GRAPEFRUIT ESSENTIAL OIL

By Jeanne Rose ~ 2019

Synopsis ~ Grapefruit EO & Plant ~ A complete description, country of origin, characteristics, skin care, formulas and recipes on how to use this oil as well as facts and fantasies not yet known.

Common Name/Latin Binomial ~ Grapefruit is Citrus paradisi, Citrus x aurantium (2015), sometimes called Citrus medica.

Other Common Name/Naming Information ~ The Grapefruit group of citrus originates from a back cross of C. paradisi with a female of C. maxima and a more up-to-date Latin binomial is Citrus x aurantium. Citrus maxima (Citrus grandis), the Pomelo, is a parent of our essential oil producing Grapefruit but is not used itself for EO production.

Family ~ Rutaceae, the Citrus family

Origins: South Africa, USA, Iran, Brazil, and Israel.  Grapefruit originated in China or maybe the West Indies. Disputed history shows “careful search has not found it a native of the Olde Worlde”⁵.

Eden Botanicals Harvest Location ~ The white Grapefruit and pink Grapefruit fruit are harvested in the USA while the ruby red Grapefruit is harvested in Israel.

General description of Plant habitat and growth ~ Grapefruit is a small tree with dark, evergreen leaves and large, creamy white flowers and large, yellow or pinkish fruits that ripen from December to March.          

Grapefruit has a thick rind and large sections. Its skin called the flavedo is thick, firm, and fragrant; the pulp is white to red in color and acidic. Grapefruit trees produce the best quality fruit on sandy, relatively fertile soils in a warm humid climate. Supplementary fertilization is necessary in practically all producing areas. The trees come into bearing early and should produce commercially profitable crops by the fourth to sixth year after they are planted in the orchard. Mature trees may produce remarkably large crops—585 to 675 kg (1,290 to 1,490 pounds) of fruit per tree. Grapefruit consists of flavedo (outer layer with essential oil glands), albedo (white inner rind) and oval-shaped meat.²

Endangered or Not ~ Not currently.

Portion of plant used in distillation, how distilled, extraction methods and yields ~ The oil is located deep within the flavedo of the peel and is thick. The Grapefruit does not produce large quantities of oil because of this thickness from the flavedo. The fresh peel is cold-pressed and contains up to 90% limonene.

            Yield – 0.5-1.0%

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Grapefruit ~ Organoleptic Characteristics of EO of Grapefruit

Color of EO	Almost colorless for white Grapefruit; yellow color for pink Grapefruit and dark yellow for ruby red Grapefruit
Clarity	Clear
Viscosity	Non-Viscous and like water
Taste	Bitter, sour (tastes like the tart, bitter rind of a Grapefruit with white, rough, ridged and pebbly skin.)
Intensity of Odor 1-10 with 1= lowest	4

Odor Description/ Aroma Assessment ~ Grapefruit Oil
            “The peel of (Citrus paradisi Macfaden) or Grapefruit oil is cold pressed.  The fresh, fruity top-note is due to p-menth-1-en-8-thiol.  This component is present only in very low amounts.  Grapefruit oil is sesquiterpene rich, which is unusual in citrus oils.  Nootkatone is mainly responsible for the odor of the Grapefruit and contributes to the bitter flavor of the juice.  Linaloöl oxides, is in many essential oils, and constitute the second most important class of compounds.  Also found in the essential oil is epoxycaryophyllene, first found in Verbena oil, possesses a pleasant woody, balsamic odor. “(Scent & Fragrance by Gunther Ohloff)³

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GENERAL PROPERTIES

GRAPEFRUIT fruit and EO is for both IG=ingestion or IN=inhalation or AP=application. We eat Grapefruit as food and take it as a tonic for the gall bladder. EO of pink grapefruit is sweet, warming while the white grapefruit is tart, and cooling. We use this oil as an astringent externally for skin and hair de-greaser, and inhaled for refreshment, and as a spray to disinfectant a room.

            INGESTION – The juice of Grapefruit is a popular food source especially for breakfast and is effective in controlling sugar metabolism and as a slimming aid. It is a tonic for the gall bladder, and it is digestive, antioxidant and depurative. Studies have shown the pink and red varieties of Grapefruit contain higher amounts of antioxidants than the yellow or white kind.

