The English word ?aromatherapy? is derived from the French word ?aromatherapie?, which was first created by the French chemist Gattefosse. It is defined as meaning to make use of pure essential oils to seek to influence, to change or modify mind, body or spirit, physiology or mood.
Essential oils are extracted from many varieties of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and flowers. The oils in a concentrated form are usually secreted by special glands, ducts, or cells in different parts of plants. In certain trees the oils are found in the sap and wood. They can also be found in the roots, stems, bark, leaves, fruits and flowers of some species.
The oil is extracted from the plant by a variety of means; see notes on distillation later in this lesson.
Oils that come from different parts of one plant may have different chemical structures and this determines the prices of the essences produced. This is dealt with fully in the section on oils. The more oil glands or ducts present in the plant, the higher the yield of essential oil, thus the less expensive the cost of the oil.
The amount of oils obtainable varies from 0.01 to 10 percent in different plant sources. Rose contains very little essence, and up to 2,000 pounds of rose petals are needed to produce one pound of essential oil. On the other hand, to produce one pound of oil requires only 50 pounds of eucalyptus plant material, or 150 pounds of lavender, or 500 pounds of sage, thyme, or rosemary.
Oils are natural products of plants, but this does not make them harmless. Essential oi1s are highly concentrated forms of plant energy. Your safety in using the oils, and the safety of those to whom you introduce them, depends on your understanding of this. One drop of rose oil contains the energy from 30 roses, and one drop of essential oil is said to have the therapeutic value of 25 cups of herbal infusion. Statistically about sixty thousand rose blossoms are required to produce one ounce of rose oil, whereas in the lavender plant, where the essential oil is more abundant, one hundred kilos will provide three kilos of oil. Even the time the flowers are picked is important. In the case of jasmine, for instance, the flowers must be picked by hand before the sun becomes hot on the very first day they open, whereas the sandalwood tree must be thirty years old and thirty feet high before it is cut down for distillation.
Essential Oils are different from herbal remedies. It is the odoriferous molecules of essential oil, which make up the ?aroma? in aromatherapy, which is inhaled.
Because of the different sizes, weights, and chemical composition of their molecules, essential oils have different evaporation rates and therapeutic effects on the body. It takes a great deal of work to produce a tiny amount of essential oil.
There are over 400 oils in general use today by professional practitioners. Each oil contains properties or uses to which it can be put. The synergies of essential oil constituents in their natural state are easily adapted to human physiology and, when safely and well-prescribed, are free from undesirable side effects. While the essential oils carry a vital life force, which assists their activity, the use of essential oils in aromatherapy must also be pharmacologically sound.
Essential oils are complex mixtures of individual chemical constituents, the precise nature and proportions of which determine its therapeutic and fragrant properties. Clove oil, for example, contains up to 95% eugenol, while rose contains about 300 individual constituents. Investigations are ongoing into the contents of many active oils.
While the essential oils may have drug-like effects on the mind and body, they differ greatly from drugs because of their chemical complexity, synergy, multifaceted actions and olfaction. The opposing characteristics of essential oils have been known for a long time but need to be reassessed in view of the growing awareness about the importance of the body?s electromagnetic fields. It could be that these aspects of the essential oils contribute towards stimulating the body?s own natural healing mechanisms.
Though this lesson will not be introducing chemistry of plants, oils do contain mainly hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds, which are derived from hydrocarbons such as alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ethers, ketones, phenols and oxides, terpenes. The aromatic chemicals found in essential oils are derived from phenyl propane. These are the precursors of amino-acids, the building blocks for everything from the smallest enzyme to the skeleton. Another large group of chemicals found in essential oils are the terpineols, which are formed from acetyl-coenzyme A; these chemicals play a role in the production of hormones, vitamins and energy.
Pharmacology is defined as the study of the manner in which the function of living organisms can be modified by drugs. Pharmacognosy is the branch of pharmacology concerned with the study of crude drugs of plants. Modern pharmacognosy is concerned with analysing natural medicinal substances and defining their therapeutic activity according to the chemical constituents. Oils contain many different chemicals and may change naturally from year to year dependent on the climate, soil and care taken of the growing crop.
Because they inhabit the interface between light and dark, sun and earth, drawing energy from each and synthesising this into molecules of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in general, plants can be regarded as being chemical factories. Plants form the basic needs of all living things. Each plant species has characteristic glands or cells that store the essential oil.
Essential oils are highly volatile, meaning that they readily evaporate, transforming from liquid to vapour.
Some plants have glandular cells or hairs which are single or multi-celled protuberances on the surface of the plant epidermis. Plants from the Labiatae family such as rosemary, sage, and marjoram and the eucalyptus species store essential oils in these cell-like protuberances.
Some plants store essential oils and resins in their inter-cellular spaces. These include plants from the Umbelliferae family such as aniseed, fennel and carrot seed. Plants in the conifer family also have resin canals. If conifers are damaged large quantities of resin often are exuded.
Plants such as lemon, orange and bergamot, which are from the rutaceae family, store their essential oils in reservoirs formed inside a plant as the walls of their secretory cells gradually disintegrate.
