Кабреува

Botanical source

Cabreuva oil comes from Myrocarpus frondosus, a wild growing tree in Paraguay. The tree is also called ibirá-payé, incienso or cabreúva, and it is found in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The definition of the oil names both Myrocarpus frondosus and Myrocarpus fastigiatus. The genus Myrocarpus belongs to the legume family Fabaceae and holds five species of trees native to tropical South America, from Venezuela to northern Argentina. Typical habitats are wet to seasonally dry tropical lowland forest and woodland. Myrocarpus fastigiatus is another species of the genus. Myrocarpus frondosus is an accepted species name.

The IUCN lists the species as Data Deficient. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Chemistry

The main constituent of the oil is (3S,6E)-(+)-nerolidol, at more than 60%. Nerolidol is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene alcohol with the formula C₁₅H₂₆O. It is also present in neroli, ginger, jasmine, lavender, tea tree, Cannabis sativa and lemon grass. It has pronounced pharmacological properties: antimicrobial, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory.

Nerolidol is also known as peruviol and penetrol, and it is a colourless liquid. Four isomers exist, differing in the geometry about the central double bond and the configuration of the hydroxyl-bearing carbon, but most applications use a mixture of them. Its molar mass is 222.37 g/mol, and it boils at 122 °C at 3 mmHg. Nerolidol is made commercially from geranylacetone, for example by adding a vinyl Grignard reagent, and it serves as a source of farnesol, vitamin E and vitamin K1. The oil of Dalbergia parviflora is another significant source of natural nerolidol.

Identification

Oils with a nerolidol content above 80% have an optical rotation of +2° to +8°.