ABSTRACT
Commercial ‘Geranium oil’ is obtained from various Pelargonium cultivars (derived mainly from P. graveolens, P. capitatum and P. radens) growing mainly in Reunion, China and Egypt. The chemical composition of the oils is variable due to the difference in cultivars used, the climate (including sunlight, rainfall and temperature), the time of the harvest, fertilizers applied etc). Geranium oil is used mainly in perfumery, but also has potent antimicrobial potential (Lis-Balchin et al., 1996). It also has relaxant pharmacological properties on smooth muscle e.g. guinea-pig ileum and the rat uterus (Lis-Balchin and Hart, 1997a) as well as striated muscle (Lis-Balchin and Hart, 1997b). The mode of action of commercial Geranium oil appears to act through cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) as the secondary messenger (Lis-Balchin and Hart, 1999).
