Aromatherapy

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Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine

Alternative medicine

The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine"....
that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person's mood or health. Scientific evidence is weak and preliminary but mildly encouraging for a limited number of claims. Essential oils differ in chemical composition from other herb

Herb

A herb is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like....
al products because the distillation

Distillation

Distillation is a method of separation process mixtures based on differences in their Volatility in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
process only recovers the lighter phytomolecules.

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Encyclopedia

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine

Alternative medicine

Herb

A herb is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like....
al products because the distillation

Distillation

Ester

An ester is an often Aroma compound organic chemistry or partially organic compound formed by the reaction between an acid and an alcohol or aromatic alcohol with the elimination of water....
s, aromatic compounds

Aromaticity

Aromaticity is a chemical property in which a conjugated system ring of unsaturated bonds, lone pairs, or empty orbitals exhibit a stabilization stronger than would be expected by the stabilization of conjugation alone....
, non-terpene

Terpene

Terpenes are a large and varied class of hydrocarbons, produced primarily by a wide variety of plants, particularly conifers, though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeterium....
hydrocarbons, some organic sulfide

Sulfide

The term sulfide refers to several types of chemical compounds containing sulfur in its lowest oxidation number of −2.Formally, "sulfide" is the dianion, S2−, which exists in strongly alkaline aqueous solutions formed from H2S or alkali metal salts such as Li2S, Na2S, and K2...
s etc.).

Aromatherapy is a generic term that refers to any of the various traditions that make use of essential oils sometimes in combination with other alternative medical practices and spiritual beliefs. Popular use of these products include massaging products, medicine, or any topical application that incorporates the use of essential oil

Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
s to their products. It has a particularly Western

Western culture

File:Clash of Civilizations map.pngWestern culture are terms which are used to refer to cultures of European origin. This terminology originated as a way of describing what was different about the Graeco-Roman culture and its descendants, in contrast to the older neighboring civilizations of the Middle East, which in many ways continued...
currency and persuasion. Medical treatment involving aromatic compounds may exist outside of the West, but may or may not be included in the term 'aromatherapy'.

History

Aromatherapy has roots in antiquity with the use of aromatic oils. However, as currently defined, aromatherapy involves the use of distilled plant volatiles, a twentieth century innovation. The word "aromatherapy" was first used in the 1920s by French chemist , who devoted his life to researching the healing properties of essential oils after an accident in his perfume

Perfume

Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces a pleasant smell....
laboratory. In the accident, he set his arm on fire and thrust it into the nearest cold liquid, which happened to be a vat of NOx Ph232 or more commonly known as lavender oil

Lavender oil

Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885 g/mL; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, having density 0.905&n...
. Immediately he noticed surprising pain relief, and instead of requiring the extended healing process he had experienced during recovery from previous burns—which caused redness, heat, inflammation, blisters, and scarring--this burn healed remarkably quickly, with minimal discomfort and no scarring. Jean Valnet continued the work of Gattefossé. During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
Valnet used essential oils to treat gangrene

Gangrene

For the American football team nicknamed "Gang Green," see New York Jets.Gangrene is a complication of necrosis characterized by the decay of biological tissues, which become black and malodorous....
in wounded soldiers.

Modes of application

The modes of application of aromatherapy include:

Aerial diffusion: for environmental fragrancing or aerial disinfection
Direct inhalation: for respiratory disinfection, decongestion, expectoration as well as psychological effects
Topical applications: for general massage, baths
Bath salts

The term bath salts refers to a range of water-soluble, usually Inorganic compound solid products designed to be added to a bath, either to improve cleaning, provide a medical improvement, improve the experience of bathing, or serve as a vehicle for cosmetic agents....
, compresses, therapeutic skin care

Materials

Some of the materials employed include:

Essential oil
Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
s: Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through steam distillation
Distillation

Distillation is a method of separation process mixtures based on differences in their Volatility in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
(e.g. eucalyptus
Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of Flowering plant trees in the Myrtus family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia....
oil) or expression (grapefruit
Grapefruit

