Ravintsara Essential Oil: Virtues and Uses

Immuno-stimulating and powerfully antiviral and anti-infectious, Ravintsara essential oil is a vital essential oil to have in your first aid kit.

With a very broad spectrum of action, Ravintsara is recommended for preventing and treating all viral conditions, particularly respiratory diseases such as colds, flu, angina, laryngitis, bronchitis, and rhinopharyngitis. It also treats seasonal gastroenteritis, herpes and shingles, as well as working as a tonic to help to combat extreme fatigue, reinforce immunity and accelerate recovery from an illness or medical treatment.

How to use Ravintsara essential oil

Ravintsara essential oil is very well tolerated, but for children it is imperative to dilute it 50% in a vegetable oil.
Caution: After a few days of use, drug interference may occur.

Modes of application:
- bathing
- oral
- skin application and massage
- dry or wet inhalation
- diffusion

For who is Ravintsara contraindicated for?

Ravintsara essential oil should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, by children under 3 years of age, by people allergic to one of the components (such as limonene or linalool), by asthmatics without the advice of an allergist, by epileptics or by children who have suffered from hyperthermic convulsions.

What are the main properties of Ravintsara

How to fight against physical and mental fatigue using Ravintsara essential oil

Dilute 3 drops of Ravintsara essential oil in 8 drops of Sweet Almond vegetable oil. Massage over the sternum, upper back, wrists and elbow creases 3 times a day, for 10 days. From 7 years+.

How to use Ravintsara essential oil against winter ailments

Strongly anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiviral and immunomodulating, Ravintsara essential oil is ideal for fighting a wide range of infections. It has the ability to prevent the development of bacteria, act against the multiplication of a virus and boost the immune system.

Influenza	MASSAGE: Mix 3 drops of Eucalyptus Globulus EO with 3 drops of Ravintsara EO. Apply to the chest 2-3 times a day for 1 week. Mix 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil and 2 drops of Tea Tree or Linalool Thyme essential oil with 8 drops of Sweet Almond vegetable oil. Massage the mixture into the sternum and upper back 4 times a day for 5 days. From 7 years+. ON THE GO: Mix 30 drops of Ravintsara OR Niaouli essential oil with 5 drops of tea tree essential oil and add to a diffuser. Breathe the aromas in deeply for 10 minutes, 3 times a day. From 7 years+.
Acute bronchitis	Mix 2 drops of Niaouli essential oil and 1 drop of Ravintsara essential oil with 2 drops of a neutral vegetable oil such as Sweet Almond or Hazelnut. Massage the upper back, sternum, and soles of the feet 4 times a day for 6 days. From 7 years+.
Cold snap	Mix 5 drops of Scots Pine essential oil and 5 drops of Ravintsara essential oil with 1 tablespoon of milk powder or a neutral bath base. Pour into a warm bath (no hotter than 37°C) and leave for 15 minutes before bathing. From 12 years+.
Respiratory problems	Massage your child's chest 3 times a day with 5 drops of Ravintsara essential oil diluted in 5 drops of a neutral vegetable oil. From 7 years+.
Viral angina	For children between the ages of 3 and 6 Mix 2 drops of Palmarosa essential oil and 1 drop of Ravintsara essential oil with 10 drops of Sweet Almond vegetable oil. Apply a few drops of the mixture to each side of the neck, 2-3 times a day, for 2-3 days. For children aged 6 and over Mix 2 drops of Palmarosa essential oil and 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil with 3 drops of a neutral oil such as Macadamia. Apply a few drops of the mixture to each side of the neck 3-4 times a day for 2-3 days.
Fever	Mix 10 drops of Wintergreen essential oil, 20 drops of Niaouli essential oil and 20 drops of Ravintsara essential oil. Dilute 4 drops of this mixture in 2 drops of a neutral vegetable oil such as Macadamia. Apply to the chest and upper back 4 times a day for 3 days. Not suitable for children under ten years of age, nor for people with a history of convulsions or hyperthermic seizures. From 12 years+.
Decongestant	Mix 1 drop of Tea Tree essential oil, 1 drop of Niaouli essential oil and 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil. Apply this mixture to the frontal sinuses, 2cm above the eyebrows, 3-4 times a day.

Discover other recipes to relieve and heal an ear infection naturally in our advice on winter ailments.

How to use Ravintsara essential oil to strengthen your natural defences and immune system

The immune system is the set of biological reactions that facilitate the defence of the body against aggressions, such as infections, viruses and tumours, etc. Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Radiata, Niaouli and Ravintsara essential oils are extremely effective in strengthening those reactions. 

