Aromatherapy is both an ancient art and science that has its origins in herbal medicine and dates back thousands of years, with use in almost every part of the world. Essentials oils are tiny reservoirs of biologically active medicine that are stored in the veins, glands or sacs of an aromatic plant. These volatile substances are extracted by various methods, including steam distillation and cold expression. About 15% of all flowering plants contain volatile oils.

Sessile secretory gland (purple) and non-secretory trichomes on the lower leaf surface of a lavender plant (lavandula angustifolia)

Taken with scanning electron microscopy by Andrew Syred.

Image used with permission, from Secretory Structures of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, by Svoboda & Syred, 2000.

An essential oil…

“…is a volatile plant material derived from an odorous plant material”

- International Standards Organization

“…is the true essence of the plant, elaborated by the secretory cells of the plants that have tapped the photoelectric-magnetic energy of the sun and have converted it…into a biochemically active aromatic molecule”

- Franchomme and Peneol

“…is the heart and soul of the plant”

- Jeanne Rose

“…is the life force, the energy of the plant…the quintessence, the soul, the spirit of the plant”

- Lavabre

“…can have a significant physiological effect on people”

- Price

Resin globules oozing from ducts in Frankincense tree (Boswellia carteri)

Taken with scanning electron microscopy by Andrew Syred.

Image used with permission, from Secretory Structures of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, by Svoboda & Syred, 2000.

In what part of the aromatic plant are the essential oils found?

• Part of Plant - Common Name – Botanical Name

• Flowers – Ylang ylang – Cananga odorata

• Leaves – Lemongrass – Cymbopogon citratus

• Bark – Cinnamon – Cinnamomum zeylanicum

• Wood – Sandalwood – Santalum album

• Roots – Vetiver – Vetiveria zizanioides

• Needles & Twigs - Cypress – Cupressus sempervirens

• Entire plant – Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia

• Fruit peel/rind – Sweet orange – Citrus sinesis

• Resin – Frankincense – Boswellia carteri

When purchasing an essential oil, the label should include both the common and botanical names, country of origin and method of distillation.

Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile); sessile secretory glands filled with oil

Taken with scanning electron microscopy by Andrew Syred.

Image used with permission, from Secretory Structures of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, by Svoboda & Syred, 2000.

Origins

Aromatherapy is rooted in herbal medicine, and plant materials have been used in healing for centuries. Essential oils have been used since ancient times, dating back to at least 2,800 years before the birth of Christ. The Papyrus Ebers manuscript, a medical treatise found in Egypt, lists over 800 prescriptions to treat various ailments with ingredients including frankincense, myrrh, myrtle, peppermint, and cedar. From Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese Medicine manuscripts, we know that priests and physicians have been using essential oils for thousands of years. The Egyptians used essential oils in the embalming process; their belief in the transmigration of the soul resulted in taking great care of their dead, so that souls may find their original body preserved. There are almost 200 references to essential oils in the Bible, including the use of frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, hysoop and spikenard. The use of plant-based aromatics has been traced to almost every ancient civilization The antimicrobial qualities of essential oils have served as protection for disease throughout the ages. Workers who processed flowers and herbs in the France were noted to have a lower incidence of tuberculosis; this led to the first recorded laboratory test on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils in 1887. Perfumers during the time of the Plague had overall higher survival rates than the general public. Hippocrates, recognized as the father of medicine, believed “a perfumed bath and a scented massage every day is the way to good health”, and understood that curing the body involved a holistic approach. He fully recognized the antimicrobial properties of essential oils, promoting the use of aromatic plants to protect against infectious disease. The modern renaissance of aromatherapy is credited to Gattefosse, a French chemist working in his family-owned perfume business prior to WWII. He became fascinated with the therapeutic properties of essential oils after discovering by accident that lavender oil healed a rather severe burn on his hand, rapidly and without scaring or infection. Gattefosse then devoted much of his life to the study of medically-based essential oil therapies to treat disease. (Battaglia, 2003).

What is (Clinical) Aromatherapy

“The skilled use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes.”

There are several classifications of aromatherapy. Aesthetic, or pleasurable ways to use aromatherapy abound, from scented candles to perfumes, many of which are synthetic chemicals created to smell like a naturally occuring essential oil; these are not considered true aromatherapy. Although popular opinion holds that aromatherapy is merely something that smells nice, the true definition of aromatherapy is “the use of essential oils for therapeutic or medical purposes” (Buckle, 2003). Medical aromatherapy most often refers to the style practiced by physicians in France. French doctors have successfully pioneered the internal use of essential oils for the clinical treatment of infectious diseases as well as cancer. The term Holistic aromatherapy implies that the treatment plan considers all aspects of the person -the body, mind and the spirit. While the skin and wound healing benefits of aromatherapy are numerous, essential oils are also psychotherapeutic substances capable of profoundly affecting one’s mood (Battaglia, 2003). Evidence for the conection of the mind and the body is well established, and emotional wellness is thought to be key for optimal physiological healing. So, our grandmother’s plea to “don’t worry yourself sick” had validity

How Essential Oils Work

The term aromatherapy can be misleading, as it suggests that it is a form of healing that works exclusively through the sense of smell. Actually, apart from scent, each essential oil has a unique combination of components that directly interact with the body’s chemistry. Essential oils affect brain chemistry, neuroendricine and neurotransmitter functions. Once inhaled, there is an immediate effect on olfaction, or our sense of smell, first stimulating olfactory receptor cells in the nose. Then, within microseconds, an impulse is transmitted to the limbic system, which is the emotional center of the brain. Also known as the “old brain” because of its more primitive function and earlier evolutionary development, the limbic system was orginially called “smell brain”. The limbic system is a complex system of brain structures and interconnected pathways that together form central switchboard that coordinates all sights, sounds and smells and evaluates sensory stimuli. Togther with the hypothalmus, the limbic system governs all primitive and emotional drives (sex, thirst, hunger, ander, rage, fear, sorrow) (Damian, 1995). The limbic system is also linked to the brain centers responsible for memory, breathing, endocrine and hormonal function. If an oil is topicaly applied, absorbtion occurs through the skin, hair follicles and sweat glands; they then enter the bloodstream, are metababolized and excreted. Each oil hasa different rate of absorption, usually between 20 -120 minutes, although the neurochemical effects are almost immediate. Thus, it is easy to see why essential oils can have such a profound effect on the body, mind, and spirit!

For further reading..

Battaglia, S. (2003). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Australia: The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy.

Buckle, J. (2003).Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Practice. New York: Churchill Livingstone.

Damian, P & K. (1995). Aromatherpy Scent and Psyche: Using essential oils for physical and emotional wellbeing. Vermont: Healing Arts Press.

Lawless, J.(1995). The Illiustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. New York: Element Books Unlimited

Lavabre, M. (1990). Aromatherapy Workbook. Vermont: Healing Arts Press.

Mojay, G. (1996). Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. New York: Henry Holt.

Schnaubelt, K. (1999). Medical Aromatherapy:Healing with Essential Oils. California: Frog, LTD.

Tisserand & Balacs (1995). Essential Oil Saftey: A guide for health care professionals. New York: Churchill Livingstone.

Tisserand, R. (1977). The Art of Aromatherapy. Vermont: Healing Arts Press

Worwood, V. (1996). The Fragrant Mind. California: New World Library

Valnet, J. (1980). The Practice of Aromatherapy. Vermont: Healing Arts Press

Zeck, R. (2003). The Blossoming Heart: Aromatherapy for Healing and Transformation. Australia: Aroma Tours.