The grapefruit is a subtropics citrus tree grown for its bitter fruit which was originally named the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados.These evergreen trees are usually found at around 5-6 m tall, although they can reach 13-15 m ....
oil). However, the term is also occasionally used to describe fragrant oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction.
Absolutes: Fragrant oils extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent
Solvent

A solvent is a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution.The most common solvent in everyday life is water....
or supercritical fluid
Supercritical fluid

A supercritical fluid is any substance at a temperature and pressure above its critical point . It can Diffusion through solids like a gas, and Solvation materials like a liquid....
extraction (e.g. rose
Rose

A rose is a perennial plant flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors....
absolute). The term is also used to describe oils extracted from fragrant butters, concretes, and enfleurage pommades using ethanol
Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatility , flammable, colorless liquid....
.
Phytoncide
Phytoncide

Phytoncides are antimicrobial allelochemics volatile organic compounds derived from plants. The word, which means "exterminated by the plant", was coined in 1937 by Dr....
s: Various volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compound

Volatile organic compounds are organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere....
s from plants that kill microbes. Many terpene
Terpene

Terpenes are a large and varied class of hydrocarbons, produced primarily by a wide variety of plants, particularly conifers, though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeterium....
-based fragrant oils and sulfur
Sulfur

Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element that has the atomic number 16. It is denoted with the symbol S. It is an abundant Valence non-metal....
ic compounds from plants in the genus "Allium
Allium

Allium is the onion genus, with about 1250 species, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world. They are perennial plant bulbous plants that produce chemical compounds that give them a characteristic onion or garlic taste and odor, and many are used as food plants....
" are phytoncides, though the latter are likely less commonly used in aromatherapy due to their disagreeable odor
Odor

An odor or odour is a volatilized chemical compound, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction....
s.
Herbal distillate
Herbal distillate

Herbal distillates are aqueous solutions or colloidal suspensions of essential oils usually obtained by steam distillation from aromatic plants....
s or hydrosols: The aqueous by-product
By-product

A by-product is a secondary or incidental product deriving from a manufacturing process, a chemical reaction or a biochemical pathway, and is not the primary product or service being produced....
s of the distillation process (e.g. rosewater
Rosewater

Rose water or rose syrup is the hydrosol portion of the distillation of rose petals. Rose water, itself a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in perfume, is used to flavour food, as a component in some cosmetic and medical preparations, and for religious purposes throughout Europe and Asia....
). There are many herbs that make herbal distillates and they have culinary uses, medicinal uses and skin care uses. Common herbal distillates are rose
Rose

A rose is a perennial plant flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors....
, lemon balm
Lemon balm

Lemon balm , not to be confused with bee balm, Monarda species, is a perennial plant herb in the mentha family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region....
and chamomile
Chamomile

Chamomile or camomile is a common name for several plants. The word, a combination of ?a?a? "on the ground" + ????? "apple", derives from their applelike scent....
.
Infusion
Infusion

An infusion is the outcome of Wikt:steep plants with a desired flavour in water or edible oil.An infusion is very similar to a decoction but is used with herbs that are more volatile or dissolve readily in water, or release their active ingredients easily in oil....
s: Aqueous extracts of various plant material (e.g. infusion of chamomile
Chamomile

Chamomile or camomile is a common name for several plants. The word, a combination of ?a?a? "on the ground" + ????? "apple", derives from their applelike scent....
)
Carrier oil
Carrier oil

Carrier oil, also known as base oil or vegetable oil, is used to dilute essential oils and Absolute before they are applied to the skin....
s: Typically oily plant base triacylglycerides that dilute essential oils for use on the skin (e.g. sweet almond
Almond

The Almond is a species of tree of the genus Prunus, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae and native to the Middle East....
oil)

Theory

Aromatherapy is the treatment or prevention of disease by use of essential oils. Two basic mechanisms are offered to explain the purported effects. One is the influence of aroma on the brain

Brain

Limbic system

The limbic system is a set of brain structures including the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior thalamic nuclei, and limbic cortex, which support a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, long term memory, and olfactory....
through the olfactory system

Olfactory system

The olfactory system is the sensory system used for olfaction, or the sense of smell. Most mammals and reptiles have two distinct parts to their olfactory system: a main olfactory system and an accessory olfactory system....
. The other is the direct pharmacological effects of the essential oils. While precise knowledge of the synergy

Synergy

Synergy is the term used to describe a situation where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Simply defined, it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts....
between the body and aromatic oils is often claimed by aromatherapists, the efficacy of aromatherapy remains to be proven. However, some preliminary clinical studies show positive effects.

In the English-speaking world, practitioners tend to emphasize the use of oils in massage. Aromatherapy tends to be regarded as a complementary modality at best and a pseudoscientific

Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience is any knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice that is claimed to be scientific, or that is made to appear to be scientific, but which does not adhere to the scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, or otherwise lacks scientific status....
fraud at worst.

On the continent, especially in France

France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, where it originated, aromatherapy is incorporated into mainstream medicine. There, the use of the antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties of oils in the control of infections is emphasized over the approaches familiar to North Americans. In France some essential oils are regulated as prescription drug

Prescription drug

A prescription drug is a medication that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription....
s, and thus administered by a physician

Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
. French doctors use a technique called the aromatogram to guide their decision on which essential oil to use. First the doctor cultures a sample of infected tissue or secretion from the patient. Next the growing culture is divided among petri dish

Petri dish

A Petri dish is a shallow glass or plastic cylindrical lidded dish that microbiologists use to microbiological culture cell s. It was named after Germany bacteriologist Julius Richard Petri, who invented it when working as an assistant to Robert Koch....
es supplied with agar

Agar

Agar or agar agar is a gelatinous substance derived from seaweed. Historically and in a modern context, it is chiefly used as an ingredient in desserts throughout Japan, but in the past century has found extensive use as a solid substrate to contain Growth medium for microbiology work....
. Each petri dish is inoculated with a different essential oil to determine which have the most activity against the target strain of microorganism. The antiseptic activity manifests as a pattern of inhibited growth.

In many countries essential oils are included in the national pharmacopoeia

Pharmacopoeia

Pharmacopoeia , in its modern technical sense, is a book containing directions for the identification of samples and the preparation of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society....
, but up to the present moment aromatherapy as science has never been recognized as a valid branch of medicine in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, Russia

Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
, or Japan

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
.

Essential oils, phytoncides and other natural VOCs

Volatile organic compound

Volatile organic compounds are organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere....
work in different ways. At the scent level they activate the limbic system

Limbic system

Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate, and most invertebrate, animals. Some primitive animals such as cnidarian and echinoderm have a decentralized nervous system without a brain, while sponges lack any nervous system at all....
. When applied to the skin (commonly in form of "massage oils" i.e. 1-10% solutions of EO in carrier oil) they activate thermal receptors, and kill microbes and fungi. Internal application of essential oil preparations (mainly in pharmacological drugs; generally not recommended for home use apart from dilution - 1-5% in fats or mineral oils, or hydrosoles) may stimulate the immune system

Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
.

Choice and purchase

Oils with standardized content of components (marked FCC, for Food Chemical Codex) have to contain a specified amount of certain aroma chemicals that normally occur in the oil. But there is no law that the chemicals cannot be added in synthetic form in order to meet the criteria established by the FCC for that oil. For instance, lemongrass essential oil has to contain 75% aldehyde

Aldehyde

An aldehyde is an organic compound containing a terminal carbonyl group. This functional group, which consists of a carbon atom bonded to a hydrogen atom and double bond to an oxygen atom , is called the aldehyde group....
to meet the FCC profile for that oil, but that aldehyde can come from a chemical refinery instead of from lemongrass. To say that FCC oils are "food grade" then makes them seem natural when in fact they are not necessarily so.

