea to enhance digestion.

What Is Gardenia?

Depending on the exact species that is used, the products go by many names, including Gardenia jasminoides, Cape Jasmine, Cape Jessamine, Danh Danh, Gardênia, Gardenia augusta, Gardenia florida and Gardenia radicans.

What types of gardenia flowers do people usually grow in their gardens? Examples of common garden varieties include August beauty, Aimee Yashikoa, Kleim’s Hardy, Radians and First love. (1)

The most widely available type of extract that is used for medicinal purposes is gardenia essential oil, which that has numerous uses like fighting infections and tumors. Due to its strong and “seductive” floral smell and ability to promote relaxation, it is also used to make lotions, perfumes, body wash and many other topical applications.

What does the word gardenias mean? It’s believed that historically white gardenia flowers symbolized purity, love, devotion, trust and refinement — which is why they are often still included in wedding bouquets and used as decorations on special occasions. (2) The generic name is said to have been named in honor of Alexander Garden (1730–1791), who was a botanist, zoologist and physician who lived in South Carolina and helped develop the classification of gardenia genus/species.

Gardenia Benefits and Uses

Some of the many uses of gardenia plants and essential oil include treating:

• Fighting free radical damage and formation of tumors, thanks to its antiangiogenic activities (3)
• Infections, including urinary tract and bladder infections
• Insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, obesity, and other risk factors tied to diabetes and heart disease
• Acid reflux, vomiting, gas IBS and other digestive issues
• Depression and anxiety
• Fatigue and brain fog
• Abscesses
• Muscle spasms
• Fever
• Menstrual pains
• Headaches
• Low libido
• Poor milk production in nursing women
• Slow healing wounds
• Liver damage, liver disease and jaundice
• Blood in the urine or bloody stools

What active compounds are responsible for the beneficial effects of gardenia extract?

Studies have found that gardenia contains at least 20 active compounds, including a number of powerful antioxidants. Some of compounds that have been isolated from the edible flowers of wild Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis include benzyl and phenyl acetates, linalool, terpineol, ursolic acid, rutin, stigmasterol, crociniridoids (including coumaroylshanzhiside, butylgardenoside and methoxygenipin) and phenylpropanoid glucosides (such as gardenoside B and geniposide). (4 ,5)

What are the uses of gardenia? Below are some of the many medicinal benefits that the flowers, extract and essential oil have: