International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy

Transcription

ISSN 2167-8596
The International Journal of
Professional Holistic Aromatherapy
Fostering the education and practice of the professional holistic aromatherapist
IJPHA Volume 1
Issue 4
Spring 2013
Yuzu and Dill
Aromatherapy Benefits ANS Regulation for
Elementary School Faculty
East Meets West: An Integrated Viewpoint
for the Skin for Aromatherapeutic Healing
Psychospiritual Profiles of Citrus Oils
Cancer Preventing Properties of Essential
Oil Monoterpenes
Beneficial Blending for Elder Care
Essential Oils and Eye Care
Case Study: Haemorrhoids
www.ijpha.com
Editor
Lora Cantele, RA, CMAIA, CSRT
[email protected]
Editorial Advisory Committee
Cindy Black, L.Ac.
www.meridianmassageinstitute.com
Andrea Butje, LMT, Clinical Aromatherapist
www.aromahead.com
Linda Byington, RA, Cert. Reflexologist
Suzanne Catty, LHP, Clinical
RA,
Cert. Reflexologist
www.newworldorganics.com
Eileen Cristina, LMT, Clinical Aromatherapist
[email protected]
Debbie Freund, RN, CCAP
From the Editor
Spring is nearly here despite all the snow here in Boulder. It seems fitting that we would be working on an
issue about citrus oils, and d-limonene in particular, to
help cheer us. This issue takes a look at the therapeutic
benefits of monoterpenes. Dr. Mark Brudnak discusses
limonene as a chemopreventative agent and Dr. KangMing Chang strays from the often used Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia) to employ the stress-reducing
benefits of Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) oil in his research study. We also
profile the lesser-known Yuzu (Citrus junos) oil and Dill (Anethum vulgaris).
Mindy Green, MS, RA, RH (AHG)
www.greenscentsations.com
Rhiannon Harris, FIFPA
www.essentialorc.com
Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Consultant
www.roberttisserand.com
Publication
Enhancements Aromatherapy LLC
5435 Indian Summer Ct
Boulder, CO 80301—USA
Tel: + 815 814 1444 Skype: lora.cantele
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ijpha.com
The IJPHA is published quarterly
ISSN 2167-8588
Disclaimer
The editor/publisher does not accept
responsibility for the opinions, advice and/
or recommendations of its contributors.
Furthermore, the IJPHA accepts no
responsibility for any incident or injury to
persons or property resulting from the
use of any method, products, instructions
or ideas contained within this publication.
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IJPHA does not imply the endorsement or
guarantee of quality by the IJPHA.
Author Guidelines
The IJPHA welcomes your articles and
case studies for submission! Questions,
articles, advertising and subscriptions
inquiries may be submitted to the editor/
publisher. For information with regard to
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subscription, you may download our
Media Kit and Writing Guidelines at:
www.ijpha.com
It always makes me smile when we find that we are a step ahead of the
wave of topical posts on facebook. One of the most disturbing is the
much discussed post from an independent essential oil distributor and
her recommendation to use essential oils in the eyes as a natural means
of eye care. Robert Tisserand provides the facts. Warning: the photo
contained within the article is very disturbing. Spring cleaning is another
online topic and Andrea Butje and Linda Byington have some great
recipes to share with you for your own natural cleaning products.
The IJPHA continues to provide new ways for you to “look outside the
box.” Katharine Koeppen personifies the archetypes of citrus oils and
Terese Miller discusses the skin from an East meets West perspective.
One of our aims is to provide you with case studies and information
from practitioners. Cynthia Loving shares her Sensible-Solutions
Program for elder care and Sharon Falsetto offers her case study on the
unpleasant topic of haemorrhoids. I encourage you to share your
successes as well.
I hope you have enjoyed our first volume of the IJPHA! With your
journal is a reminder to renew your subscription. You can renew at our
new website (www.ijpha.com) or send a check to the address at left.
Lora Cantele
On the cover:
Yuzu [Citrus junos]
Photo courtesy of Hiromi Suzuki © 2011
The contents of this journal are the copyright of the International Journal of
Professional Holistic Aromatherapy (IJPHA) and may not be reprinted without
permission of the IJPHA. The information contained herein may not necessarily
represent IJPHA’s opinions or views.
IJPHA Vol. 1 Issue 4 Spring 2013
3
In this issue
3
5
From the Editor
Essential Oil Profile: Yuzu
9
Aromatherapy Benefits Autonomic Nervous System Regulation for
Elementary School Faculty in Taiwan Kang-Ming Chang, PhD and Chuh-Wei Shen
Lora Cantele, RA, CMAIA, CSRT
17 Anethum graveolens: A Traditional Indian Medicinal Herb and Spice
Sayantan Jana, PhD and Gyan Singh Shekhawat, PhD
21 East Meets West: An Integrated Viewpoint of The Skin as an Avenue
of Absorption and Healing in Aromatherapy Terese Miller, DOM, CA
25 Case Study: Using Essential Oils for the Management of
Haemorrhoids Sharon Falsetto, Clinical Aromatherapist
27 Let the Sun Shine In: A Psychospiritual Profile of Popular Citrus
Essential Oils Katharine Koeppen, RA, LMT, NCTMB
31 Cancer-Preventing Properties of Essential Oil Monoterpenes
d-Limonene and Perillyl Alcohol Mark Brudnak, PhD, ND
37 Beneficial Blending for Elder Care: The Scents-ible Solutions
Aromatherapy Program Cynthia Loving, Aromatherapist, LMT
43 Natural Spring Cleaning Andrea Butje, Clinical Aromatherapist and Linda Byington, RA,
Certified Reflexologist
45 Blind Leading the Blind? Essential Oils in Eye Care
47 Business Tip Andrea Butje, Clinical Aromatherapist
48 Book Review
Anita James, SPdipA, MIFPA, Cert Ed.
49 Recipes from the Sensual Kitchen
50 Good To Know...
4
Kris Wrede, Aromatic Alchemist
Essential Oil Profile: Yuzu
by Lora Cantele, RA, CMAIA, CSRT
Yuzu © Bluhazejun/Flickr
Yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka; Citrus
ichangensis x C. reticulata var. austere)
Other names: ch'êng tzu, xiang cheng, oranger du
Kan-Sou, yujanamu
Botanical family: Rutaceae
Botany: Yuzu is believed to be a hybrid between
Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis) and Satsuma
mandarin. Yuzu grows on medium-sized trees,
approximately 13-18 feet in height, with dense
foliage similar to a bitter orange tree. The fruit,
about the size of a mandarin orange, grows on
thorny branches. The fruit rind is a green color that
changes to yellow as it matures in October. The
peel is bumpy and loose-fitting around the fruit itself.
The flavor is sour like a lemon, but the rind is very
fragrant and the fruits are often used to perfume the
air. The Yuzu is the hardiest of the citrus fruits and
can withstand temperatures as low as 10° F.
History and traditional uses
There has been some discussion regarding the
origins of the Yuzu tree. Tyôzaburô Tanaka with the
Imperial University wrote that it was thought to have
originated in Korea and from there was introduced
into China, eventually making its way into southern
Japan during the Tang Dynasty in the 10th century
A.D. (Taninaka, 1981). Still others insist that Yuzu
originated in the upper reaches of the Yangtze river,
in China (Rahman et al, 2001). In 1914, Frank N.
Meyer, a plant explorer for the USDA, found Yuzu
(which he originally named Kansu orange) growing
wild in the southern part of Gansu province. He
collected the seeds and sent them back to the
United States. Later in 1922, Tanaka discovered that
the Kansu orange was the same as the Yuzu that the
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had been
propagating for several years. This suggests that
Yuzu may have been imported prior to the 1900s by
Japanese immigrants (Karp, 2003). Today there are
many varieties and hybrids of Yuzu in Japan and
China. The largest producers of Yuzu are Japan and
Korea (Sawamura, 2005).
Yuzu is commonly used for cooking in much the
same way one would use the juice or rind of a lemon
to enhance the flavor of soups, fish, sweet foods, and
medicinal teas as the rind is so fragrant. The fruit is
sour, like a lemon, and not normally eaten as a
whole fruit. Ponzu is a tart, watery sauce made from
mirin, seaweed, rice vinegar, and citrus, including
Yuzu, and is used in Japanese cuisine (Abkenkar,
2003). A tisane or herbal tea can be made from
steeping the fruit rind in hot water. The flavonoid
naringenin, found in Yuzu, fruit has been found to be
a useful chemopreventive agent against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease
(Heo et al, 2004).
There have been a few reported studies of the uses
of essential oil of Yuzu peel in cosmetics and
aromatherapy (Sawamura, 2005). Popular in the
Japanese culture is a Yuzu bath. Traditionally this is
done in connection with Toji (the winter solstice) as
a preventative measure to ward off colds and
seasonal ills. The fruits are wrapped in cheesecloth
or simply cut in half and dropped into a tub of hot
water. The oil from the fruit produces a tonic effect
that stimulates the circulatory and digestive systems,
making it useful for general aches and pains,
rheumatism, and arthritis (Lyth G, 1997-2013).
5
Extraction information
Country of origin: Japan, Korea, China
Part of plant used: Fruit peel
Extraction method: Cold expression
Color of oil: Light green to pale yellow
Blending information
Odor description: Sweet aroma of blended
citrus scents of grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin, and
lime. Among the most odor-active volatiles in
Yuzu, (E)-non-6-enal and Yuzunone were identified
for the first time only in Yuzu peel oil and not in the
peel of other citrus species, and greatly contribute
to the distinct aroma of Yuzu (Miyazawa N et al,
2009).
Notes: Middle-Top, Top
Safety
Yuzu essential oil may be photosensitizing. Older,
oxidized oils have the potential for skin irritation
similar to other citrus oils and oils high in
monoterpenes like conifers.
Chemical constituents
Chemical feature: The essential oil is
characterized by a high percentage of monoterpene
hydrocarbons, predominantly d-limonene,
γ-terpinene, β-phellandrene, myrcene, linalool, and
α-pinene. While there is not a lot written about
Yuzu, and research is limited, its chemical profile is
very similar to Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) with the
addition of β-phellandrene which adds to its unique
aroma.
Chemical profile for Yuzu (Citrus junos)
Chemical family
Monoterpenes
Components
Monoterpenols
d-limonene 75.77, γ-terpinene 8.79, β-phellandrene
3.09, β-myrcene 1.79, α-pinene 1.25, para-cymene
1.19, β-pinene 0.72, α-phellandrene 0.47, terpinolene
0.47, α-thuyene 0.33, α-terpinene 0.26, sabinene 0.20,
trans-β-ocimene 0.18
β-farnesene 0.59, bicyclogermacrene 0.26,
β-caryophyllene 0.20, germacrene D 0.16
linalol 2.21, α-terpineol 0.25, terpinen-4-ol 0.18
Sesquiterpenols
spathulenol 0.43
Phenols
thymol 0.15
Sesquiterpenes
GC/MS obtained from www.aromaticsinternational.com.
Yuzu from Japan distilled Summer 2012.
6
Therapeutic properties
Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic,
antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericidal, carminative,
digestive system tonic/stimulant, expectorant,
lipolytic, sedative, stomachic
*Actions highlighted in bold print are referenced
under 'Research.'
Research
The anti-inflammatory effects of limonene from
yuzu peel were examined with human eosinophilic
leukemia HL-60 clone 15 cells. The results suggest
that limonene may have potential anti-inflammatory
efficacy for the treatment of bronchial asthma by
inhibiting cytokines, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
production, and inactivating eosinophil migration
(Hirota R et al, 2010).
Yuzu essential oil inhibits the formation of
N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a highly toxic
contaminant found in drinking water and vegetables
(Sawamura et al, 1999; 2005).
Yuzu was found to be potentially more lipolytic
(breaks down stored fat) than the popular raspberry ketones. Lipolytic effect was found to be high
when the oils included a higher content of gammaterpinene and para-cymene. Limonene showed
potential lipolytic effect, and its effect is likely to be
enhanced by the presence of gamma-terpinene and
para-cymene (Choi H S, 2006).
Formulas using Yuzu
Uplifting synergy
5 ml Yuzu (Citrus junos)
5 ml Petitgrain sur fleur (Citrus aurantium var. amara
fol. and flos.)
4 ml Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
3 ml Sandalwood (Santalum austrocaledonicum)
3 ml Kaffir lime/Combava (Citrus hystrix)
Use this synergy in a diffuser or aromatic jewelry.