Undiluted essential oils suitable for aromatherapy are termed therapeutic grade, but in countries where the industry is not regulated, therapeutic grade is based on industry consensus and is not a regulatory category. Some aromatherapists take advantage of this situation to make misleading claims about the origin and even content of the oils they use. Likewise, claims that an oil's purity is vetted by mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique for the determination of the elemental composition of a sample or molecule. It is also used for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds....
or gas chromatography have limited value, since all such testing can do is show that various chemicals occur in the oil. Many of the chemicals that occur naturally in essential oils are manufactured by the perfume industry and adulterate essential oils because they are cheaper. There is no way to distinguish between these synthetic additives and the naturally occurring chemicals.

The best instrument for determining whether an essential oil is adulterated is an educated nose. Many people can distinguish between natural and synthetic scents, but it takes experience.

Price

Oils vary in price based on the amount of the harvest, the country of origin, the type of extraction used (steam distillation, CO₂ extract, enfleurage

Enfleurage

Enfleurage is a process that uses odorless fats that are solid at room temperature to capture the fragrant compounds exuded by plants. The process can be "cold" enfleurage or "hot" enfleurage....
), and how desirable the oil is. Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album
Santalum album

Santalum album is a small tropical tree of the Santalaceae family, the most commonly known source of sandalwood.This species has been utilised, cultivated and traded for many years, some cultures placing great significance on its fragrant and medicinal qualities....
) is considered more desirable than Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum
Santalum spicatum

Santalum spicatum, a species known as Australian sandalwood, is a tree native to semi-arid areas at the edge of Southwest Australia. It is traded as sandalwood and its valuable oil has been used as an Aroma compound, a medicine and a food source....
), based upon the aroma, and is twice as costly, mainly because the spices that yields Indian Sandalwood essential oils is endangered. Organic and wild harvested essential oils also tend to be more expensive.

Pharmacological effects attributed to essential oils

Antibacterial: In vitro
In vitro

In vitro refers to the technique of performing a given procedure in a controlled environment outside of a living organism. Some may argue that in vitro refers to a process that is created in a "test tube"; however, Robert Kail and John Cavanaugh on page 58 in the 4th edition of Human Development: A Life-Span View cite that in fact th...
testing has confirmed antibacterial effects in certain oils including rosemary
Rosemary

Rosemary is a woody, perennial plant herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaf. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs....
, clove
Clove

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world....
, lime
Lime (fruit)

Lime is a term referring to a number of different fruits , both species and Hybrid , which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3?6 cm in diameter, generally containing sour pulp, and frequently associated with the lemon....
, cinnamon
Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10?15 metres tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is native to Sri Lanka.The leaf are ovate-oblong in shape, 7?18 cm long....
, and tea tree oil
Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is a clear to very pale golden color essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odor. It is taken from the leaf of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia....
.
Antiviral: Supported for tea tree oil
Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is a clear to very pale golden color essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odor. It is taken from the leaf of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia....
, lemongrass, sandalwood
Sandalwood

Sandalwood is the name for several Fragrance woods. From the Sanskrit candanam the name is borrowed as the Greek sandanon. The local name in Indonesia and Malaysia is "Cendana" ....
, peppermint
Peppermint

Peppermint is a Hybrid Mentha, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world....
, ginger
Ginger

Ginger is a spice which is used for cooking and is also consumed whole as a delicacy or medicine. It is the rhizome of the Zingiber, Zingiber officinale....
, thyme
Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to* any or all members of the plant genus Thymus ,* common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes....
, and hyssop
Hyssop

Hyssop is a genus of about 10-12 species of herbaceous or subshrub plants in the family Lamiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to central Asia....
in in vitro
In vitro

In vitro refers to the technique of performing a given procedure in a controlled environment outside of a living organism. Some may argue that in vitro refers to a process that is created in a "test tube"; however, Robert Kail and John Cavanaugh on page 58 in the 4th edition of Human Development: A Life-Span View cite that in fact th...
testing against Herpes
Antifungal: Supported by in vitro testing for lavender
Lavender

The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India....
, thyme
Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to* any or all members of the plant genus Thymus ,* common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes....
, clove
Clove

