Abstract

Thuja columnaris has been used in traditionality medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, amenorrhea, cystitis, and uterine carcinomas, and as an abortifacient and contraceptive. Several plant-derived essential oils have been known for over a century to have epileptogenic properties. A survey of the literature shows essential oils of 11 plants to be powerful convulsants (fennel, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, hyssop, sage, rosemary, tansy, savin, turpentine, thuja, and wormwood) due to their content of highly reactive monoterpene ketones, such as camphor (C10H16O), pinocamphone (C10H16O), thujone (C10H16O), cineole (C¹⁰H¹⁸O), pulegone (C¹⁰H¹⁶O), sabinyl acetate (C¹²H¹⁸O²), and fenchone (C¹⁰H¹⁶O).

Keywords: Thuja columnaris; Essential oils; Antimicrobial activity