Add a few drops to your bath or mix 36 drops into
4 ounces/120 ml of unscented lotion or shower gel.
Inhaler for anxiety
2 drops Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum)
13 drops Yuzu (Citrus junos)
Add the blend of essential oils to a blank inhaler.
Inhale deeply, several times, through each nostril.
Use as needed.
Chest rub for cough and cold
4 oz/120 ml unscented white cream or carrier oil
12 drops Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus smithii)
6 drops Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis var. decumbens)
3 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Apply the blended cream to chest, neck, and shoulders twice daily.
Gargle for throat infection
2 drops Sandalwood (Santalum paniculatum)
At the onset of symptoms, add essential oils to a
4 ounce/120 ml glass of water and gargle with the
mixture every few hours. Be sure to stir the
mixture well before each mouthful and spit after
each cycle of gargling. 
References
Abenkar A and Isshiki. (2003). Molecular characterization and genetic
diversity among Japanese acid citrus (Citrus spp.) based on RAPD
markers. J of Horticulture Science and Biotechnology. (78) 1, p108-112.
Choi H S. (2006). Lipolytic effects of citrus peel oils and their components. J Agric Food Chem. 54 (9), p3254-8.
Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. [Online Database] Last accessed 8 Febuary 2013.
Hanelt P, Editor. (2001). Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and
horticultural crops. New York: Springer.
Karp D. (2003). The Secrets Behind Chef's Not-So-Secret Ingredient. The
New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/03dining/03
YUZU.html?ex=1385787600&en=503d5cd5111f4124&ei=5007& partner=USERLAND. Last accessed 18 February 2013.
Lyth G. (1997-2013). http://www.quinessence.com/yuzu.htm
Miyazawa N et al. (2009). Novel character impact compounds in
Yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) peel oil. J. Agric Food Chem. 57 (5),
p1990-6.
Rhaman M M, Nito N, and Isshiki S. (2001). Cultivar identification of
'Yuzu' (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) and related acid citrus by leaf
isozymes. Scientia Horticulturae. 87, p191-8.
Sawamura M, Sun S H, Ozaki K, Ishikawa J, Ukeda H. (1999). Inhibitory effects of citrus essential oils and their components on the
formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine. J Agric Food Chem. 47(12),
p4868-72.
Sawamura M, Wu Y, Fujiwara C, Urushibata M. (2005). Inhibitory
effect of yuzu essential oil on the formation of Nnitrosodimethylamine in vegetables. J Agric Food Chem. 53(10),
p4281-7.
Taninaka T, Otoi N, Morimoto J. (1981). Acid citrus cultivars related
to the yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) in Japan. Proceedings of the
International Society of Citriculture. Edited by Matsumoto K, Oogaki C,
and Kozaki I. Tokyo, Japan: Aiko Printing Co. p73-76.
University of California, Riverside. http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/
citrus/yuzu1.html
Lora Cantele is a Registered Clinical Aromatherapist and
aromatherapy educator. www.enhancedgifts.com
Practitioner share
from Liz Fulcher, Clinical Aromatherapist and Educator
www.aromaticwisdominstitute.com
Digestive Blend
(To aid digestion and settle a gassy belly)
3 drops Cardamom (Ellettaria cardamomum)
3 drops Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
2 drops Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
2 ounces Jojoba oil
Blend the essential oils into the Jojoba oil and
gently massage the blend into your belly clockwise
after meals.
Heo H J et al. (2004). Effect of antioxidant flavanone, naringenin, from
Citrus junos on neuroprotection. Journal of Agri and Food Chem. 52 (6),
p1520-5.
Hirota R, Roger N N, Nakamura H, Song H S, Sawamura M, Suganuma N. (2010). Anti-inflammatory effects of limonene from yuzu
(Citrus junos Tanaka) essential oil on eosinophils. Journal of Food Sci.
© Liz Fulcher 2013
7
8
Aromatherapy Benefits Autonomic
Nervous System Regulation for
Elementary School Faculty in Taiwan
Kang-Ming Chang1,2 Chuh-Wei Shen1,3
1
Department of Photonics and Communication Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
2
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
3
Ming-Chien Elementary School of Nantou County, Taiwan, ROC.
Abstract
Workplace stress related illness is a serious issue.
Thus, many stress reduction methods have been
investigated. Aromatherapy applications of steamdistilled essential oils by inhalation or massage are
typically used by populations that work under high
stress. Elementary school teachers are a high-stress
working population in Taiwan. In this study, 54
elementary school teachers from three schools were
recruited to evaluate aromatherapy’s performance
on stress reduction. Subjects with a history of
asthma, high blood pressure or heart disease were
excluded. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oil
was used as an aromatherapy diffuser mist for ten
minutes. Blood pressure and autonomic nervous
system parameters were recorded five minutes
before and after the application of the diffuser mist.
Results showed that there were significant decreases
in blood pressure, heart rate, low frequency (LF)
power percentage and LF/HF while there were
increases in heart rate variability and high frequency
(HF) power percentage (p<0.001***) after application of the aromatherapy mist. Further analysis was
investigated by dividing subjects into three background variables (position variables, age variables,
gender variables) and anxiety degree groups. Anxiety
degree groups were determined by the Beck Anxiety
Inventory (BAI). All parameters were significantly
different for most sub-groups, except for the substitute teachers and the light-anxiety group. Parasympathetic nervous system activation was measured after
aromatherapy in this study. It encouraged further
study of aromatherapy for other stressed working
populations.
Bergamot © Klaus Reger
Introduction
Workplace stress has attracted much attention
recently (Whalen, 2009). In Taiwan, working stress is
increasing among elementary school teachers as a
result of students declining, competition between
schools and education reform. Local studies have
indicated that there is higher job stress and interpersonal stress in male elementary teachers than in
female teachers. Young teachers feel increased stress
on income and time scheduling, while senior teachers feel increased stress on colleague relationships
(Hawng, 1999). Thus, appropriate stress coping
methods are also highly desirable.
Various approaches have been involved in workplace
stress management (Shader et al, 2001). Aromatherapy, due to easy implementation and effectiveness, is
one of them (Blevi and Sween, 1993). Essential oils
are used to reduce body tension and emotional
stress. Common essential oils are Bergamot (Citrus
bergamia), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) (Mein, 1998). Use of
Lavender and Rosemary scented candles have been
found to reduce the pressure of testing on nursing
school students (McCaffrey et al, 2009). Aromatherapy was widely used for stress adaptation. Komarova and Avilov’s results showed that regular use of
fragrant scented candles can increase students’ parasympathetic rhythm (Komarova and Avilov, 2009).