The exact origin of the essential oils is not known with any clarity. Evidence shows that the essential oil forms in the region of photosynthetic activity in the cells surrounding the oil glands. From there it passes through the cell wall into the interior of the gland.
Cells cannot create their own energy, but as open systems they are able to absorb energy from their surroundings. Photosynthetic cells acquire their energy in the form of light, which they use to make the organic compounds that provide energy to other cells. Hence photosynthesis nourishes almost all the living world directly or indirectly.
The energy-collecting cells of plants are called chloroplasts. All green parts of a plant, including green stems and unripened fruit, have chloroplasts, but the leaves are the major sites of photosynthesis in most plants.
Essential oils are not really oily substances; in fact their viscosity is more like that of water. Essential oils are generally transparent, and can be various colours, such as blue (chamomile), green (bergamot), and orange (tangerine). They are soluble in alcohol, oil, or fat, but not in water. Their shelf life, if undiluted, is generally up to six years or longer if stored correctly. Absolutes and resins have a much shorter shelf life.
Factors affecting the essential oil?s quality include ecological variables such as soil type, climate, the use of chemicals in their growing, the harvesting time, their genetics, chemotype, and the type and age of the leaf.
?The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them.?
Ecclesiastics 38:4
Nature or Creation has provided the world with a tremendously powerful and diverse materia medica. Some of the healing that has taken place under the influence of essential oils would be called miraculous were it not for the fact that we had the scientific proof to explain how the oils worked. But, just giving a scientific explanation for a remarkable phenomenon does not make it any less miraculous.
The holy anointing oil that God is said to have directed Moses to make from ?flowing? myrrh, sweet cinnamon, calamus, cassia and olive oil, would have been a powerful anti-viral and antibiotic substance. Using it gave protection and treatment to all those to whom it was administered because Cinnamon is a powerful anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial agent, and Myrrh is an effective antiseptic. The healing effects of Myrrh on open wounds, ulcers and boils were known long before Biblical times.
The most effective way to use essential oils is not orally, as one might think, but by external application or inhalation. Although under supervision the essential oils can be prescribed for oral ingestion, this is in fact their least effective mode of entry into the circulatory system because it involves the oils passing through the digestive system, where they come into contact with digestive juices and other matter, which affects their chemistry. Essential oils administered externally or by inhalation enter and leave the body very efficiently, leaving no toxins behind.
The interest in aromatherapy has perhaps surprised even aromatherapists. The reasons for the regrowth in traditional therapies, such as aromatherapy, are numerous. One reason is that because people feel they want to be treated as a whole, that is they want to be treated emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually, and not as physical beings with symptoms that need to be quelled.
The scientific revolution and the subsequent professionalism of medicine have been responsible for splitting up the components of healing.
One the main benefits of an aromatherapy treatment come from the pleasant smells of the essential oils, which have a predominantly psychological effect. The essential oils are usually administered by massage; they can also be administered via an oil vaporiser or they can be added to baths. Used in these ways, essential oils add a sense of luxury to the treatment, and have a natural, relaxing effect.
There is, however, more to holistic aromatherapy than essential oils and massage - holistic therapy is part of a healing process, gained through an interaction with a plants essential oil, a caring and professional therapist and the touch and smell stimuli of the whole process.
Smell is the only sense in which the receptor nerve endings are in direct contact with the outside world. When inhaled, essential oils have many effects, which include the alteration of mood and feelings, influencing of natural hormonal responses and the stimulation of the cortical areas of the brain. Aromatherapy bypasses the blood-brain barrier by going straight to the brain through the olfactory system.
The positive effect of essential oils on blood circulation is well known. Through the blood circulation the essential oils play an important part in bringing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, while at the same time they assist in the efficient disposal of carbon dioxide and the other waste products that are produced by cell metabolism. The general increase in blood flow naturally improves the efficiency of the immune system and decreases blood viscosity.
The practice of aromatherapy is part of the larger field of herbal medicine, since the essential oil is only one of many components of the plant. Most plants that yield essential oils are also, or can be, used in herbalism. It is important to distinguish between the therapeutic benefits of a particular oil from those of the herb taken as a whole or prepared in another manner.
Essential oils do not remain in the body for any length of time. They are excreted through urine and faeces, perspiration and exhalation, the method depending on the type of oil used, excretion taking from between three and six hours in a normal, healthy body. The presence of sandalwood and juniper can be detected by their aroma quite clearly in urine. Garlic, even if applied to the skin, will be passed out of the body through exhalation, while geranium, which is beneficial circulatory oil, will be detected in the perspiration. Clinical trials have confirmed that comparatively small concentrations of essential oil constituents have been detected in the blood within minutes, following either massage or inhalation.
