Guide to essential oils

Essential oil of American wintergreen

Very rich in natural methyl salicylate, a precursor component of aspirin, American wintergreen essential oil is renowned for its powerful soothing properties. Traditionally used for joint and muscle health, American wintergreen essential oil is used in a wide range of sports care products.

How to use

  • Skin application and massage

    Skin application and massage

    Suitable

  • Cosmetic active ingredient

    Cosmetic active ingredient

  • Aromatherapy bath

    Aromatherapy bath

    Possible but not recommended

  • Diffusion

    Diffusion

Features

Properties and uses

Precautions

Find out more

Features

Production process

Complete steam distillation

Part of the plant used

Leaves

Botanical name

Gaultheria procumbens

Warning

The properties, information and methods of use below are quotes from reference books or websites on aromatherapy, hydrolatherapy and phytotherapy. This general information is provided for informative purposes only and in no way constitutes medical guidance. Under no circumstances can this information be used as a substitute for a medical diagnosis, consultation or follow-up, nor can it incur our liability. We recommend that you consult the guide to essential oils before using them, so that you are aware of any precautions that need to be taken. If in doubt, consult a doctor before using essential oils.

Properties and uses

American wintergreen essential oil is traditionally used for: Arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatism , sprains, strains , back pain , migraine and headache , sciatica , stiff neck

Health

Wellness

Find out more

Very powerful, American wintergreen essential oil is a must in aromatherapy and sports care. Used by many physiotherapists and masseurs, its exceptional richness in methyl salicylate, with its painkiller and anti-inflammatory effects, makes it a traditionally reputed active ingredient in blends for topical application to relieve joint pain joint or muscle pain rheumatism and tendonitis.

Properties

American wintergreen essential oil is renowned for the following health benefits:

  • Rich in methyl salicylate, an active ingredient with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

  • Painkiller, it helps relieve aches and pains (for external use)

  • Anti-inflammatory, it soothes inflammatory, joint and muscle pain

  • Antispasmodic, it helps relax muscles

  • Rubbing (warming effect)

  • Vasodilator, hypotensive

Uses

American wintergreen essential oil is traditionally used to improve the following conditions:

  • Inflammatory pain : rheumatism, osteoarthritis, arthritis, tendonitis (tennis elbow, etc.), stiff neck, etc.

  • Muscle pain : tired, muscles ache, sprains, strains, cramps, aches Headaches, migraines, headaches

Synergies

  • Joint health: Lemon Eucalyptus, Katafray, Lavandin super, Italian Helichrysum, Thyme saturoides essential oils.

  • Muscle health: Rosemary Camphor, Lavandin Grosso, Ylang-Ylang essential oils, Epsom salt

  • Headaches : Peppermint essential oils

In practice

Soothing, joint health: Mix into your oil blend. Apply a few drops of your blend locally, massaging lightly into the affected area.

Precautions

  • For external use only, do not swallow.

  • Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or on children under the age of 7.

  • Irritant in its pure state: always dilute well, using a maximum of 20% in your oil blend for localised applications, and a maximum of 5% if applied more widely. Ensure this essential oil is well diluted in your water-dispersible composition before use in aromatherapy baths.

  • For localised application only, avoid overly large areas, especially at high doses.

  • Not recommended for people allergic to aspirin or salicylates.

  • Due to its possible blood-thinning effects, do not use on people on anti-coagulant therapy.

  • Do not use as a vapour.

  • Keep out of reach of children.

  • As a general rule, always perform a patch test of your mixture in the crease of your elbow at least 48 hours before use.

  • Dangerous. Observe precautions for use.

  • Harmful if swallowed.

Find out more

Cousin of the Sweet wintergreen from Nepal, American wintergreen is native to China. Used by Native Amercans for centuries for its many virtues, American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a heatherthat gros less than 15 cm tall, belonging to the Ericaceae family. Its white to pale pink summer flowers, located at the base of the leaves, are generally solitary and bell-shaped. From October to March, they produce scarlet berries.

Equivalents

Essential Oils

1 ml = approximately 35 drops (with our Aroma-Zone dropper caps)

Carrier oils

1 pump (Aroma-Zone aluminium pump) = approx. 0.15 ml

Mass / Volume conversion (for a liquid)

Mass (g) = Density x Volume (ml) at 20°C

Further information

1 full teaspoon = between 3 and 4.5 ml

1 full tablespoon = between 7.5 and 10 ml


However, these spoon ratios depend on a number of factors (e.g. viscosity of the liquid, temperature, depth and size of the spoon, rheological behaviour of the liquid), and we strongly advise you to use precise measuring equipment, such as graduated test tubes, graduated pipettes, and precision scales.

Aromatherapy recipes from the bibliography

EO = Essential Oil VO = Carrier Oil or Macerated Oil

Sprains (J-P. Willem)

Health & wellbeingBlows and trauma

  • American Wintergreen essential: 10 drops

  • Rosemary officinalis cineole essential oil: 10 drops

  • Bay Laurel essential oil: 5 drops

  • Macadamia oil: 15 ml

Directions for use: A few drops gently massaged into painful areas. Repeat as required.

