Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora)
Ravintsara is a Madagascar-grown chemotype of the camphor tree, valued for a fresh, eucalyptus-like aroma in respiratory-season blends.
How to use it
Add to fall and winter rotations, often with lemon or peppermint for a bracing lift.
A common addition to massage blends, diluted 2–4% in a carrier oil.
Safety in detail
- Max dermal use
- Dilute in a carrier oil for skin
- Phototoxic
- No
- Cineole-rich: avoid applying near the face or nose of infants and young children.
- Confirm you have the cineole chemotype (ravintsara), not the camphor-type of the same species, which needs more caution.
- Not phototoxic. Keep out of reach of children.
Sources: JEOR study (2004)
Composition & chemistry
Aggregated from 16 GC-MS samples across 8 peer-reviewed open-access studies (2019–2025). Figures are the distribution across those samples — median with interquartile range — not a single reading.
- Oxygenated monoterpene 72.1%
- Monoterpene hydrocarbon 18.5%
- Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 4.9%
- Oxygenated sesquiterpene 2.3%
- Unclassified 2.2%
| Constituent | Median | Typical range | Max | Detected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| linalool ↗ C10H18O | 26.3% | 0.9–60.7% | 88.0% | |
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| 1,8-cineole ↗ C10H18O | 22.1% | 0.3–39.1% | 53.5% | |
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| α-terpineol ↗ C10H18O | 4.7% | 0.4–9.4% | 17.8% | |
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| α-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 4.3% | 0.3–8.4% | 13.2% | |
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| β-caryophyllene ↗ C15H24 | 2.3% | 1.5–2.9% | 7.6% | |
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| bicyclogermacrene ↗ C15H24 | 2.1% | 1.1–2.1% | 2.1% | |
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| camphor ↗ C10H16O | 1.4% | 1.1–3.4% | 5.3% | |
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| myrcene ↗ C10H16 | 1.3% | 0.7–2.9% | 4.6% | |
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| γ-terpinene ↗ C10H16 | 1.3% | 1.3–2.1% | 5.0% | |
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| β-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 1.1% | 1.1–3.5% | 3.7% | |
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| α-humulene ↗ C15H24 | 1.0% | 0.8–1.2% | 1.5% | |
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| limonene ↗ C10H16 | 0.6% | 0.3–5.5% | 25.0% | |
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+ 59 more compounds reported across the dataset.
8 peer-reviewed sources behind these figures
- Zhang T, Zheng Y, Fu C, Yang H, Liu X, Qiu F, Wang X, Wang Z. (2023). Chemical Variation and Environmental Influence on Essential Oil of Cinnamomum camphora. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Ling Q, Zhang B, Wang Y, Xiao Z, Hou J, Xiao C, Liu Y, Jin Z. (2022). Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of the Essential Oils of Citral-Rich Chemotype Cinnamomum camphora and Cinnamomum bodinieri. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Xiao S, Yu H, Guo Y, Cheng Y, Yao W. (2025). The Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> chvar. <i>Borneol</i> Essential Oil In Vitro. Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- Hou J, Zhang J, Zhang B, Jin X, Zhang H, Jin Z. (2020). Transcriptional Analysis of Metabolic Pathways and Regulatory Mechanisms of Essential Oil Biosynthesis in the Leaves of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl. Frontiers in genetics.
- EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Fašmon Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F, Ramos F, Sanz Y, Edoardo Villa R, Woutersen R, Brantom P, Chesson A, Westendorf J, Manini P, Pizzo F, Dusemund B. (2022). Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil from Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl (camphor white oil) for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl). EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority.
- Bottoni M, Milani F, Mozzo M, Radice Kolloffel DA, Papini A, Fratini F, Maggi F, Santagostini L. (2021). Sub-Tissue Localization of Phytochemicals in Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl. Growing in Northern Italy. Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- Xu Y, Qin J, Wang P, Li Q, Yu S, Zhang Y, Wang Y. (2020). Chemical composition and larvicidal activities of essential oil of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) leaf against Anopheles stephensi. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical.
- Wang W, Li D, Huang X, Yang H, Qiu Z, Zou L, Liang Q, Shi Y, Wu Y, Wu S, Yang C, Li Y. (2019). Study on Antibacterial and Quorum-Sensing Inhibition Activities of Cinnamomum camphora Leaf Essential Oil. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
Every figure above traces to a named table in one of these open-access papers. How this was built →
- 1,8-Cineole (eucalyptol) — the dominant constituent; gives ravintsara its fresh, camphoraceous, clearing character JEOR study (2004)
Grown in Madagascar, ravintsara smells nothing like true camphor despite sharing its botanical name.
What the research says
An honest read of the published research — what has actually been studied, at what stage. Not medical advice or a promise of results.
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Ravintsara is a 1,8-cineole-rich oil, chemistry it shares with eucalyptus, often used aromatically for a fresh, clearing effect. Specific therapeutic uses remain traditional and preliminary.
JEOR study (2004)
Evidence & sources
Peer-reviewed research on Ravintsara's chemistry and safety. These describe composition and documented effects — not health or treatment claims.
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Ravintsara (the cineole chemotype of Cinnamomum camphora) is dominated by 1,8-cineole — the same fresh, clearing constituent that defines eucalyptus.
JEOR study (2004)
Frequently asked questions
Is ravintsara the same as ravensara?
No — this is a common and important mix-up. Ravintsara is Cinnamomum camphora (cineole chemotype); ravensara is Ravensara aromatica, a different plant with different chemistry. Check the botanical name. JEOR study (2004)
Is ravintsara safe around children?
It's cineole-rich, like eucalyptus, so avoid applying it near the faces or noses of infants and young children. Diffuse in a ventilated room and keep it out of their reach. JEOR study (2004)
Is ravintsara phototoxic?
No — it isn't phototoxic. The main precaution is its cineole content around young children, not sun exposure.
Gallery
The Tree
Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora) comes from the same species as the camphor tree, but the trees grown in Madagascar’s tropical climate develop a very different internal chemistry than their East Asian relatives — heavy in 1,8-cineole rather than camphor. That single difference in chemotype is what makes ravintsara smell and behave nothing like true camphor oil, despite sharing a botanical name and a genus.
Extraction & Aroma
The oil is steam-distilled from the leaves, producing a fresh, slightly sweet aroma that sits close to eucalyptus — bright and camphoraceous without eucalyptus’s sharper medicinal edge. It’s one of the more approachable oils in the “respiratory” family, gentle enough that many people diffuse it daily during colder months.
Traditional & Everyday Uses
Madagascar has a long tradition of using ravintsara leaves in local herbal practice, and the essential oil industry adopted it more recently as European and American aromatherapists sought a milder alternative to camphor and eucalyptus. Today it’s a favorite in fall and winter diffuser rotations, often paired with lemon or peppermint for a bracing, uplifting combination during the darker months, and it shows up in massage blends meant for tired travelers or anyone easing into a slower season.
What Pairs Well
Ravintsara blends naturally with other respiratory-leaning oils — eucalyptus, peppermint, and pine — as well as with citrus oils like lemon and orange, which brighten its slightly sweet base note.
Safety Note
As with any camphor-family oil, avoid use directly under the nose of infants and young children, and dilute to 2–4% in a carrier oil for chest or back application on adults.
Note on Naming
Don’t confuse ravintsara with true camphor oil (or with ravensara, a different Madagascar plant entirely) — the naming overlaps are a common source of confusion when comparing products across brands.
Found in these blends
Ravintsara is one of the oils inside 2 Young Living blends.