            *If you take statins or heart medication, confer with your doctor before you eat Grapefruit or drink the juice.  There are several medications that are problematic.

            PHYSICAL USES & HOW USED (IG or AP) – Externally, Grapefruit oil in a blend alleviates muscle fatigue and stiffness. I use it in a facial toner for its astringency, or on acne, as it stimulates lifeless skin. Apply Grapefruit oil neat as a treatment for herpes, in applications on the body as it can aids in cellulite reduction, and fluid retention, and use it as a disinfectant.

            Application ~ Astringent, antiseptic, depurative, and anti-infectious. Do not use Grapefruit oil or any citrus oil in your bath as it will burn upon contact with your lady parts. Remember essential oils float in water, and when you step into the tub, the floating oils come into contact to whatever parts of your skin they touch first. Read other citrus oils and Lemon at https://jeanne-blog.com/lemon-oil/

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SKINCARE FORMULA

Grapefruit & Elemi Skin Cream for Oily Skin
I like to make a simple skin cream with a few simple ingredients.
Start with ½ cup Avocado butter or Coconut oil and then add
Add 1 oz (by volume) of Marula or Argan oil. Now you will want to
Add 5 drops Grapefruit Oil and 5 drops Elemi Oil and
Add a small scoop (1 T.) of Aloe Vera pulp (no peel)
And blend with a hand blender.
That’s it! Use once a day after cleansing.
Keep refrigerated.

DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ Add to your blends for inhalation for uses as a tonic, restorative, and antidepressant.

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            EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC USE ~ Inhaled, Grapefruit oil may relieve hangovers, headaches, mental exhaustion, anxiety and depression, and used externally or by inhalation in a blend for menstrual difficulties, such as PMS and menopause.  The scent is very uplifting and antiseptic and makes for a great air freshener.

            Grapefruit along with other citrus is for the 3^rd Chakra, the spleen area, it vibrates in yellow and the complementary stone is citrine. It is uplifting and calming as well.

            Formula for Tattered Nerves. Use equal amounts of Bergamot, Grapefruit (white or pink) and Lemon, about 30 drops of each and to the final formula add 1 drop of Nutmeg. Succuss and apply to a hanky from which you will inhale as needed.

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            YOGA PRACTICE ~ Tricia Cruz has a yoga practice and uses essential oils for various purpose. One of her blends called “Clean and Clear” contains Pink Grapefruit/Rosemary (Citrus paradisi/Rosmarinus officinalis). She sprinkles this on her towel to improve focus and clarity in her practice.

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HERBAL USES OF GRAPEFRUIT

Citrus Vinegar – An Herbal-Home Remedy
for Cleaning and Mold Removal.

I have been making this vinegar for housecleaning for over 30 years. I have written about it in my Herbal Studies Course, online and in articles. In 1990, I had to clean the smelly walls of a home where someone had lived for 30 years without repainting or cleaning. They had a septic system and rather than using toxic chemicals, I used only Citrus Grapefruit Vinegar with Rosemary Hydrosol. The walls came clean, the septic system was undamaged, and the place took on a fresh and clean odor.

TO MAKE: Purchase a gallon of the cheapest white vinegar (best to buy in glass). As you eat lemons, oranges and especially grapefruit, use only the peel (flavedo) and roll the peels up and put into the vinegar bottle. Your vinegar will get the added benefits of the antibacterial citrus peels as well as the clean citrus fragrance. It is good to start with the peel of one Grapefruit, one Orange and one Lemon – but anything will do. Try to remove as much albedo (white underside of peel) as you can. When the vinegar is all gone, the bottle will be full of peels and you can just discard them in your compost pile and recycle the bottle. You can also add 16 oz. of water to the now empty citrus/vinegar bottle and make a spray to clean small surfaces.

I use this Citrus vinegar to clean all surfaces, stoves, porcelain, wood floors, wood chopping tables, dusty woodwork, door knobs, etc. This will clean and kill mold in your bathroom, basement, attic and other closed places. It will deodorize and kill any bad odor.

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You can also make a good cleanser and deodorizer by wiping the porcelain surfaces with baking soda and then adding the vinegar from your Citrus Vinegar bottle.  You can keep drains clear by using baking soda and vinegar. Every two weeks pour 1-2 cups baking soda down all the drains and follow with 1 cup of plain white or citrus vinegar. Follow 2 hours later by pouring 2 quarts of boiling water down the drain.  It will fizz, bubble, and keep the drains funk free and smelling good.

