Gum rockrose (Cistus ladaniferus)

Gum rockrose (Cistus ladaniferus)

Updated 16 January 2024

Botanical characteristics

  • Kingdom: Plantae 
  • Sub-region: Tracheobionta 
  • Division: Magnoliophyta 
  • Class: Magnoliopsida 
  • Subclass: Dilleniidae 
  • Order: Violales
  • Family: Cistaceae
  • Genus: Cistus
  • Part used: Leafy branches
  • Country of origin: Spain, Portugal, North Africa (Morocco)

Precautions for use

Caution! Gum Rockrose essential oil is not to be used by pregnant women. However, it is safe for young children (over 3 years). It contains some allergenic components in very small amounts.

Other precautions

Warning:

  • Use cautiously, consult your doctor if you are taking anticoagulant treatment.
  • Ask your doctor before use in people with asthma and epilepsy (risk of epilepsy at high doses).

Cutaneous application:

  • Gum Rockrose essential oil is rich in terpenes and therefore potentially irritating to the skin.
  • It should be diluted to 20% in vegetable oil (20% essential oil and 80% vegetable oil) before any large surface application.
  • For lactating women, local diluted dermal application is possible under medical supervision.

Allergenic components: 

Gum Rockrose essential oil contains biochemical allergenic components:

  • limonene (≤2%)
  • linalool (≤1%)
  • geraniol (≤1%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

 Adults and adolescents

 Children under 6 years

 Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Pregnant women younger than 3 months

 Infants under 3 years old

How to use

Inhalation

 Cutaneous

 Oral

Diffusion

Risks of use

 Skin irritation

 Pure Dermocautic

 Hormone-like

Properties

  • Hemostatic
  • Cicatrizant
  • Calmative
  • Antifungal
  • Immunomodulator
  • Anti-infective, antiviral, antibacterial
  • Strong anti-haemorrhagic, healing agent 
  • Anti-arteritic
  • Neurotonic, neurovegetative regulator (action on the parasympathetic system) 

Indications

Directions for use/usual dosage

  • Viral infections: local unctions, but dilute the EO with a vegetable oil.
  • Childhood diseases (chickenpox, scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough...): unction diluted in vegetable oil. Can also be applied rectally.
  • Autoimmune diseases: can be used rectally or orally, but consult a therapist.

Cosmetic

  • Cistus essential oil is used in cosmetics to slow down the ageing of the skin and the formation of wrinkles on the face. It has a regenerating and astringent effect on the tissues.

Find out more

  • Its main constituents are alpha-pinene and camphene (monoterpenes).
  • It is particularly recommended for use on the skin.
  • Thanks to its anti-haemorrhagic action, rockrose essential oil is particularly effective in stopping bleeding. It can be applied directly to wounds with a few drops of lavender, or to the nostrils with a cotton bud to stop nosebleeds.
  • However, it should not be used on large, deep wounds.
  • Cistus EO is not recommended during pregnancy or while breast-feeding, but there is one exception: when mixed with carrot EO and wheat germ oil, it is effective in treating cracked nipples. The mixture must be applied after breastfeeding.
  • It is attracting increasing interest from scientists because of its potential effect on autoimmune diseases, which are becoming increasingly common in our society.

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