Muscle cramps in adults (Aroma News - NARD)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen) essential oil: 3 ml

  • Lavandula burnatii super (Lavandin super) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Rosmarinus officinalis camphora (rosemary camphor) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Cananga odorata (Ylang-ylang) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Hazelnut carrier oil: add up to 30 ml extra as required for product optimisation

Use: 5 to 6 drops locally 3 to 4 times a day as required.

Arthritis / sciatica in adults (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Helichrysum essential oil: 2 drops

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 1 drop

  • Peppermint essential oil: 1 drop

  • Lemon eucalyptus essential oil: 3 drops

  • Vetiver essential oil: 1 drop

Use: 3 to 4 drops of the mixture applied locally to the painful area 3 to 4 times a day for 10 days.

Headaches of circulatory and hepatic origin (Aroma News - NARD)

Health & wellbeingNerve pain and disorders

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Mentha piperita (Peppermint) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Laurus nobilis (Bay laurel) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Lavandula angustifolia (True lavender) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Hazelnut carrier oil: 10 ml supplement

Use : 2 drops locally, repeated as needed.

Neuralgia (after consulting a doctor) (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingNerve pain and disorders

  • Wintergreen essential oil: 1 drop

  • Lemon eucalyptus essential oil: 2 drops

  • Common juniper essential oil: 1 drop

Use : 4 to 6 times a day locally.

Osteoarthritis (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Satureia montana (mountain savory) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Thymus satureoides essential oil: 2 ml

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen): 2 ml

  • Thymus vulgaris CT thujanol (thyme vulgaris with thujanol) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Lavandula x burnatii CT Super (Lavandin super) essential oil: 4 ml

  • Eucalyptus polybractea CT cryptone (blue mallee eucalyptus) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Carrier oil: 100 ml

Use: 3 to 4 local applications per day for 15 days (continue if necessary).

AND

  • Picea mariana essential oil (Black spruce): 3 ml

  • Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) essential oil: 7 ml

  • Transcutol: add up to 30 ml extra as required for product optimisation

Use: 8 drops as an adrenal injection (in the kidneys) 2 times a day Aroma-Zone comment: Transcutol is a pharmaceutical product that is not widely used and allows fatty substances such as essential oils to penetrate the skin easily. It can easily be replaced by a dry carrier oil such as hazelnut, kukui or macadamia oil.

Gout (to relieve symptoms) (D. Festy)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Lemon eucalyptus essential oil: 5 drops

  • Rosemary camphor essential oil: 5 drops

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 5 drops

  • Foot bath base: 1 tablespoon

Directions for use: Soak your feet twice a day in a warm bath (38°C) for 10 minutes.

Stiff neck (D. Festy)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

For massages,mix:

  • Rosemary camphor essential oil: 1 drop

  • Italian helichrysum essential oil: 1 drop

  • Wild mint essential oil: 1 drop

  • Wintergreen essential oil: 1 drop

  • St John's wort carrier oil: 3 drops

  • Arnica carrier oil: 3 drops

Use: Massage locally with this formula, 3 to 5 times a day for 2 to 3 days if necessary Aroma-Zone note: St John's wort macerated oil may cause photosensitivity. Do not expose your skin to the sun after applying this blend.

Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis (Aroma News - NARD)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Thymus satureoides (Thyme saturoides) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Ocimum basilicum var basilicum (Tropical basil) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Cananga odorata (Ylang-ylang) essential oil: 0. 5 ml

  • Laurus nobilis (bay laurel) essential oil: 0.5 ml

  • Eucalyptus citriodora (lemon eucalyptus) essential oil: 1 ml

  • Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) carrier oil: 10 ml

  • Corylus avellana (Hazelnut) carrier oil: add up to 30 ml extra as required for product optimisation

Use: 6 to 8 drops 3 times a day, applied locally to the painful area Aroma-Zone note: St John's wort macerated oil may cause photosensitivity. Do not expose yourself to the sun after applying this mixture.

Tennis elbow, tendonitis in adults (P. Franchomme)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Eucalyptus citriodora (Lemon eucalyptus) essential oil: 9 ml

  • Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen) essential oil: 1 ml

Use : Apply to the painful area several times a day.

Bone fracture (in addition to medical treatment) (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingBlows and trauma

  • Mastic tree essential oil: 2 ml

  • Immortelle essential oil: 3 ml

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 1 ml

Use: 3 drops of the mixture applied locally as close as possible to the fracture 2 to 3 times a day for 10 days.

Gout (to relieve symptoms) (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Ocimum basilicum (Tropical basil) essential oil: 5 ml

  • Juniperus communis (Juniper) essential oil: 3 ml

  • Helichrysum italicum (Italian helichrysum) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen) essential oil: 3 ml

  • Corylus avellana (Hazelnut) carrier oil: Top up to 20 ml

Directions for use: Massage 4 drops of the blend lightly into painful joints, repeating as necessary.