Seo thought aromatherapy by inhalation was an effective stress management method. In a study when 36
female high school students received the aroma
treatment, their stress levels were significantly lower
(Seo, 2009). In addition, Hur and associates applied
aromatherapy massage in Korean climacteric
9
women. Lavender, Rose Geranium (species not
specified), Rose (Rosa damascena) and Jasmine
(species not specified) with an essential oil 4:2:1:1
ratio, in almond (Prunus dulcis) oil (90%) and evening
primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil (10%) at a concentration of 3% used for massage once a week. Eight
weeks of massage showed a significantly lower total
menopausal index than that in wait-listed controls.
These findings suggest that aromatherapy massage
can be an effective treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, depression and pain in
climacteric women (Hur et al, 2008). Bagetta and
associates examined the brain wave spectrum power
and found that Bergamot essential oil correlates well
with its exocytotic and carrier-mediated release of
discrete amino acids endowed with neurotransmitter
function in the mammalian hippocampus (Bagetta et
al, 2010). Bergamot essential oil was able to interfere
with normal and pathological synaptic plasticity.
Therefore, Bergamot essential oil was effective for
anxiety reduction of mild depression subjects. It also
had the effect of reducing pain in cancer subjects
(Narita et al, 2007).
Therefore Bergamot essential oil is used in this
study, with the aid of a misting diffuser for aromatherapy. Many essential oils have a sedating effect,
such as Bergamot, Lavender, Chamomile (species not
specified), and other essential oils (Mein, 1998).
Chamomile was expensive and the odor of Lavender
was irritating and allergenic to a portion of the
subjects so Bergamot essential oil was chosen for
this study.
The autonomic nervous system includes sympathetic
activity and parasympathetic activity. When people
feel anxious or experience stress, heart rate and
sympathetic activity will increase and parasympathetic activity will decrease. Narita and associates
found that there were higher sympathetic activities
for depressed and anxious subjects than for normal
subjects (Narita et al, 2007). Similar results were
also shown on swimmers (Cervantes et al, 2009).
Autonomic nervous system activities were monitored from heart rate variability (HRV) which was
derived from heartbeat interval time series. With
further discrete Fourier transform (DFT*) applied
to the heartbeat interval time series, two specific
power spectrum ranges were defined. One is low
10
frequency range (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz), and the other is
high frequency range (HF, 0.15-0.4 Hz).
*DFT is used to convert the sampled function from its original domain
(often time or position along a line) to the frequency domain. Because
it deals with a finite amount of data, it can be implemented in computers by numerical algorithms or even dedicated hardware
(www.Wikipedia.org).
Thus, significant HRV variation was expected after
aromatherapy. Sympathetic activity is accompanied
with increases in low frequency power (LF) of the
heart rate variability (HRV) spectrum, while parasympathetic activity is associated with high frequency
power (HF). Duan and associates' results indicated
that after the inhalation of Lavender, there was a
significant increase in HF and LF/HF values (Duan et
al, 2007). Anxiety caused by anxiety-provoking film
clips was reduced with the aid of orally administered
Lavender essential oil and there was an increase in
HRV (Bradley et al, 2009). Therefore HRV was used
as an indicator to measure the effect of aromatherapy on elementary school teachers.
Material and methods
Subjects
Fifty-four elementary school teachers from three
different schools were enrolled. Possible asthma, hypertension or heart disease patients were excluded.
The reason to exclude asthma is that the diffuser
mist may induce an asthma attack, so asthmatic subjects were excluded from this experimental study.
Many studies indicate that heart rate variability is
closely related to heart disease, myocardial infarction
and heart failure. Therefore the subjects with heart
disease and hypertension were also excluded from
this study.
Further subgroups were divided by gender, job
position, age and degree of anxiety. The Beck
Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used by a qualified
expert to estimate the degree of anxiety in each
volunteer. Based on the BAI result, subjects were
scored as light anxiety, mild anxiety or moderate
anxiety. Detailed subject information is listed in
Table 1.
Position
Administrative Staff (n=19);
Homeroom Teacher (n=21);
Substitute Teacher (n=14)
Gender
Male (n=25);
Female (n=29)
Age
C—Ten minute aromatherapy intervention was
conducted by the same nurse, as demonstrated in
Figure 1. Respiration rate and respiration volume in
this session were required the same as that during
the rest period.
Below 34 (n=21);
35-44 (n=19);
Above 45 (n=14)
Anxiety Degree
Light (n=26);
Mild (n=17);
Moderate (n=11)
Table 1 Subject information (n=54)
Experimental procedures
Aromatherapy was conducted once a week. Physiological recordings were taken during the second
week in the school’s health center. An Ultrasonic
Ionizer Aromatherapy Diffuser was used for aroma
evaporation (type YHL668/I, ultrasound frequency
2.5MHz, Nature Creart Co. Ltd, made in Taiwan).
100% pure Bergamot essential oil was used and
diluted to 2%. Physiological parameters were
recorded by an ANSWatch® monitor (TS-0411
type, Taiwan Scientific Ltd., which has been approved
by ISO 13485, and EU CE Mark). Each session was
recorded for seven minutes. Average blood pressure
and HRV parameters were shown on the panel of
ANSWatch® monitor. Detail experimental procedures were as follows. IRB was approved by Asia
University Medical Research Ethics committee.
A—Basic subject information was collected: height,
weight, body mass index (BMI), and age range. Each
subject was required to fill in a consent form and a
BAI survey. First and second aromatherapies were
conducted at the same time on the same day of the
week. Use of cigarettes, alcohol and coffee consumption were forbidden six hours before aromatherapy.
B—Subjects were asked to rest for five to ten minutes before HRV recording. Then a pre-test recording
of seven minutes was made while the subject was
seated with eyes open and not engaged in any
activity.
Misting diffuser and ANSWatch®
© 2011 K-M Chang and C-W Shen
Fig. 1
D—Post-test recording for another seven minutes.
Physiological parameter collection
ANSWatch® monitor records two blood pressure
parameters and five HRV parameters, as shown
below:
A—SYS (mmHg): Systolic blood pressure.
B—DIA (mmHg): Diastolic blood pressure.