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world....
, juniper
Juniper

Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the mountains of Central America....
, and tea tree oil
Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is a clear to very pale golden color essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odor. It is taken from the leaf of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia....
Anti-inflammatory: Reported in in-vitro assays of clove
Clove

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world....
, cinnamon
Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10?15 metres tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is native to Sri Lanka.The leaf are ovate-oblong in shape, 7?18 cm long....
, sage
Sage

Sage or SAGE may refer to one of the following:...
, eucalyptus
Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of Flowering plant trees in the Myrtus family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia....
, black cumin
Black cumin

Black cumin can refer to the seeds of either of two quite different plants, both of which are used as spices:* Bunium persicum, similar to caraway in shape...
and bay leaf
Bay leaf

Bay leaf , Greek Daphni, Romanian Dafin, Portuguese Louro; is the aromatic leaf of several species of the Laurel family . Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance....
Anxiolytic: Reported in animal models using oils of lavender
Lavender

The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India....
, rose
Rose

A rose is a perennial plant flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors....
and angelica
Angelica

Angelica is a genus of about 60 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far North as Iceland and S?pmi ....
Antispasmotic:
Invigorating:
Antioxidant:

Popular uses

Basil
Basil

Basil , of the Family Lamiaceae. Basil is a tender low-growing herb that is grown as a Perennial plant in warm, tropical climates. Basil is originally native to Iran, India and other tropical regions of Asia, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years....
is used in perfumery for its clear, sweet and mildly spicy aroma. In aromatherapy, it is used for sharpening concentration, for its uplifting effect on depression
Depression (mood)

In the fields of psychology and psychiatry, the terms depression or depressed refer to sadness and other related emotions and behaviours. It can be thought of as either a disease or a syndrome....
, and to relieve headache
Headache

In medicine a headache or wiktionary:cephalalgia is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and sometimes neck. Some of the causes are benign while others are medical emergencies....
s and migraine
Migraine

Migraine is a neurology syndrome characterized by altered bodily perceptions, headaches, and nausea. Physiologically, the migraine headache is a neurological condition more common to women than to men....
s. Basil oil has many chemotype
Chemotype

A chemotype is a chemically distinct entity in a plant or microorganism, with differences in the composition of the secondary metabolites. Minor Genetics and epigenetic changes with little or no effect on morphology may produce large changes in the chemical phenotype....
s and some are known to be emmenagogue
Emmenagogue

Emmenagogues are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation. Women have used plants such as mugwort, parsley and ginger to prevent or terminate early pregnancy ....
s and should be avoided during pregnancy.

Bergamot
Bergamot orange

File:Dscf0545.jpgFile:Bergamotfruit.jpgThe bergamot is a small and roughly pear-shaped fragrant citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia. Today it is also commercially grown in Calabria, Italy....
is one of the most popular oils in perfumery. It is an excellent insect repellent
Insect repellent

An insect repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects from landing or climbing on that surface....
and may be helpful for both the urinary tract and for the digestive tract. It is useful for skin conditions linked to stress, such as cold sores and chicken pox, especially when combined with eucalyptus oil. Bergamot is a flavoring agent in Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea

Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the Peel of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit....
. But cold-pressed Bergamot oil contains bergaptene, a strong photosensitizer
Photosensitizer

In pharmacology, a photosensitizer is a drug, food, or other chemical that increases photosensitivity of the organism. This may be an adverse effect of many drugs, or a desired effect in photodynamic therapy of tumors....
when applied to the skin, so only distilled or 'bergaptene-free' types can be topically used.

Black pepper
Black pepper

Black pepper is a flowering plant vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning....
has a sharp and spicy aroma. Common uses include stimulating the circulation and for muscular aches and pains. Skin application is useful for bruises, since it stimulates the circulation.

Citronella oil
Citronella oil

Citronella oil is one of the essential oils obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon. The oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellol and geraniol....
, obtained from a relative of lemongrass, is used as an insect repellent and in perfumery.

