Plai (Thailand)

Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.

Chemotype: sabinene / terpinen-4-ol Thailand type

earthycoolnutmeg-likepepperyginger-like

PLANT PART: rhizome
EXTRACTION: steam distillation
AROMA NOTE: mid

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

I’m interested in

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

earthycoolnutmeg-likepepperyginger-like

Aroma intensity: 70 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: mid

If you like this scent, explore

A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: No restriction cited
Phototoxicity: Not flagged in this profile
Oxidation risk: medium

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

No phototoxic furocoumarin restriction was identified for this Thailand plai batch in the public sources reviewed in this pass.

Contraindications & cautions

moderateA zebrafish embryo study on Zingiber cassumunar (Plai) volatile terpenoids (sabinene/terpinen-4-ol dominant) found no embryonic mortality or malformation at concentrations at or below 10 micrograms/mL, but concentration-dependent mortality and teratogenic effects (yolk-sac malformation, abnormal head/tail development) at 100-500 micrograms/mL, i.e. embryotoxic and teratogenic at higher exposure; combined with traditional contraindication of Plai in postpartum/pregnancy contexts, use during pregnancy should be avoided pending oil-specific human safety data.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

11 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This Thailand-specific record is anchored to a publicly viewable Lotus Garden Botanicals GC-MS certificate for a Thailand plai batch. The batch is strongly sabinene- and terpinen-4-ol-dominant with supporting gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene, alpha-terpinene, and beta-sesquiphellandrene, matching the broader Thai plai pattern reported in the literature.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
Terpinen-4-ol	33.55%	33.55–33.55%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: Terpinen-4-ol 33.55%; country of origin Thailand)
Sabinene	32.31%	32.31–32.31%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: Sabinene 32.31%; country of origin Thailand)
gamma-Terpinene	7.98%	7.98–7.98%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: gamma-Terpinene 7.98%)
beta-Pinene	4.48%	4.48–4.48%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: beta-Pinene 4.48%)
alpha-Terpinene	3.78%	3.78–3.78%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: alpha-Terpinene 3.78%)
beta-Sesquiphellandrene	0.95%	0.95–0.95%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494 https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf (peak report: beta-Sesquiphellandrene 0.95%)
(E)-1-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)buta-1,3-diene (DMPBD)	6.5%	—	phenylbutenoid	View source Z. cassumunar rhizome EO GC-MS: monoterpene minors from PMC7037714 (Molecules 2020;25(3):613) Table; DMPBD 5.3-8.3% per hydrodistillation lit; DMPBD id PubChem CID 11528492
alpha-Pinene	1.6%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Z. cassumunar rhizome EO GC-MS: monoterpene minors from PMC7037714 (Molecules 2020;25(3):613) Table; DMPBD 5.3-8.3% per hydrodistillation lit; DMPBD id PubChem CID 11528492
Myrcene	1.2%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Z. cassumunar rhizome EO GC-MS: monoterpene minors from PMC7037714 (Molecules 2020;25(3):613) Table; DMPBD 5.3-8.3% per hydrodistillation lit; DMPBD id PubChem CID 11528492
Terpinolene	0.8%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Z. cassumunar rhizome EO GC-MS: monoterpene minors from PMC7037714 (Molecules 2020;25(3):613) Table; DMPBD 5.3-8.3% per hydrodistillation lit; DMPBD id PubChem CID 11528492
alpha-Thujene	0.6%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Z. cassumunar rhizome EO GC-MS: monoterpene minors from PMC7037714 (Molecules 2020;25(3):613) Table; DMPBD 5.3-8.3% per hydrodistillation lit; DMPBD id PubChem CID 11528492

Profile source: Certificate of Analysis PLAI PLA319EO494; Madar Corporation Plai Oil document set; Eden Botanicals Plai EO page · https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Certificate%20of%20Analysis%20PLAI%20PLA319EO494.pdf ; https://www.madarcorporation.com/spec-sheets/essential-oil/plai/Plai%20-%204499909%20All%20docs..pdf ; https://www.edenbotanicals.com/plai.html

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in Thai herbal massage for warming, soothing effect on muscles and joints
reported to support post-activity muscle comfort in traditional practice
traditionally associated with easing occasional physical tension after exertion
used in traditional balms and massage oils for a warm, medicinal-green aroma
used in aromatherapy blends intended for physical comfort and recovery

Explore related intentionsRelaxation & Calming ↗Stress Relief ↗

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 3 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

Odor intensity 70 normalizes public supplier descriptions such as earthy, cool, nutmeg-like, and peppery-ginger rather than transcribing a published 0-100 sensory score.
The `max_dermal_pct` value of 100 reflects the public plai IFRA conformity certificate, which lists 100% maximum use through category 5A leave-on body products, rather than a country-specific Tisserand page for this exact batch.
No public source located in this pass gave directly measured volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values for Thailand plai essential oil.