Essential Oils and Seizure Disorders: Reports and Cautions
Reports of seizures linked to camphor, eucalyptus, sage and other oils, what a published review lists, and why laboratory anticonvulsant findings do not mean oils are safe for epilepsy.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Urgent first
Call 911 for a seizure, collapse or trouble breathing. If an essential oil was swallowed, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Poison Control says seizures from swallowed camphor can begin within a few minutes, and that swallowed eucalyptus oil can cause seizures. [1] Most of the reports below involve swallowing, not smelling an oil.The short answer
Case reports and poison-center material link several oils to seizures, mostly after swallowing or heavy skin exposure. Laboratory and animal studies also suggest some oils or their components affect nerve signaling, in both calming and stimulating directions. No good evidence in the sources we read shows that inhaling a diffused oil is safe or unsafe for a person with epilepsy. Proper evidence not found for guidance from an epilepsy organization: epilepsy.com returned an access error when we tried to read it. A neurologist or pharmacist is the right person to ask about oils.Rosemary, eucalyptus and thujone
The review names rosemary among oils whose internal use can cause seizures, and names thujone, camphor and 1,8-cineole as compounds identified as convulsive agents. [4] The word internal matters: we did not find a source in which smelling rosemary oil caused a seizure. For the oils themselves, see rosemary oil, eucalyptus oil and camphor oil.The other direction: "anticonvulsant" oils
The same review states that some oils have anticonvulsant activity. [4] A 2026 review of that idea says it presents evidence from in vivo and ex vivo studies to separate well-supported effects from preliminary findings. [5] These are preclinical (cells or animals) results. They do not show that an oil is a safe or effective seizure treatment for people. The authors of the first review note that more research is needed to confirm the mechanisms. [4]Frequently asked questions
Can smelling an essential oil cause a seizure?
We did not find a source showing that. The reports we read involve swallowing or heavy skin exposure, though one camphor case series notes inhalation exposure has been reported. [2]
Which oils are most often linked to seizures?
Camphor, eucalyptus and sage oils appear in poison-center material, mainly after swallowing. [1]
Do some oils prevent seizures?
Laboratory and animal studies report anticonvulsant activity for some oils. [4] Proper evidence not found for benefit in people.
Is it safe to use essential oils if I have epilepsy?
We found no source that says so for any oil. Ask your neurologist or pharmacist.
What should I do if someone has a seizure after an oil?
Call 911, and Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 if the oil was swallowed. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Reports and cautions, as read
| Oil or compound | What the source reports | Form and population | Type of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camphor | Isolated cases of camphor-induced seizures have been reported in young children after swallowing, skin and inhalation exposure. [2] | Three children aged 15 to 36 months; two ingested camphor and one was rubbed with it repeatedly. [2] | Case series |
| Camphor | Poison Control says camphor poisoning has occurred when skin products with camphor were used on children more often than the label advised. [1] | Children, skin products | Poison-center summary |
| Eucalyptus oil | Poison Control says swallowed eucalyptus oil can cause seizures. [1] Two adults who unintentionally took eucalyptus oil reached an emergency room with seizures. [3] | Swallowed; adults in the case report | Case report |
| Sage oil (Salvia) | Poison Control says swallowing more than a very small amount has caused seizures in children. [1] | Swallowed; children | Poison-center summary |
| Several oils (sage, hyssop, rosemary, camphor, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, cedar, thuja, fennel) | A systematic review states internal use of these can cause epileptic seizures because of compounds such as thujone, 1,8-cineole, camphor or pinocamphone. [4] | Mixed: human case studies, animal models and cell studies. [4] | Review of mixed evidence |
Two cautions about the review. Its authors list an essential oil company as an affiliation, and a published comment from neurologists responded to it; we could not read the content of that comment. We therefore use the review only to list reported compounds, not to judge any product.
Safety and who should ask a clinician
- Anyone with epilepsy or a past seizure should ask a neurologist or pharmacist before using oils, rubs or camphor products, especially around young children.
- Keep camphor products away from children. The FDA restricted the camphor content of some medicinal products to under 11% in 1982, after swallowing cases, and imported products may not meet requirements. [2]
- Do not stop or change an anti-seizure medicine because of an oil. Ask the prescriber.
- Sources list no amounts that are safe for a person with seizures, and this page does not either.
See also essential oil safety, poisoning: what to do first and medicines and oils.
References
- Essential oils: Poisonous when misused, Poison Control (US). Read 2026-10-23.
- A cluster of children with seizures caused by camphor poisoning, Khine H et al., Pediatrics 2009, PMID 19403490. Read 2026-10-23.
- Eucalyptus oil poisoning: two case reports, Ittyachen AM et al., J Med Case Rep 2019, PMID 31685016. Read 2026-10-23.
- The Effects of Various Essential Oils on Epilepsy and Acute Seizure: A Systematic Review, Bahr TA et al., Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019, PMID 31239862 (the authors list an essential oil company as an affiliation). Read 2026-10-23.
- Essential Oils: Chemistry and Mechanisms of Anticonvulsant Action, Salgueiro L et al., Int J Mol Sci 2026, PMID 42278224. Read 2026-10-23.