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Grapefruit Seed Extract – Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) or citrus seed extract is a supplement made from the seeds and pulp of grapefruit. It’s rich in essential oils and antioxidants and has been thought to have a variety of potential health benefits. It may be a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, disinfectant and preservative. It is used to promote the healing of almost any atypical skin condition.  This product does not work as some hav claim. Other experts suggest that you used 10% alcohol (95% neutral grain spirits) for preservation.      There is an excellent article about Grapefruit Seed Extract at “Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained. (PMID:10399191)”. It states that 6 commercially available grapefruit seed extracts were tested; 3 also contained triclosan and methyl paraben; only one of the extracts were found to contain NO preservative agent and no antimicrobial activity could be detected; that the “antimicrobial activity being attributed to grapefruit seed extract is merely due to the synthetic preservative agents contained within. Natural products with antimicrobial activity do not appear to be present”.⁶

Physiochemical Properties ~ Solubility ~ Grapefruit EOis incompletely soluble in 90% alcohol up to 10 vol. owing to the separation of its natural wax.⁵

Chemical Components of Grapefruit oil ~ D-Limonene, Gamma-Terpinene, Nootketone, Cadinene, Neral, methyl anthranilate and Citronellal. Grapefruit mercaptan, a sulfur-containing terpene, is one of the substances which has a strong influence on the taste and odor of grapefruit. Nootkatone, aka, nootketone, is a natural organic compound and is the most important and expensive aromatic of grapefruit. It is a sesquiterpene and a ketone. Nootketone was previously thought to be one of the main chemical components of the smell and flavor of grapefruits.

            Grapefruit after distillation also produces a wax. Substance in the cuticle wax of the fruit which is dissolved by the oil appears during cold pressing.

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Keeping Qualities of Citrus Oils ~ “Citrus oils kept in well-filled, well-stoppered, dark colored bottles and stored in a cool, dark place retain their original delicate flavor for years, but access of air or light, especially in the presence of traces of water, easily spoils citrus oils.”⁵  They oxidize, get an acid character, and piney odor and viscosity and specific gravity increase.

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Blends Best ~ Grapefruit blends with many oils including Basil, especially the non-carvacrol types; all Citrus oils and citrus smelling oils such as Clary Sage but especially Bergamot and Lemon; spicey oils such as Black Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Coriander, Frankincense, Ginger and others; conifer oils such as Cypress and some Junipers and especially true Cedar (Cedrus atlantica);  grass oils such as Citronella, Palmarosa and Vetivert, flower oils such as Chamomile and Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Neroli,  Jasmine, Ylang and Rose; and herbaceous oils such as Peppermint and Rosemary (verbenone type).

             “Grapefruit essential oil is quite useful in Citrus compositions and for all modifications of citrus notes in perfumery. ^“It is used in the Top note in citrus and cologne blends with Bergamot to impart fresh non-green sharpness, body and tenacity.”³  

            White Grapefruit is a crisper ‘cooler’ scent than the pink or Ruby red Grapefruit.

Blending with Citrus Notes ~ In the perfumery business the citrus notes impart a fresh, sparkling note to any blend.  They are usually not overpowering.  They are in the blends up to 25% as the base for classic types of eau de cologne and other perfumes.  Citrus oils harmonize with many other essential oils and I use them in different concentrations in almost all scent blends and modern perfumes.  

            “In combination with Lavender oil, citrus oils are the base for English Lavender which is an 1826 creation. High concentrations of citrus oils are in Chanel No. 5 (1921).  Also, of importance are the citrus oils in soda drinks like Coca-Cola and others.”³

CITRUS TOP NOTE PERFUME

Top note: 30 drops of a mixture of Grapefruit oil and Mandarin oil.
If you use the white Grapefruit or the green Mandarin your perfume will be brighter and cooler than if you use pink Grapefruit and red Mandarin.

Heart note: 20 drops of a mixture of Rose absolute and Orris root

Base note: 10 drops of Sandalwood oil and Ylang Extra

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Remember that there are 3 kinds of Grapefruit, 3 kinds of Mandarin, 20 kinds of Rose absolute, 4 kinds of Sandalwood. Depending on which you use will result in many different scents, all pleasant but all different.