Clove
Clove

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world....
oil is a topical analgesic
Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the diverse group of Medication used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
, especially useful in dentistry
Dentistry

Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the mouth, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body....
. It is also used an antiseptic, antispasmodic
Antispasmodic

An antispasmodic is a medication or an herb that suppresses spasms. These are usually caused by smooth muscle contraction, especially in tubular organs....
, carminative
Carminative

A carminative, also known as carminativum , is an herb or preparation that either prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract, or facilitates the expulsion of said gas, thereby combating flatulence....
, and antiemetic
Antiemetic

An antiemetic is a medication that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Anti-emetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the Adverse effect of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics and chemotherapy directed against cancer....
.

Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of Flowering plant trees in the Myrtus family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia....
oil is often used in combination with peppermint
Peppermint

Peppermint is a Hybrid Mentha, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world....
to provide relief for the airways in case of cold
Common cold

Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, virus infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses....
or flu
Influenza

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease that affects birds and mammals caused by RNA viruses of the biological family Orthomyxoviridae ....
.

Geranium oil is used as an astringent, antiseptic and diuretic.

Jasmine
Jasmine

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family ,with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World....
is used as an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac

An aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek mythology of sensuality....

Lavender oil
Lavender oil

Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885 g/mL; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, having density 0.905&n...
is used as an antiseptic, to soothe minor cuts and burns, to calm and relax, and to soothe headaches and migraines.

Lemon
Lemon

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The reproductive tissue surrounds the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world....
oil is uplifting and anti-stress/anti-depressant. In a Japanese study, lemon essential oil
Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
in vapour form has been found to reduce stress
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
in mice
Mouse

A mouse is a small animal that belongs to one of numerous species of rodents. The best known mouse species is the House Mouse . It is also a popular pet....
.

Lemon
Lemon

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The reproductive tissue surrounds the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world....
oil - Researchers at Ohio State University reveals that Lemon
Lemon

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The reproductive tissue surrounds the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world....
oil aroma may enhance one's mood, and help with relaxation.

Rose
Rose

A rose is a perennial plant flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors....
is used as an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac

An aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek mythology of sensuality....

Sandalwood
Sandalwood

Sandalwood is the name for several Fragrance woods. From the Sanskrit candanam the name is borrowed as the Greek sandanon. The local name in Indonesia and Malaysia is "Cendana" ....
oil is used as an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac

An aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek mythology of sensuality....

Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is a clear to very pale golden color essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odor. It is taken from the leaf of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia....
and many other essential oils have topical
Topical

In medicine, a topical medication is applied to body surface area such as the skin or mucous membranes, for example the vagina, anus, pharynx, eyes and ears....
(external) antimicrobial
Antimicrobial

An antimicrobial is a substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, protozoals or viruses. Antimicrobial drugs either kill microbes or prevent the growth of microbes ....
(i.e. antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral
Antiviral

Antiviral may refer to:*Antiviral drug*Antiviral protein *Antivirus software*Antiviral Therapy, an academic journal...
, or antiparasitic) activity and are used as antiseptic
Antiseptic

Antiseptics are antimicrobials that are applied to living biological tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction....
s, disinfectants, and in mouthrinses.

Thyme
Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to* any or all members of the plant genus Thymus ,* common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes....
oil

Yarrow oil
Yarrow oil

Yarrow essential oil is a volatile oil including a chemical called proazulenes.The dark blue essential oil, extracted by steam distillation of the flowers, is generally used as an anti-inflammatory or in chest rubs for colds and influenza....
is used to reduce joint
Joint

A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally....
inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
and relieve cold and influenza
Influenza

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease that affects birds and mammals caused by RNA viruses of the biological family Orthomyxoviridae ....
symptoms.

Ylang-ylang
Ylang-ylang

Ylang-ylang Cananga odorata, is a small flower of the cananga tree. It is a fast-growing tree that exceeds 5 meters per year and attains an average height of 12 meters....
oil is used as an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac

An aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek mythology of sensuality....