At the second Psychology of Perfumery Conference held at Warwick University, England, it was determined that ?it is impossible to predict the effect of an odour on humans because its effects when inhaled may be subject to the many factors?. These factors include:
How the odour or essential oil is applied
Quantity applied
The circumstances in which it is applied
The person to whom it was applied (age, sex, personality type)
The persons mood
Previous memory associations the person may have with the odour
If using aromatherapy, it is important to purchase pure essential oils, that is, natural plant essences, which have been extracted by steam distillation, solvent extraction, expression, maceration or enfleurage. Any products named as reconstituted products or chemical copies of natural essences simply do not work for medicinal purposes. Many products used by the perfumery industry are called essential oils when in fact they are reconstituted; ?nature identical?; ?isolates?; ?perfume compounds?; and ?aromas?, such as ?lavender aroma?. Always check to ensure you have purchased a good product, and if in doubt... don?t buy. For example, carnation oil is very expensive, so by blending black pepper and ylang-ylang it is possible to create the aroma of carnation.
This is all very well if perfumery is your concern, but no good at all if the carnation oil is required for a therapeutic purpose. Unscrupulous suppliers often dilute a pure essential oil in a carrier base and pass that off as pure natural essence. For example, jasmine is ninety-two times the price of grapefruit on my current wholesale list, and sandalwood is four times the price of lime. No reputable essential oil supplier sells essential oils all at the same price. Also remember, where you store your oils is also important. Oils should be kept in brown or dark-coloured bottles away from light, heat and damp, and the tops kept tightly closed when not in use.
It has been suggested that plants use oils for excreting toxic substances. They do this to protect themselves against pest infestation, as part of the social behaviour in plants, as stimulation for the ripening of fruit, or to activate their own metabolism. Perhaps there is a simpler reason? Perhaps they use the scent of the oils as a sexual attractant in animals or as an attraction to induce insects such as bees and moths to pollinate plants. No one is really sure!
When prescribing essential oils, many factors need to be taken into account. These include the essential oil selected, the type of treatment selected, the dosage used, the type of person and ailments needing treatment, and the synergy and blending of the oils used. All of these factors will influence the therapeutic outcome. The aim of the aromatherapist is to find the right combination of prescribing factors for each individual being treated. By developing a system that allows us to categorise the essential oils according to their energetic qualities, we will be able to make our choice of essential oils based on a holistic framework. Essential oils are often used by:
Aromatherapists
Medical practitioners
Nurses
Counsellors and psychologists
Massage therapists
Medical herbalists
Natural therapists
Beauty therapists
Perfumers.
In July 1910, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse discovered the healing properties of lavender oil after severely burning his hands in a laboratory explosion. He was neither the first person to use essential oils therapeutically nor the first to write about such use.
In 1937, Gattefosse created the term ?Aromatherapy?. Although Gattefosse deserves full credit for his vision of aromatherapy, he was not the only person at that time to recognise the benefits of the essential oils.
In 1939, Frenchman, Albert Couvreur, published a book on the medicinal properties of the essential oils.
Dr Jean Valnet, an army surgeon, began to use, with great success, essential oils as antiseptics in the treatment of war wounds during the Indochina war from 1948-1959. After the war he continued using essential oils in his capacity as a doctor, and in 1964 published a comprehensive text entitled Aromatherapie. Shortly after this he began teaching other doctors about the healing benefits of essential oils.
Marguerite Maury was a French biochemist who extended the study of essential oils into the world of cosmeticology. She practised and taught aromatherapy until her death in 1964, and wrote two books on the subject. The second book was translated into English as The Secret of Life and Youth. She laid down the fundamental principles of holistic aromatherapy today. She emphasised the importance of applying the essential oils externally, diluted in vegetable oil, in combination with massage.
It is at this point that we see a clear shift in the original meaning of the French word ?aromatherapie?. Maury, who became Chairperson for CIDESCO (Pour Ie Comite International D?Esthetique et de Cosmetologie), forged a link between aromatherapy and the beauty industry. As a result, beauty therapists, who were already working in the context of wellbeing, were able to introduce additional benefits, such as massage and the essential oils, to their treatment. Today, some schools offering aromatherapy training in the UK are, in effect, schools for beauty therapists, although they represent themselves as aromatherapy training establishme
In the 40 years that followed Gattefosse?s publication, only four books on the subject were published. However, in England over 40 books about aromatherapy have been published since 1988. There was no book of aromatherapy published in the English language until The Art of Aromatherapy, written by Robert Tisserand, was released in 1977. The first books published were:
Aromatherapie, R.M. Gattefosse, 1937 Les Produits Aromatiques Utilises en Pharmacie, A. Couveur, 1939 Le Capital Jeunesse, M. Maury, 1961 Die Physiologischen and Pharmakologischen Wirkungen, A. Muller, 1964 The Art of Aromatherapy, R. Tisserand, 1977
The work by Robert Tisserand, the author of The Art of Aromatherapy, has undoubtedly generated intense interest in aromatherapy; he has been involved in the establishment of two aromatherapy associations and the setting of training standards in the UK.
Fewer than 20 years ago most people outside of France had not heard of aromatherapy, even though the use of essential oils for healing had existed for some 5000 years. We often talk about how old aromatherapy is, and of course it does have very ancient origins.
The popularity of aromatherapy will continue to increase as more and more proof emerges of its real clinical value. Many people express nothing less than sheer delight at the way in which their treatment has cured problems not previously improved by conventional medical treatments.
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