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Aromatherapy!an"!the!#hemistry!of!$ssential!%ils! &.!'()*%D+#)'%( 2.!,-A)!'.!A*%/A)-$*A012 3.!,-A)!A*$!$..$()'A3!%'3.2 4.!)-$*A0$+)'#!4*AD$!%'3. 5.!#-$/'.)*1!%5!$..$()'A3!%'3. 6.!)-$*A0$+)'#!$5$$#).!%5!$..$()'A3!%'3. 7.#%(#3+.'%(

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Many ppl feel that if sumtin contains chemicals it must be bad. However, there is no escaping the fact dat every substance dat v encounter contains chemicals. Our fav organically grown Lavender oil is composed of a mixture of upto 300 chemicals. o say that is is harmful cus it contains chemicals is non!sense. "n understandin of dese chemicals is fundamental n dis is wot chemistry is about. " way of pampering yourself, a means to a very relaxing massage, a metaphysical experience induced by the aromatic properties of an essential oil, a pleasant way of maintaining health and vitality, an excursion into the un#nown and unproven that shouldn$t be underta#en, a considered alternative health treatment that focuses on the total or holistic health of an individual. 1eah6!)hat7s!A*%/A)-$*A01

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"romatherapy is the practice of using volatile plant oils, including essential!oils, for psychological and physical well!being.

3. ,hat!are!essential!oils2
%ssential oils are the li&uid extracts from aromatic plants trees and grasses. %ssential oils are highly volatile and evaporate &uic#ly if left in the open air. 'hen left in the open air, the oils create an aromatic scent, as reflected in the name aromatherapy. %ssential oils may be found in different parts of the aromatic plants, for example, in petals (rose oil), leaves (eucalyptus oils), grass roots (vetiver oil), and fruit rind (lemon oil). he plants accumulate these essences in their oil glands. he more oil glands a plant has, the greater the &uantity of the essential oil that can be extracted.*learly this impacts on the cost of manufacturing, as those plants with the lower count of oil glands will tend to re&uire greater &uantities of the plant material to produce the essential oil.

)he!powerful!potential!of!aromatic!molecules!on!health!
Many times people bring an essential oil home from your health food store, eagerly anticipating a wonderful, healing experience, only to be disappointed+ hey thin# aromatherapy was supposed to be ,od$s gift to man#ind, or something..f that$s your experience too, you$re by no means alone. /ut there$s a reason for this0 %ffective aromatherapy begins with truly great oils. .f da oils are not of therapeutic! grade one simply won$t see the results one is hoping for.

4.)herapeutic!8ra"e!oil0
" therapeutic-grade essential oil is one that is both complete in its chemical constituents, giving it a rich, deep aroma, and 9inetically!ali:e and able to raise the fre&uency of the human body, restoring balance and normal function to wea# body systems. his is important, because the oil$s fragrance, fre&uency and chemistry all contribute to its uni&ue therapeutic effects. .f any of these properties is compromised, as a result of poor production practices, an essential oil cannot rightly be called therapeutic!grade. "nd, while a therapeutic!grade essential oil will be noted for its fragrance and fre&uency, it$s the powerful potential of the oil$s aromatic molecules 1 its chemistry 1 that sets aromatherapy apart as a truly superior health!promoting practice.

-ow!essential!oils!are!;elie:e"!to!wor9
Each essential oil contains as much as 100 chemical components, which together exert a strong effect on the whole person. Depending on which component is predominating in an oil, the oils act differently. For example, some oils are relaxing, some soothes you down, some relieves your pain, etc. Then there are oils such as lemon and lavender, which adapt to what your body needs, and adapt to that situation. These are called !adaptogenic!". The mechanism in

which these essential oils act on us is not very well understood. #hat is understood is that they affect our mind and emotions. They leave no harmful residues. They enter into the body either by absorption or inhalation.

/ecause of their small molecular structure, especially their fat!soluble nature, essential oils can penetrate the s#in more freely than other types of plant oils, for example, vegetable oils
$ fragrance company in %apan conducted studies to determine the effects of smell on people. They have pumped different fragrances in an area where a number of &eyboard entry operators were stationed and monitored the number of mista&es made as a function of the smell in the air. The results were as follows' #hen exposed to lavender oil fragrance a relaxant", the &eyboard typing errors dropped (0 percent. #hen exposed to )asmine an uplifting fragrance", the errors dropped ** percent #hen exposed to lemon fragrance a sharp, refreshing stimulant", the mista&es fell by a whopping +, percent2o now to understand how dese oils actually uplift da performance lets get into the mechanism of these oils3

5. Chemistry of Essential Oils

%very essential oil has a uni&ue chemical composition, determined by the plant variety and the geographical location at which the plants are grown. "n example of this is eucalyptus oil, of which there are several varieties used in aromatherapy. .t is the chemistry of the oil that determines the fragrance, the color, the degree of volatility, and the ways in which that oil interacts with the human body. he chemistry of essential oils typically includes a number of differing organic compounds, such as terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes and esters. .t is these chemical combinations that determine the fragrance, the color, the degree of volatility, and the therapeutic properties of the essential oil. /ecause of the variety of compounds that exist in a single essential oil, it is possible for it to have multiple properties. 4or example, some research into manu#a tree and its essential oil highlights a number of properties, anti!allergenic, anti!bacterial, anti!fungal, anti!inflammatory, anti!histamine, anti!microbial, deodorant, s#in care, and tissue restoration properties. . o understand why essential oils can have therapeutic effects, we need to understand the chemistry of essential oils0