Efficacy

The consensus among most medical professionals is that while some aromas have demonstrated effects on mood and relaxation and may have related benefits for patients, there is currently insufficient scientific proof of many of the claims made for aromatherapy. Scientific research on the cause and effect of aromatherapy is limited, although in vitro testing has revealed some antibacterial and antiviral effects and a few double blind studies have been published. Essential oils have a demonstrated efficacy in dental mouthwash products.

Like many alternative therapies

Alternative medicine

The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine"....
, few controlled, double-blind

Double-blind

The blind method is a part of the scientific method, used to prevent research outcomes from being influenced by either the placebo effect or the observer bias....
studies have been carried out—a common explanation is that there is little incentive to do so if the results of the studies are not patentable

Patentability

Within the context of a state or multilateralism body of law, an invention is patentable if it meets the relevant legal conditions to be granted a patent....
. Researchers at Sloan-Kettering have found that aromatherapy significantly reduces claustrophobia

Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder and often results in panic attack. One study indicates that anywhere from 2-5% of the general world population is affected by severe claustrophobia, but only a small percentage of these people receive some kind of treatment for the disorder....
attacks for patients undergoing MRI scans; however, studies of similar rigor are far from numerous. Some benefits that have been linked to aromatherapy, such as relaxation and clarity of mind, may arise from the placebo effect

Placebo effect

Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
rather than from the inherent properties of the scents themselves.

Skeptical literature suggests that aromatherapy is based on the anecdotal evidence

Anecdotal evidence

The expression anecdotal evidence has two distinct meanings. Evidence in the form of an anecdote or hearsay is called anecdotal if there is doubt about its veracity: the evidence itself is considered untrustworthy or untrue....
of its benefits rather than proof that aromatherapy can cure diseases. Scientists and medical professionals acknowledge that aromatherapy has limited scientific support, but critics argue that the claims of most aromatherapy practitioners go beyond the data, and/or that the studies are neither adequately controlled nor peer reviewed.

Customers should be aware that aromatherapy may be unregulated, depending on the country. The term "aromatherapy" has been applied to such a wide range of products that many are labeled "aromatherapy" products simply because they contain essential oils, although they may provide no therapeutic benefit.

Some proponents of aromatherapy believe that the claimed effect of each type of oil is not caused by the chemicals in the oil interacting with the senses, but because the oil contains a distillation of the "life force

Vitalism

Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is#a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactions...
" of the plant from which it is derived that will "balance the energies" of the body and promote healing or well-being by purging negative vibrations from the body's energy field. Arguing that there is no scientific evidence

Scientific method

Scientific method refers to techniques for investigating phenomenon, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and Measure evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning....
that healing can be achieved, and that the claimed "energies" even exist, many skeptics

Scientific skepticism

Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism , sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a scientific or practical, epistemology position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking empirical evidence....
reject this form of aromatherapy as pseudoscience

Pseudoscience

Quackery

Quackery is a derogatory term used to describe unproven or fraudulent medicine. Random House Dictionary describes a "quack" as a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, or Professional certification he or she does not possess; a charlatan."...
.

Safety concerns

In addition, there are potential safety concerns

Alternative medicine

The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine"....
. Because essential oils are highly concentrated they can irritate the skin when used neat. Therefore, they are normally diluted with a carrier oil for topical application. Phototoxic reactions may occur with citrus

Citrus

Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of the world....
peel oils such as lemon

Lemon

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The reproductive tissue surrounds the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world....
or lime

Lime (fruit)

Lime is a term referring to a number of different fruits , both species and Hybrid , which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3?6 cm in diameter, generally containing sour pulp, and frequently associated with the lemon....
. Also, many essential oils have chemical components that are sensitisers

Sensitivity

Sensitivity may refer to:* Allergy* Sensitivity * Sensitivity * Sensitivity * Sensitivity and specificity are related concepts in statistics...
(meaning that they will after a number of uses cause reactions on the skin, and more so in the rest of the body). Some oils can be toxic to some domestic animals, with cat

Cat

The cat , also known as the Domestication cat or house cat to distinguish it from other Felinae and Felidae, is a small predationy carnivore species of crepuscular mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin, snakes, scorpions, and other unwanted household pests....
s being particularly prone.