Skin application

Pure application:  Put 2-3 drops of Ravintsara essential oil in the palm of your hand and rub it into the sole of each foot every morning for 1-2 weeks. From 7 years+. Diluted application: Mix 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil, 2 drops of Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil and 10 drops of Macadamia vegetable oil. Massage into the back of the neck, the chest, and the inside of the wrists twice a day, for up to 7 days each month, from October to March. From 7 years+.

Skin application

Mix 5 drops of Ravintsara essential oil, 3 drops of Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil and 10 drops of Macadamia vegetable oil. Massage into the back of the neck, the chest, and the inside of the wrists twice a day, for up to 7 days each month, from October to March. From 15 years+.

How to use Ravintsara essential oil in case of an epidemic

For the prevention of epidemics:

Skin application:

Mix 1 drop of Tea Tree essential oil and 1 drop of Eucalyptus Radiata OR Ravintsara essential oil with a small amount of Shea Butter. Apply a small amount of the mixture to the base of the nostrils 3 times a day during a viral epidemic. From 7 years+.

Diffusion:

Diffuse one of the following essential oil blends at home:

• 5 drops of Rosewood essential oil, 5 drops of Niaouli essential oil and 10 drops of Ravintsara essential oil
• 10 drops of Lemon essential oil, 20 drops of Ravintsara essential oil and 5 drops of Siberian Fir, Scots Pine OR Black Spruce essential oil

How to use Ravintsara essential oil against diarrhoea and gastroenteritis

Diarrhoea occurs when the intestinal transit is accelerated, and results in liquid stools. The most common form of diarrhoea is the so-called "gastro", which is of viral origin.

For children aged 3 to 7:
Using 1 drop of Ravintsara essential oil diluted in 2 drops of Sweet Almond vegetable oil, massage the abdomen in a clockwise direction each morning and evening, for the duration of the symptoms, without forgetting to moisturise the child’s skin after application.

Caution: Ravintsara essential oil is contraindicated in cases of epilepsy and hyperthermic convulsions. In these cases, it can be replaced by Tea Tree oil.

For children aged 3 and over:
Dilute 1 drop of Ravintsara essential oil and 1 drop of Linalool Thyme essential oil with 4 drops of a neutral vegetable oil such as sweet almond oil or hazelnut oil. Massage them in a clockwise direction into the child's abdomen, twice a day.

How can I purify the air inside my home using Ravintsara essential oil?

Diffusion (From 7 years+)

• Mix Lemon, Rose Geranium and Ravintsara essential oils in a diffuser in equal parts. Diffuse 3 times a day for 15 minutes at a time.
• Mix 10-20 drops of Siberian Fir essential oil and Ravintsara essential oil, diffuse 3 times a day for 15 minutes at a time.
• Mix 15 drops of Ravintsara essential oil, 2 drops of Geranium essential oil and 5 drops of Lemon essential oil and diffuse for 15 minutes.
• Leave a bowl with ceramic pebbles or small pieces of wood (or cotton) soaked in a few drops of Scots Pine, Siberian Fir, Eucalyptus Radiata or Cypress essential oil.

How to soothe spasms with Ravintsara essential oil

Spasms are the involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle, or group of muscles. Some oils, such as Ravintsara essential oil, are powerfully antispasmodic.

Mix 3 drops of True Lavender essential oil, 3 drops of Petit Grain Bigarade essential oil and 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil with 5 drops of a neutral vegetable oil, such as Macadamia or Hazelnut. Massage this mixture into the sternum, solar plexus and wrists. From 7 years+.

How to use Ravintsara essential oil for skin lesions

For the treatment of Zona	Mix 2 drops of Tea Tree essential oil, 2 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil and 2 drops of Ravintsara essential oil. Apply this mixture to the lesions 6-7 times a day. Adults only.
For the treatment of Herpes labialis	Apply 1 drop of pure Ravintsara essential oil to the fever blister 6-7 times a day until it heals.

Disclaimer: This article is intended as a guide and is not a substitute for the advice of a physician, pharmacist or other health care professional.
For any therapeutic use, consult a doctor or a pharmacist. Refer carefully to the contraindications and precautions for use of each essential oil. In case of doubt, consult a health professional.

Sources: Extracts from the books "Aromatherapia, tout sur les huiles essentielles" and "HUILES ESSENTIELLES, HUILES VÉGÉTALES & HYDROLATS : Mes indispensables", by Isabelle Pacchioni, published by Aroma Thera.