"cids #ill bacterial and viral infections, reduce inflammation, and moisturi5e the s#in. %xamples0 birch and niaouli. "lcohols are a natural tonic. hey #ill bacterial and viral infections and are s#in toners. %xamples0 clary sage, geranium, neroli, patchouli, peppermint, rose, and sandalwood. "ldehydes are a calmative that reduce inflammation and #ill bacterial infections. %xamples0 cinnamon, lemongrass, melissa, and many citrus oils. *oumarins thin the blood and are calming and uplifting. %xamples0 angelica and bergamot. %sters are antispasmodic6 they soothe muscle spasms and irritated s#in and #ill fungal infections. %xamples0 bergamot, geranium, lavender. Hydrocarbons (monoterpenes, ses&uiterpenes, and diterpenes) reduce bacterial infections and inflammation, and are often mentally simulating. %xamples0 cypress, ,erman chamomile, ginger, lemon, pine, and sandalwood. 7etones promote wound healing. %xamples0 caraway, rosemary, and sage. 8henols are antibacterial and stimulate blood flow. %xamples0 basil, clove, and oregano.

6.Therapeutic effects of essential oils "s of 9::;, chemists have identified more than 3,000 aromatic molecules. %ach of these has specific therapeutic activities upon the body. However, the practice of aromatherapy isn$t as simple as applying an oil that contains a specific chemical constituent, in order to achieve a particular therapeutic effect. 'hy+ /ecause the complexity of an essential oil, with the interplay of its many constituents, means that there is no straight line between the activity of one of its components and the effects of the complete oil. Many of these chemical compounds have been identified, and new ones are being discovered6 but many remain un#nown, and the relationships between them are not well understood. However, these molecules can be grouped together into families, each with its own therapeutic properties. <epresentative of this is the following chart. <ey!#hemical!#onstituents!in!$ssential! %ils!an"!)heir!$ffects! #onstituent 7etones *epresentati:e! %il! 2age $ffect Mucolytic

"ldehydes %sters %thers "lcohols 8henols erpenes

Lemongrass Lavender arragon <avensara 2avory 8ine

*alming /alancing /alancing oning 2timulant 2timulant

="M% O4 H% *H%M *OM8O=%=

$ldehydes.

8<O8 O4 *H%M *OM8

anti.inflammatory,calming, sedative and anti.viral bactericidal &ills bacteria", stimulant, energi0ing, vitali0ing, antiviral, diuretic. 1ur pancreas produce *( &inds of alcohol for use in human metabolism. strongly bactericidal, tonic, stimulates immune system, invigorating, warming. /an produce slight liver toxicity if ta&en high doses for extended periods of time. 4sed in lip balms and cough drops wound healing, mucolytic eases the secretion of mucous", stimulates new cell growth. used as a nail polish. 6ery stimulating, potential s&in irritants, anti.viral properties anti.phlogistic moves fluids", anti.inflammatory, sedative, anti.viral, anti.carcinogenic, bacteriostatic and immune stimulant anti.fungal, sedative, calming, spasmolytic, fungicidal, anti. inflammatory. anti.inflammatory, mucolitic

%22%= ."L O.L2 >" *O= ".= *H%M.*"L2

/haracteristic lemon.li&e smell, such as lemon grass, lemon balm, citronella, eucalyptus, /innamon 2ose, petitgrain, rosewood, peppermint, myrtle, tea tree, sandalwood, patchouli, and ginger /love, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, savory, cumin.

$lcohols

3henols

5etones

/amphor, rosemary, sage, eucalyptus globulus and hyssop 7emon, orange, bergamot, blac& pepper, pine oils, nut meg and angelica. :lue chamomiles, immortelle, tansy, yarrow and tagetes.

Terpenes 8es9uiterpenes

Esters 7actones part of ester group"

2oman chamomile, lavender, clary sage, petitgrain, bergamot. arnica, elecampane

Ethers

harmoni0ing to the nervous system. antiseptic, stimulant, expectorant increases secretions", spasmolytic, and diuretic.

, clove, anise, basil, tarragon, parsley, and sassafras

*hemically, essential oils are very heterogeneous, giving the same oil many diverse effects within the body. " single essential oil can play many different therapeutic roles. his is very different than the effects of synthetic chemicals, which have only a single action. "lthough dese essential oils r complex in nature,!its!"is!comple=ity!"at!helps!em!in! preser:in8!"a!;o"y7s!natural!;alance. /ecause of their chemical complexity,essential oils don$t disturb the body$s natural balance 1 or homeostasis. .f one constituent exerts too strong an effect in one direction, another constituent may bloc# or counteract it. 4or example0 certain aromatic molecules in an oil may be very stimulating 1 both psychologically and physically. /ut, the same essential oil may also contain constituents that are calming and sedating, helping to overcome anxiety or hyperactivity. "nd, because the oils are natural substances, they tend to go only where they$re needed, and provide only the action needed to help restore the body$s natural balance. he same oil may have significantly different effects on a person from one application to the next, depending on his?her need at that moment. his &uality of essential oils ma#es aromatherapy very safe and, incidentally, ma#es choosing the right oil less problematic. his is in star# contrast to synthetic chemicals, which often interrupt the body$s homeostasis, forcing an action based upon the chemical's ma#e!up, not on what the body needs. "nother interesting point0 'hile it$s possible to duplicate these chemical constituents in the laboratory and blend them together into a concoction that smells li#e an essential oil, scientists have yet to duplicate the therapeutic effects of a truly therapeutic!grade essential oil.

The eugenol molecule found in clove oil.

cinnamon molecule.

ginger

*innamon gets its characteristic odor from cinnamaldehyde, which contains an aldehyde functional group. *ommercial cinnamon is ground up bar# of cinnamon trees. *innamon oil, which can be used to ma#e cinnamon toothpic#s or atomic fireballs (the candy), is nearly pure cinnamaldehyde.