Two common oils, lavender

Lavender

The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India....
and tea tree

Tea tree

Tea tree or Ti-tree is a popular name that has been applied to a number of different, unrelated plants:*Camellia sinensis , from which black, green, oolong and white tea are all obtained....
, have been implicated in causing gynaecomastia, an abnormal breast tissue growth, in prepubescent boys, although the report which cites this potential issue is based on observations of only three boys (and so is not a scientific study), and two of those boys were significantly above average in weight for their age, thus already prone to gynaecomastia. A child hormone specialist at the University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge , located in Cambridge, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in the Anglosphere....
claimed "... these oils can mimic oestrogens" and "people should be a little bit careful about using these products."

As with any bioactive substance, an essential oil that may be safe for the general public could still pose hazards for pregnant and lactating women.

While some advocate the ingestion of essential oils for therapeutic purposes, licensed aromatherapy professionals do not recommend self prescription due the highly toxic nature of some essential oil. Some very common oils like Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of Flowering plant trees in the Myrtus family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia....
are extremely toxic when taken internally. Doses as low as one teaspoon has been reported to cause clinically significant symptoms and severe poisoning can occur after ingestion of 4 to 5 ml. A few reported cases of toxic reactions like liver

Liver

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, a few of which are detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion....
damage and seizures have occurred after ingestion of sage, hyssop, thuja, and cedar. Accidental ingestion may happen when oils are not kept out of reach of children.

Oils both ingested and applied to the skin can potentially have negative interaction with conventional medicine. For example, the topical use of methyl salicylate

Methyl salicylate

Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants producing it are called wintergreens, hence the common name....
heavy oils like Sweet Birch

Sweet Birch

Betula lenta is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from southern Maine west to southernmost Ontario and southern Michigan, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia ....
and Wintergreen

Wintergreen

Wintergreen is a group of plants. Wintergreen once commonly referred to plants that continue photosynthesis throughout the winter. The term evergreen is now more commonly used for this characteristic....
may cause hemorrhaging in users taking the anticoagulant

Anticoagulant

An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents blood coagulation; that is, it stops blood from clotting. A group of pharmaceuticals called anticoagulants can be used in vivo as a medication for thrombosis disorders....
Warfarin

Warfarin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant. It was initially marketed as a pesticide against rats and mice, and is still popular for this purpose, although more potent poisons such as brodifacoum have since been developed....
.

Adulterated oils may also pose problems depending on the type of substance used.

Table of vaporization temperatures

Plant common name	Scientific name	Part utilized	Temperature
Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus globulus Eucalyptus globulus The Tasmanian Blue Gum, Southern Blue Gum or Blue Gum, is an evergreen tree, one of the most widely cultivated trees native to Australia....	Leaves	130°C (266°F)
Hops	Humulus lupulus Humulus lupulus *Humulus lupulus* is a species of Humulus in the Cannabaceae family.Common hop is a dioecious, Perennial plant herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to the cold-hardy rhizome in autumn....	Fruit	154°C (309°F)
Chamomile	Chamomilla recutita	Flowers	190°C (374°F)
Lavender	Lavandula angustifolia Lavandula angustifolia *Lavandula angustifolia* is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the western Mediterranean region, primarily in the Pyrenees and other mountains in northern Spain....	Leaves	130°C (266°F)
Lemon balm	Melissa officinalis	Leaves	142°C (288°F)
Salvia	Salvia officinalis	Leaves	190°C (374°F)
Thyme	Thymus vulgaris Thymus vulgaris *Thymus vulgaris* or Common Thyme is a low growing herbaceous plant, sometimes becoming somewhat woody. It is native to southern Europe....	Herb	190°C (374°F)
Cannabis	Cannabis sativa Cannabis sativa *Cannabis sativa* is an annual plant in the Cannabaceae family. It is a herb that has been used throughout recorded history by humans as a source of fiber, for its seed oil, as food , as a drug , as medicine , and for spiritual purposes ....	Flowers	180°C (356°F)