Essential Nose Atlas Cedarwood
Cedrus atlantica
Atlas cedarwood is dominated by sesquiterpene ketones known as atlantones (15-20%) alongside cedrol and alpha/beta-cedrene, giving it the warmest, richest, and most balsamic character in the cedarwood family — steam-distilled from the heartwood of Cedrus atlantica in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Inhalation of the essential oil has been shown to activate descending pain-modulation pathways in vivo, producing measurable analgesic effects in a murine postoperative pain model.[1] The oil also exhibits antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains — including E. coli — at concentrations comparable to standard antibiotics in disc-diffusion assays.[2]
- Also Known As
- Atlas Cedar, Moroccan Cedarwood
- Family
- Woody
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Medium
- Extraction
- Steam Distillation
- Plant Parts
- Wood
- Origins
- Morocco, USA, India
- Effect
- Balancing, Calming & Relaxing, Grounding & Centering
- Aroma
- Woody, Dry, Balsamic
- Applications
- Aromatherapy, Perfumery, Skincare, Haircare
- Price
- $$$$Slow-growing Cedrus atlantica in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains yields good-quality oil but trees take decades to mature; sustainable harvesting limits supply and supports a moderate price
References
- [1]Inhalation of Cedrus atlantica essential oil alleviates pain behavior through activation of descending pain modulation pathways in a mouse model of postoperative pain — Martins DF et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015
- [2]Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities and Acute Toxicity of Cedrus atlantica, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Essential Oils — Ez-Zriouli R et al. Molecules, 2023