Andiroba Oil (Carapa guianensis) – Amazon Seed Oil from Brazil

Andiroba oil is pressed from the oil-rich seeds of the Amazonian tree Carapa guianensis, a member of the Meliaceae family. The brown, four-sided seeds contain up to 60 % oil. The oil is golden yellow to reddish, viscous and has a characteristically bitter, nutty smell. Its main components are:

• Oleic acid (omega-9): 48–57 %
• Palmitic acid: 9–28 %
• Linoleic acid (omega-6): approx. 10 %
• Stearic acid: approx. 10 %
• Unsaponifiables (2–5 %): limonoids (mainly gedunin and andirobin), sterols, triterpenes

The combination of fatty acids and limonoids makes andiroba a distinctive raw material for ethnobotanical research, your own formulations or traditional craft.

Andiroba oil has been used in many ways for centuries by indigenous groups such as the Munduruku, Wayãpi and Palikur. Handed down uses include:

• Rubs: traditionally applied to the skin, often mixed with urucum (annatto).
• Massage: traditionally used for rubbing down after physical work.
• Skin and hair: applied to dry, stressed patches of skin and massaged into the hair.
• Lamp oil: historically valued as a low-soot fuel oil.

These notes are based on documented cultural knowledge and describe handed-down customs – not properties of our product. In the EU it is not approved for medical or cosmetic use.

Andiroba oil has been the subject of ethnobotanical and botanical research for decades. The interest centres on its unusual composition:

• Limonoids: andiroba contains a group of bitter compounds that is rare among plant oils, including gedunin and andirobin – the main reason the oil is studied so often in botany.
• High unsaponifiable fraction: at 2–5 % it is well above that of many common plant oils.
• Fatty acid profile: the high oleic acid content makes the oil viscous and semi-solid at cooler temperatures – a trait that sets it apart from thin, free-flowing oils.
• Bitter compounds as a marker: in the literature the gedunin content is treated as an indicator of gentle, unrefined processing.

We deliberately do not reproduce any efficacy statements here. For us andiroba oil is a natural raw material – anyone researching with it or developing their own formulations forms their own judgement.

Origin: wild harvest near Lábrea, Brazilian Amazon. Partner families gather the fruit sustainably from the forest floor or from rivers.

Processing: the seeds are traditionally pre-dried, lightly fermented and cold-pressed. The resulting oil is coarsely filtered (traditional method using cloth filters or natural fibres) and bottled with minimal air contact. No additives. No heating. No refining.

Storage: keep cool, dry and away from light. Below 18 °C it may partly solidify – simply let it return to liquid at room temperature. Use within 6 months of opening.

Analysis: an independent laboratory analysis for microbiological and chemical safety has been commissioned.

• Intended for external use as a raw material only
• Do not ingest
• Not a cosmetic or medicinal product within the meaning of EU regulations
• Before individual use: patch test on the inner elbow
• Take care in case of nut or seed allergy
• Do not use during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or on children under 6
• Store out of reach of children