C—HR (BPM): Average heart beat in terms of beats
per minutes (BPM).
D—HRV (ms): Heart rate variability, a similar term to
SDNN, defined as standard derivation of RR
interval sequence.
E—HF(%): High frequency power percentage. HF
frequency range was between 0.15-0.4 Hz on heart
rate variability spectrum.
F—LF(%): Low frequency power percentage. LF frequency range was between 0.04-0.15 Hz on heart
rate variability spectrum.
G—LF/HF: Ratio of LF power to HF power.
11
Statistics
In this study, the SPSS 12.0 software package was
used to conduct data analysis. Significance test for
the alpha value was set at 0.05. Several statistical
methods were used, as follows:
A—Descriptive statistics: Personal information on
subjects is represented as mean ± standard deviation
(mean ± SD).
B—Paired t-test: Intra-group differences among
three background variables "gender," "age" and
"position" were compared. Seven parameters within
each group, SYS, DIA, HR, HRV, HF%, LF% and LF/
HF were examined.
C—Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA): Pretest was
used as covariates, inter-group difference among
position, age, gender and anxiety degree was examined by ANCOVA. The Scheffe method and the Post
hoc test for least significance difference test were
used for post hoc test. A three-way ANCOVA was
also used to examine the interaction effect among
the three background variables "gender," "age" and
"position."
Results
Paired t-test results for Bergamot essential oil treatments for all subjects are listed in Table 2. According to Table 2, it is apparent that after the aromatherapy treatment, blood pressure is reduced both
on SYS and on DIA. There was also a decrease in
heart rate, LF% and LF/HF. Apparently, treatment of
aromatherapy increases parasympathetic nervous
activity; therefore HF and HRV parameters will
increase.
Further analysis of subgroups is shown in the following: The position group result is shown in Table 3.
Similar to Table 2, there were significant differences
on all physiological parameters for administrative
staff and for home room teachers. Although there
was also a significant reduction in blood pressure and
heart rate, there was not enough statistical difference on HF% and LF% for the substitute teachers.
According to further in-depth interviews with substitute teachers, the previous result may be associated
with the coming annual faculty entrance test. Substitute teachers had to prepare for the test in their
spare time and they could not relax; therefore
aromatherapy’s impact is reduced.
12
Items
All
SYS
Before
123.30±12.810
(mmHg)
After
112.78±15.909
DIA
Before
82.91±7.86
(mmHg)
After
76.76±7.997
HR
Before
83.15±13.964
(BPM)
After
74.61±9.803
HRV
Before
137.54±69.215
(ms)
After
197.89±91.195
HF
Before
50.93±15.331
(%)
After
61.13±10.622
LF
Before
49.57±15.320
(%)
After
38.37±10.010
LF/HF
Before
1.170±0.8348
After
0.648±0.2800
P value
0.001***
0.000***
0.000***
0.000***
0.004**
0.004**
0.005**
p<0.05*; p<0.01**; p<0.001***
Table 2 Paired t-test result for aroma for all subjects
Items
SYS
Administrative
Homeroom
Substitute
Staff (n=19)
Teacher
Teacher
(n=21)
(n=14)
123.10±14.74*
123.79±12.50**
111.16±15.74
113.43±17.10
114.00±15.27
Before 82.37±7.32**
82.00±8.78**
85.00±7.26**
76.10±7.91
77.86±7.02
Before 123.16±11.34
(mmHg) After
DIA
(mmHg) After
76.68±9.05
HR
Before 83.42±12.37 **
84.71±17.78*
80.43±9.21**
(BPM)
After
76.57±10.34
73.29±9.29
HRV
Before 138.84±79.54**
(ms)
After
HF
Before 48.95±16.54**
52.86±12.23*
50.71±18.37
(%)
After
60.10±8.01
59.07±16.04
LF
Before 51.05±16.54**
47.14±12.23*
49.29±18.37
(%)
After
35.42±6.19
39.90±8.01
40.93±16.04
LF/HF
Before 1.33±.99**
0.99±0.48*
1.22±1.02*
After
0.71±0.25
0.72±0.48
73.42±9.71
147.38±63.93** 121.00±63.48**
216.26±108.82** 205.67±71.53
64.58±6.19
0.56±0.146
161.29±87.21
p<0.05*; p<0.01**; p<0.001***
Table 3 Position subgroup paired t-test result for aroma
Subgroup results for age and gender are listed in
Table 4 and Table 5, respectively. There were significant differences due to aromatherapy for all subgroups on all physiological parameters. The subgroup
with anxiety is also tested and shown in Table 6. The
high anxiety and moderate anxiety groups had similar
results to those shown in Table 2. Aromatherapy
was effective for high anxiety and moderate anxiety
groups. The light anxiety group had the same
performance as the substitute teacher group. There
was no statistical difference on HF% and LF%, but
there were significant differences for the other five
parameters. After further checking of population
distribution, there was no population overlap
between the light anxiety group and the substitute
teacher group. The light anxiety was not fully
affected by aromatherapy. A possible reason may be
the stable autonomic nervous system for the light
anxiety group; thus there was no further activation
of parasympathetic activity.
Analysis of covariance between age and position
groups was evaluated. There was no significant
difference for all seven physiological parameters.
Similar results were also shown for the covariance
analysis between gender and anxiety degree groups.
In other words, aromatherapy performance was
similar for all these groups.
35-44 (n=19)
Above 45
(n=14)
119.32±15.26*
127.00±12.29**
114.24±11.49
109.26±20.99
115.36±13.78
Before 82.62±7.18 **
81.11±7.26**
85.79±9.26**
73.95±7.95
79.50±9.69
Items
SYS
Before 124.43±10.06**
(mmHg) After
DIA
Below 34
(n=21)
(mmHg) After
77.48±6.19
HR
Before 80.71±10.52**
87.42±18.04*
81.00±11.52**
(BPM)
After
77.00±11.16
74.86±9.74
HRV
Before 131.86±70.25**
172.37±72.99** 98.79±33.48**
(ms)
After
190.10±98.56
232.84±97.32
162.14±50.86
HF
Before 51.52±16.46*
51.89±15.51*
48.71±14.18*
(%)
After
60.95±11.22
61.36±8.64
LF
Before 48.48±16.46*
(%)
After
LF/HF
72.29±8.36
62.33±10.03
37.67±10.03
48.11±15.51*
Male (n=25)
Female (n=29)
SYS
Before
124.52±11.31 **
122.24±14.086**
(mmHg)
After
114.04±17.29
111.69±14.837
DIA
Before
82.00±6.89**
83.69±8.652**
(mmHg)
After
77.32±8.72
76.28±7.440
HR
Before
81.28±11.50**
84.76±15.813**
(BPM)
After
73.24±8.82
75.79±10.584
HRV
Before
124.08±71.86**
149.14±65.883**
(ms)
After
191.56±102.44
203.34±81.740
HF
Before
49.12±17.74**
53.28±12.029**
(%)
After
61.08±11.84
61.24±8.967
LF
Before
50.88±17.74**
46.72±12.029**
(%)
After
38.92±11.84
38.76±8.967
LF/HF
Before
1.30±1.017**
0.993±0.5451**
After
0.66±0.35
0.672±0.2658
p<0.05*; p<0.01**; p<0.001***
Table 5 Gender subgroup paired t-test result for aroma
Items
Light(n=26)
Mild (n=17)
Moderate
(n=11)
SYS
Before
119.19±11.90*
121.94±13.08** 135.09±6.49*
(mmHg)
After
110.19±18.84
111.88±12.47
120.27±11.16
DIA
Before
82.92±7.63**
80.88±8.63**
86.00±6.72*
(mmHg)
After
76.73±8.19
75.47±7.238
78.82±8.94
HR
Before
85.77±16.22**
81.82±13.12**
79.00±7.77*
(BPM)
After
76.19±10.25
74.00±9.507
71.82±9.30
HRV
Before
160.19±64.25** 112.65±71.38** 122.45±65.42**
(ms)
After
222.65±95.88
178.47±85.98
169.36±78.34
HF
Before
54.19±17.28
49.94±11.64**
44.73±14.52**
(%)
After
61.35±10.96
63.41±6.90
59.36±11.80
LF
Before
45.81±17.28
50.06±11.64**
55.27±14.52**
(%)
After
38.65±10.96
36.59±6.90
40.64±11.80
LF/HF
Before
1.09±1.02*
1.13±0.58**
1.418±0.67**
After
0.627±0.23
0.61±0.18
0.764±0.45
p<0.05*; p<0.01**; p<0.001***
Table 6 Anxiety degree subgroup paired t-test result for aroma
51.29±14.18*
39.05±11.22
38.64±8.64
Before 1.200±0.87**
1.12±0.962*
1.200±0.618**
After
0.62±0.21
0.679±0.27
0.66±0.35
Items
p<0.05*; p<0.01**; p<0.001***
Table 4 Age subgroup paired t-test result for aroma
Discussion
High workplace stress is an important personal
health risk factor; it can also be detrimental to the
interests of the employer. An employer benefits
from the reduced cost of having healthier employIJPHA Vol. 1 Issue 4 Spring 2013
13
ees, resulting in better education and service
provided for students. As a high work-related stress
group, elementary school teachers were chosen in
this study as the experimental group. In this study,
physiological signals were measured after the second
once-weekly aromatherapy treatment. This experiment focused on the short-term stress relaxing
effect instead of tracking the long-term effect of
aromatherapy. Data showed that aromatherapy
would be effective in promoting parasympathetic
activation, reducing blood pressure and lowering
heart rate. Therefore, aromatherapy may be useful
to provide relief from working stress. Further subgroup analysis revealed that aromatherapy was also
effective on groups arranged by gender, age and job
positions.
The personal characteristics that were found in
association with aromatherapy performance included
the degree of anxiety measured using the BAI. This
study also found that aromatherapy was effective for
moderate to severe anxiety groups. There was no
significant statistical effect for the light anxiety group,
which was stable for autonomic nervous activity. The
function of aromatherapy is to drive the autonomic
nervous activity toward a balanced state; therefore,
there was limited physiological change after aromatherapy treatment. Whether or not aromatherapy is
beneficial for long-term anxiety reduction is still an
open issue.
Bergamot essential oil is a good choice for aromatherapy, although there are many studies using lavender oil. Lavender oil was not chosen due to some
subject’s report of allergy to lavender oil. Bergamot
essential oil is more moderate for users and is lower
in price. In the future, aromatherapy used in an
air-conditioned environment could be beneficial by
creating a better working environment.
Many studies have confirmed that aromatherapy was
useful for stress reduction, which is not only limited
to inhalation of diffuser mist, but also transdermal
application (Heuberger et al, 2008; Hongratanaworakit, 2009). This study further investigated aromatherapy on different variables in faculty, such as
gender, age, position and level of anxiety. A control
group with a water-only mist as a placebo is
expected in a future study. The other factor that may
14
affect aromatherapy performance is the odor preferences of different individuals. A subject's personal
likes or dislikes could lead to different results. This
was not factored in this study. It could be interesting
to examine this in a future experiment.
Conclusion
After exposure to two 10-minute aromatherapy diffuser mists with Bergamot essential oil on elementary school teachers, the parasympathetic nervous
system was enhanced and shown on corresponding
physiological parameters. Use of essential oils seems
to drive autonomic nervous activity toward a
balanced state. Subjects with moderate and high
degrees of anxiety benefited more than the light
anxiety group. With strict control of experimental
environment, including subject’s posture, measurement location and time, and experimental procedures, this study rules out many possible factors that
affect the body's physiological signals. This article
provides useful information about aromatherapy
stress reduction performance on different faculty
groups. These findings encourage further study of the
effects of essential oils on the stress levels of
employees in the workplace.
Acknowledgement
This work has been partly supported by the National
Science Council of Taiwan (grant number NSC 982221-E-468-009-) and Asia University, Taiwan (grant
number 98-ASIA-06-1). 
References
Bagetta G, Morrone L A, Rombolà L, Amantea D, Russo R, Berliocchi
L et al. (2010). Neuropharmacology of the essential oil of bergamot.
Fitoterapia. 81(6), p453-461.
Blevi V and Sween G. (1993). Aromatherapy. Avon Books.
Bradley B F, Brown S L, Chu S, Lea R W. (2009). Effects of orally administered lavender essential oil on responses to anxiety-provoking film
clips. Hum Psychopharmacol. 24(4), p319-330.
Cervantes Blásquez J C, Rodas Font G, Capdevila Ortís L. (2009). Heart
-rate variability and precompetitive anxiety in swimmers. Psicothema.
21(4), p531-536.
Duan X, Tashiro M, Wu D,Yambe T, Wang Q, Sasaki T et al. (2007).
Autonomic nervous function and localization of cerebral activity during
lavender aromatic immersion. Technol Health Care. 15(2), p69-78.
Hawng I L. (1999). Study on the Elementary and Part-time Administrative Teachers Work-load Pressure and Their Methods of Accommodation. Master thesis, National Pingtung Unv. of Education, Taiwan.
Heuberger E, Ilmberger J, Hartter E, Buchbauer G. (2008). Physiological
and behavioral effects of 1,8-cineole and (±)-linalool: a comparison of
inhalation and massage aromatherapy. Nat Product Commun. 3(7), p1103
-1110.
Hongratanaworakit T. (2009). Relaxing effect of rose oil on humans.
Nat Product Commun. 4(2), p291-296.
Hur M H, Yang Y S, Lee M S. (2008). Aromatherapy Massage Affects
Menopausal Symptoms in Korean Climacteric Women: A PilotControlled Clinical Trial. eCAM. 5(3), p325-328.
Komarova I A, Avilov O V. (2009). Individual olfactory responses of
students repeatedly exposed to essential oils. Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech
Fiz Kult. March-April (2), p33-36.
McCaffrey R, Thomas D J, Kinzelman A O. (2009). The effects of lavender and rosemary essential oils on test-taking anxiety among graduate
nursing students. Holist Nurs Pract. 23(2), p88-93.
Mein C. (1998). Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils. Rancho
Santa Fe:Vision Ware Press.
Narita K, Murata T, Hamada T, Takahashi T, Omori M, Suganuma N et al.
(2007). Interactions among higher trait anxiety, sympathetic activity,
and endothelial function in the elderly. J Psychiatr Res. 41(5), p418-427.
Seo J Y. (2009). The effects of aromatherapy on stress and stress responses in adolescents. J Korean Acad Nurs. 39(3), p357-365.
Shader K, Broome M E, Broome C D, West M E, Nash M. (2001).
Factors influencing satisfaction and anticipated turnover for nurses in
an academic medical center. J Nurs Adm. 31(4), p210-216.
Whalen K S. (2009). Work-related stressors experienced by part-time
clinical affiliate nursing faculty in baccalaureate education. Int J Nurs
Educ Scholarsh. 6(1), Article 30.
Kang-Ming Chang received a Ph.D. degree in the Dept.
of Electrical and Control Engineering at the National
Chiao-Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C., in
2006. Since 2006, he has served as Assiciate Professor
in the Department of Photonics and Communication
Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
His current research interest includes biomedical signal
processing on aroma, sleep, meditation and traditional
Chinese medicine pulse wave analysis.
Co-author, Chuh-Wei Shen, is master student to Dr. Chang.
Reach practitioners around
the world.
Advertise in the IJPHA
www.aroma-jsa.jp
www.aroma-jsa.jp/english
Japanese Society of Aromatherapy (JSA) is a
group of medical professionals organized to
promote and increase the level of awareness
of medical aromatherapy, to establish
aromatherapy as an academic discipline
through scientific and medical research,
to prevent aromatherapy malpractice accidents,
to increase knowledge and skills through
information exchange and sharing, and to
improve members’ social positions.
15
16
Anethum graveolens: A Traditional
Indian Medicinal Herb and Spice
Sayantan Jana, PhD and Gyan Singh Shekhawat, PhD
© Pharmacognosy Reviews
Abstract
Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) has been used in
Ayurvedic medicine since ancient times. It is a
popular herb widely used as a spice and also yields
an essential oil. It is an aromatic and annual herb of
the apiaceae family. The Ayurvedic uses of dill seeds
are carminative, stomachic and diuretic. There are
various volatile components of dill seeds and herb,
carvone being the predominant odorant of dill seed
and α-phellandrene, limonene, dill ether, and
myristicin being the most important odorants of dill
herb. Other compounds isolated from the seeds are
coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and steroids.
The main purpose of this review is to understand the
significance of Anethum graveolens in Ayurvedic
medicine and non-medicinal purposes with an
emphasis given to the enhancement of secondary
metabolites of this medicinal plant.
Introduction
The genus name Anethum is derived from the Greek
word 'aneeson' or 'aneeton,' which means 'strong
smelling.' Its common use in Ayurvedic medicine is in
abdominal discomfort, colic and promoting digestion.
Ayurvedic properties of shatapushpa are katu tikta
rasa, usna virya, katu vipaka, laghu, tiksna, and snigdha
gunas. It cures ‘vata,’ ‘kapha,’ ulcers, abdominal pains,
eye diseases and uterine pains. Charaka prescribed
the paste of linseed, castor seeds and Shatapushpa
(A. graveolens) pounded with milk for external
applications in rheumatic and other swellings of
joints. Kashyapa Samhitaa attributed tonic, rejuvenating and intellect promoting properties to the herb
A. graveolens. It is used in Unani medicine in colic,
digestive problem and gripe water (Khare, 2004).
Anethum graveolens L. is used in the preparations of
more than 56 Ayurvedic preparations which include
Dasmoolarishtam, Dhanwanthararishtam,
Dill © Holistic Photo
Mrithasanjeevani, Saraswatharishtam, Gugguluthiktaquatham, Maharasnadi kashayam, and Dhanwantharam quatham (Ravindran and Balachandran, 2005).
Anethum graveolens L. is believed to be a native of
Southwest Asia or Southeast Europe (Bailer et al,
2001). It is indigenous to the Mediterranean, Southern USSR and Central Asia. Since Egyptian times,
Anethum has been used as a condiment and also for
medicinal purposes (Quer, 1981). It was used by
Egyptian doctors 5000 years ago and traces have
been found in Roman ruins in Great Britain. In the
Middle Ages it was thought to protect against witchcraft. Greeks covered their heads with dill leaves to
induce sleep.
Botanical description
Anethum graveolens L. is the sole species of the genus
Anethum, though classified by some botanists in the
related genus Peucedanum as Peucedanum graveolens
L. (Pulliah, 2002). A variant called east Indian dill or
Sowa (Anethum graveoeloens var sowa Roxb. ex,
Flem.) occurs in India and is cultivated for its foliage
as a cold weather crop throughout the Indian subcontinent, Malaysian archipelago and Japan.