Muscle pain (C. Clergeaud)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • 250 ml of Sunflower carrier oil

  • 100 drops of Wintergreen essential oil

  • 20 of drops Peppermint essential oil

  • 50 drops of True lavender essential oil

  • 50 drops of Bay laurel essential oil

Blow, bruise (trauma) (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingBlows and trauma

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 1 ml

  • Immortelle essential oil: 3 ml

  • Rose geranium essential oil: 1 ml

  • Peppermint essential oil: 1 ml

Use: 4 to 6 drops of the blend applied locally to the painful area 4 times a day for 3 days.

Migraines, headaches (Aroma News - NARD)

Health & wellbeingNerve pain and disorders

  • Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Mentha piperita (peppermint) essential oil: 2 ml

  • Lavandula latifolia spica (spike lavender) essential oil: 3 ml

  • Gaultheria procumbens (American wintergreen) essential oil: 1 ml

  • St John's wort carrier oil: add up to 15 ml extra as required for product optimisation

Use: 3 drops locally until improvement Aroma-Zone note: St John's wort macerated oil carries a risk of photosensitivity. Do not expose your skin to the sun after applying this mixture.

Allergic and nervous asthma (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingRespiratory problems

  • Tarragon essential oil: 2 ml

  • Lemon verbena essential oil: 1 ml

  • Red myrtle essential oil: 1 ml

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 1 ml

  • Mandarin essential oil: 2 ml

Use: 6 drops of the blend applied locally to the chest and upper back before the onset of an asthma attack and during the asthma attack. Repeat every 30 minutes until complete improvement Aroma-Zone note: Mandarin and Sweet verbena essential oils cause photosensitivity. Do not expose yourself to the sun after applying this preparation.

Arthritis-Arthrosis-Rheumatism (D. Festy)

Health & wellbeingMuscles and joints

  • Juniper essential oil: 5 drops

  • Turpentine essential oil: 5 drops

  • Wintergreen essential oil: 5 drops

  • Lavandin super essential oil: 5 drops

  • Bath base: 1 tablespoon

Use: Pour all the ingredients into a hot bath (38.5°C) and leave in the water for 20 minutes. Repeat every day until improvement.

Cystitis (M. Faucon)

Health & wellbeingUrinary issues

  • Clove essential oil: 3 drops

  • Wintergreen essential oil: 2 drops

  • Seville Orange essential oil: 5 drops

  • Calophylla oil: 2 ml

  • Macadamia oil: 2 ml

Preparation : Massage the lower abdomen with this mixture several times a day until the pain subsides.

Bibliography

1

Population studies of Gaultheria fragrantissima Wall in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Natural Product Radiance

Bantawa P and Mondal TK.

2

The Determination of Salicylates in Gaultheria procumbens for Use as a Natural Aspirin Alternative. Journal of Nutraceuticals, Functional & Medical Foods

Ribnicky DM, Poulev A, Raskin I.

3

The Comparison of Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Indomethacin or Methyl Salicylate-containing Hot-type Cataplasms. Pharmacometrics

Mamoru O, Satoshi S, Masahiro O, Takahito K.

4

Actions and mechanisms of counterirritants on the muscular circulation. Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi

Futami T.

5

Salicylates dilate blood vessels through inhibiting PYK2-mediated RhoA/Rho-kinase activation. Cardiovascular Research.

Ying Z, Giachini FRC, Tostes RC, WebbRC.

6

Comparison of oral aspirin versus topical applied methyl salicylate for platelet inhibition. Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Tanen DA, Danish DC, Reardon JM, Chisholm CB, Matteucci MJ, Riffenburgh RH.

7

Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. Safety assessment of Salicylic Acid, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Calcium Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Salicylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hexyldodecyl Salicylate, Isocetyl Salicylate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Magnesium Salicylate, MEA-Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Potassium Salicylate, Methyl Salicylate, Myristyl Salicylate, Sodium Salicylate, TEA-Salicylate, and Tridecyl Salicylate.Int J Toxicol

8

Laryngeal oedema caused by accidental ingestion of Oil of Wintergreen. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

Botma M, Colquhoun-Flannery W, Leighton S.

9

'Aromatherapy: Healing with Essential Oils'

Dominique Baudoux

10

'Huiles essentielles - 2000 ans de découvertes aromathérapeutiques pour une médecine d'avenir'

Dominique Baudoux

11

'L'Aromathérapie exactement'

Pierre Franchomme and Daniel Pénoël

12

'Pharmacognosie. Phytochimie et plantes médicinales 3ème éd.'

Jean Bruneton

13

ABC des huiles essentielles

Dr. Thierry Telphon

14

Les huiles essentielles : Médecine d'avenir

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

15

Aroma Stress - 50 everyday stressors treated with essential oils

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

16

Aroma-News newsletters

NARD Association

17

« Les huiles végétales - Huiles de santé et de beauté »

Chantal and Lionel Clergeaud

18

'Aromatherapy body and soul'

André Bitsas - Editions Amyris