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HYDROSOL ~ I have not yet had the opportunity to experience a Grapefruit hydrosol.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol is distilled specifically for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components, lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil, or by using the dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

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Historical Uses ~ Antiseptic.

Interesting Facts ~ Some histories suggest that Grapefruit “was introduced into the West Indies from China by Captain Shaddock and the fruit was thereafter known as ‘Shaddock fruit’.  In 1809 the seeds traveled with Spanish settlers to the United States. Grapefruit was in the United States commercially beginning in 1880.  In many parts of the world the waste products of this and other citrus fruits are ground and used as animal fodder”¹

Jeanne Rose’s Grapefruit Tomato Tales EO:

I made over 25 different aromatherapy kits over the last 35 years. One of these I called, “The Woman’s Kit” and contained both Grapefruit and Clary Sage. I used the Grapefruit/Clary Sage mix as follows: Inhaled is an adrenal stimulant, eased depression, to reduce hot flashes, to help the new mother relax. It was mildly intoxicating and with Geranium was a great inhalant for menopause symptoms, to ease nervousness, and to soothe PMS symptoms. This mixture was relaxing and euphoric and with Ylang-Ylang was an excellent inhaler and application for menstrual irregularities and for ‘grounding’.

            Externally applied in products, this combination regenerates skin, reduces wrinkles and when you add Rosemary oil is applied to hair roots to stimulate growth. I have used a drop or two on a moist washcloth after a bath (wiping down the body after rinsing) for health and relaxation, diluted or with Clary Sage hydrosol to spray on the face for hot skin and during hot flashes. In a massage blend it assisted in the labor process and seemed to strengthen the inner organs. I consider Grapefruit and Clary Sage to be very good for all menstrual disorders.

            Internally, I occasionally used one drop in warm water as gargle for sore throat.

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Abstract/Scientific Data ~ Nootkatone, a characteristic constituent of grapefruit, stimulates energy metabolism and prevents diet-induced obesity by activating AMPK AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a serine/threonine kinase that is implicated in the control of energy metabolism. —  2010 – physiology.org

 

Medicinal Importance of Grapefruit Juice. Grapefruit juice is consumed widely in today’s health conscious world as a protector against cardiovascular diseases and cancers. It has however, been found to be an inhibitor of the intestinal cytochrome P – 450 3A4 system, which is responsible for the first pass metabolism of many drugs. The P – glycoprotein pump, found in the brush border of the intestinal wall which transports many of these cytochrome P – 450 3A4 substrates, has also been implicated to be inhibited by grapefruit juice. By inhibiting these enzyme systems, grapefruit juice alters the pharmacokinetics of a variety of medications, leading to elevation of their serum concentrations.⁴

Key Use ~ Antiseptic, skin care and tonic for the gall bladder.

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Resources ~ Many thanks to Eden Botanicals for the lovely Grapefruit oils they supplied for my organoleptic studies.

References

¹ Essential Aromatherapy, p. 137.     
²https://www.britannica.com/plant/grapefruit
³Ohloff, Günther:  SCENT AND FRAGRANCES: Springer-Verlag. 1990. Translated by Pickenhagen and Lawrence
⁴ https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-6-33
⁵Guenther: THE ESSENTIAL OILS, volume III, Citrus oils: Krieger. 1949
⁶ Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained.. (PMID:10399191)

Herbal Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose. 1992
Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.
Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2000
Rose, Jeanne: 375 ESSENTIAL OILS AND HYDROSOLS; Frog, Ltd. 1999
Rose, Jeanne.  The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations.  San Francisco, California:
Staff of L.H. Baily Hortorium, Hortus Third: A Concise Dictionary of Plants. Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, 1976.

General Resources

•          Williams, David G.: THE CHEMISTRY OF ESSENTIAL OILS: Micelle Press. 1996.

•            Another Fresh Start – Lunar New Year. Leaflet, Newsletter of the Strybing Arboretum. Winter 2002, Volume 26, No. 1.

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Safety Precautions ~ “A phototoxic reaction typically shows up as an exaggerated sunburn, usually occurring within 24 hours of sun exposure” as stated by the Skin Cancer Foundation. The primary essential oil culprits are typically cold-pressed citrus oils: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Wild Orange, and Tangerine.

            If you take statins or heart medications do not drink Grapefruit juice unless you discuss this with your medical doctor.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS