Tuberose
The Tuberose, Polianthes tuberosa is a night-blooming garden plant. The creamy-white, waxy tuberose flower is renowned for its sweet fragrance and has been used in perfumery for centuries. [1] The tuberose plant grows from bulbs and likes warm, sunny growing conditions. [2] The plant gains its name from the Latin word Tuberosa, meaning 'tuberous', on account of its tuberous root system. There are around 12 species of tuberose plant. [1]
Tuberose
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr - lic. under CC BY 3.0
The heady and popular fragrance of tuberose was traditionally extracted by enfleurage, the same method used to extract the fragrance of jasmine. The enfleurage was labor intensive and was used because the heat of steam distillation would denature the delicate aroma of the flowers. Owing to the labor-intensive nature of this extraction, in modern times tuberose is extracted using solvent extraction - such as via hexane (which creates tuberose absolute) or CO2 extraction. 3600 pounds of tuberose flowers are needed to make 1 pound of absolute, meaning that tuberose commands a high price as a perfume ingredient. [3] It's said that extraction of tuberose using chemical solvents leads to a lesser quality fragrance owing to the possibility of traces of solvent residue remaining in the absolute; but that this extraction method is often performed owing to commercial factors.
Tuberose is grown in many countries around the world and has been considered a sacred flower to some cultures, being associated with traditional rituals and ceremonies. It was used in traditional Hawaiian leis (garlands) and in India has been used prominently in various rituals including wedding ceremonies. [1]
Tuberose - History
Tuberose is reported by [1] to be native to Mexico, however Oxford English Dictionary has it as native to the East Indies. [4] According to OED, the earliest reference to the plant in English literature is from John Evelyn's 1664 Kalendarium Hortense ["The Garden Calendar"] which indicates clearly that it was a popular garden plant by that time.
Is Tuberose an Aphrodisiac?
It is written all over the modern internet, particularly in marketing materials for tuberose products, that tuberose is an aphrodisiac. For example - "Tuberose Body Scrub will enhance your libido whilst fighting premature aging." "Tuberose Shower Gel will assist in healing damaged skin and will give your libido a boost. " "Tuberose essential oil has strong aphrodisiac property." etc. However such statements typically do not cite any scientific reference, being content to repeat the popular paradigm without investigation. Although in one sense the enduring popularity of tuberose as an alluring perfume ingredient attests to its power to generate attraction, we are also wary of unreferenced claims and must endeavour to look deeper to find both origin of these ideas.
Polianthes tuberosa
According to [3], Tuberose has had a long tradition of being aphrodisiac in India since old times, and it is said that unmarried girls should not breathe its scent after dark. Ayurveda lists several medicinal qualities of tuberose, and it is lkely from the ayurvedic tradition that these ideas originate.
In Western literature, there is no mention of Tuberose having aphrodisiac quality prior to 1900. The earliest reference I can find in western literature is from the 1905 "Health [a Monthly Devoted to the Cause and Cure of Disease]", Volume 19, which has the following interesting statement in an article entitled "Danger In House Plants":
"Frequently we find many different flowers in the same room, the various perfumes producing an effect analogous to that developed by aromatic substances. Such odors produce an excitement of the carnal instinct; that is, they possess a true and peculiar aphrodisiac action. Among flowers which particularly produce this effect may be included the hyacinth, tuberose, carnation, pelargonia, heliotrope, pancratia, lilacs, many orchids, and various varieties of the acacia."
There is of course something of a blurred boundary between a sensuous fragrance and one which actually excites desire; however there are several other scent ingredients, such as the various animal musks, regarding which writers are quite explicit in stating that they are aphrodisiac. With tuberose, this is not found in the old literature of the West.
Science appears not to have investigated the scent of tuberose in this regard: A search of Pubmed shows no studies of any aphrodisiac quality of the tuberose scent. A few papers appear investigating the molecular components found in tuberose:
"Isolation and structure elucidation of three glycosides and a long chain alcohol from Polianthes tuberosa Linn." (2002)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12168766
"Steroidal glycosides from the aerial parts of Polianthes tuberosa." (2000)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11087596
"Extracellular polysaccharides produced by tuberose callus." (1996)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8722088
In general, the lack of support from science for an aphrodisiac scent is fairly common. Cinnamon and the various animal pheromones such as musk are two 'aphrodisiac scents' that have been investigated; however for the majority of flower-based scents, it seems we must rely on the historical 'reputation' of the scent, together with its popularity as a perfume ingredient, to make our best judgement as to whether such fragrances actually have some function as attractants. It's also worth considering that perfume ingredients combine with the body's natural aroma, possibly altering perceived or subconscious reaction to the scent. Additionally, scent has a strong connection with memory: Many people the world over will attest to the fact that a lover's perfume, years later, will 'bring the memory back' more strongly than reminders from other senses.
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Sources:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberose
[2] http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/plantingguide-tuberose.aspx
[3] http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/_/2005/06/note_of_the_wee.html
[4] "Tuberose" - Oxford English Dictionary, 1971. p.446
Note - the information on this website is not medical advice, has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure any disease.
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