Aromatherapy is an ancient treatment designed to promote health and healing by the correct use of a specifically selected essential oil obtained from plants of all kinds.
The definition of an essential oil, which I found in my course notes, is:
"A fragrant volatile liquid, extracted by distillation or expression from a single botanical source".
I know that means absolutely nothing to you right now! Let me explain.
Essential oils are odorous (smelly) and highly volatile (they evaporate very quickly in the open air). They are different from fatty oils and have a consistency more like water than oil.
Essential oils are formed in the leaves of plants by mixing odoriferous (smelly) materials with glucose. The product of this union is called Glucosides. This substance is transported around the plants structures. The oil is formed either on the surface of the leaf or in the structure of it's secretory cells. Essential oils are not vital to the life of a plant and this process does not occur in all plants.
The chemistry of essential oils is very complex and I will only brush over them briefly. The following chemical components can be found in varying quantities in essential oils. The amount of each chemical in the oil will determine it's therapeutic use.
- Alcohols - This component brings germicidal qualities to an oil.
- Esters - This component has anti-inflammatory, cooling, soothing and anti-spasmodic qualities.
- Ketones - This component is healing and sedating.
- Aldehydes - This component has antiseptic, anti-pneumatic, calming and soothing qualities.
- Terpenes - This component is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and improves the circulatory and lymphatic systems.
- Phenols - Oils containing this constituent are never used in aromatherapy, as they are hazardous.