Cultivation
Dill prefers rich well-drained, loose soil and full sun.
It tolerates a pH in the range 5.3 to 7.8. It requires
warm to hot summers with huge sunshine levels;
even partial shade will reduce the yield substantially.
The plant quickly runs into seeds in dry weather. It
often self-sows when growing in a suitable position.
Propagation is through seeds (Pulliah, 2002). Seeds
are viable for 3–10 years. The seed is harvested by
cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed
is beginning to ripen (Figure 1).
17
(a) Seeds, (b) plants (c) inflorescence © Pharmacognosy Reviews
Applications
Ecological importance of the species: The herb is a
good companion for corn, cabbage, lettuce and
onions but inhibits growth of carrots. Dill reduces a
carrot crop if it is grown to maturity near them.
However, the young plant will help to deter carrot
root fly. Sustainable production of fennel and dill by
intercropping indicates that the presence of dill
exerts a stabilizing effect on fennel seed yield.
Insects, bees and wasps are attracted to the yellow
flowers of Anethum for plant resources like nectar
and pollens. Coriander and dill, when planted
together, have a very remarkable pest control benefit (Carrubba et al, 2007). Intercropping with flowering herbaceous plants increases parasitoid survivorship, fecundity and retention, and pest suppression in
agro ecosystems. Dill is a potentially suitable host for
the parasitoids Edovum puttleri Grissell, Cotesia glomerata and Pediobius foveolatus Crawford (Patt et al,
1997; Wanner et al, 2006).
Medicinal uses
Anethum is used as an ingredient in gripe water, given
to relieve colic pain in babies and flatulence in young
children (Pulliah, 2002). The seed is aromatic, carminative, mildly diuretic, galactogogue, stimulant and
stomachic (Hornok, 1992; Sharma 2004). The essential oil in the seed relieves intestinal spasms and
griping, helping to settle colic (Duke, 2001; Fleming,
2000). The carminative volatile oil improves appetite,
relieves gas and aids digestion. Chewing the seeds
improves bad breath. Anethum stimulates milk flow
in lactating mothers, and is often given to cattles for
this reason. It also eases urinary complaints, piles and
mental disorders (Nair and Chanda, 2007).
18
Other applications and importance
Anethum seeds are used as a spice, and its fresh and
dried leaves called dill weed are used as a condiment
and tea. The aromatic herb is commonly used for
flavoring and seasoning of various foods such as
pickles, salads, sauces and soups (Blank and Grosch,
1991; Huopalathi and Linko, 1983). Fresh or dried
leaves are used for boiled or fried meats and fish, in
sandwiches and in fish sauces. It is also an essential
ingredient of sour vinegar. Dill oil is extracted from
seeds, leaves and stems, and is a pale yellow color,
darkens with age, with the odor of the fruit and a
hot, acrid taste. The essential oil used as a flavoring
in the food industry. It is used in perfumery to
aromatize detergents and soaps and as a substitute
for caraway oil (Lawless, 1995). Anethum is used as a
preservative as it inhibits the growth of several
bacteria like Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia
coli and Pseudomonas. Compounds of dill, when
added to insecticides, have increased the effectiveness of insecticides. Essential oil of A. graveolens L. is
used as a repellent that is toxic to growing larvae
and adults of Tribolium castaneum, a wheat flour
insect pest (Chaubey, 2007). In doses of 60 minims,
Anethole is a fairly potent vermicide for hookworm
(Kirtikar et al, 1987).
Pharmacology
Several experimental investigations have been undertaken in diverse in vitro and in vivo models. Some
pharmacological effects of Anethum graveolens have
been reported such as antimicrobial (Nair and
Chanda, 2007; Chaurasia and Jain, 1978; Delaquis et
al, 2002), antihyperlipidemic and antihypercholesterolemic (Yazdanparast and Alavi, 2001).
Seed extracts of A. graveolens L. have significant
mucosal protective, antisecretory and anti-ulcer
activities against HCl- and ethanol-induced stomach
lesions in mice (Hosseinzadeh et al, 2002). Two
flavonoids, quercetin and isoharmentin, have been
isolated from A. graveolens L. seed and shown to have
antioxidant activity that could counteract free radicals. This effect may help to prevent peptic ulcer
(Mahran et al, 1992; Mohele et al, 1985). Dill fruit
hydrochloric extract is a potent relaxant of contractions induced by a variety of spasmogens in rat ileum,
so it supports the use of dill fruit in traditional
medicine for gastrointestinal disorders (NaseriGharib and Heidari, 2007). Crude extracts of
A. graveolens L. besides having strong antihyperlipidemic effects can also improve biological antioxidant
status by reducing lipid peroxidation in the liver and
modulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes in
rats fed a high fat diet (Yazdanparast and Bahramikia,
2007).
It has been reported that aqueous extracts of A.
graveolens showed a broad-spectrum antibacterial
activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium, Shigella flexneri and Salmonella typhii (Arora
and Kaur, 2007). The higher activity of the extracts
can be explained by the chemical structure of their
major constituents, such as dillapiole and anethole,
which have aromatic nuclei containing polar
functional groups that are known to form hydrogen
bonds with active sites of the target enzyme (Farag
et al, 1989).
Metabolites of importance
Various different compounds have been isolated
from the seeds, leaves and inflorescence of this plant;
17 volatile compounds have been identified. The
main constituents of dill oil are a mixture of a
paraffin hydrocarbon and 40 to 60% of d-carvone
(23.1%) with d-limonene (45%). It also consists of
α-phellandrene, eugenol, anethole, flavonoids,
coumarins, triterpenes, phenolic acids and umbelliferones. The fruit yields about 3.5% of the oil; its
specific gravity varies between 0.895 and 0.915.
Molecules of interest: Carvone and Limonene
Carvone and limonene are monoterpenes which are present as main
constituents of dill oil from fruits
(Santos et al, 2002). α-phellandrene, dill
ether and myristicin are the compounds
which form the important odor of dill
herb (Blank and Grosch, 1991;
Bonnlander and Winterhalter, 2000).
Monoterpenes are 10-carbon members
of the isoprenoid family of natural
products; they are widespread in the
plant kingdom and are often responsible for the
characteristic odors of plants. These substances are
believed to function principally in ecological roles,
serving as herbivore-feeding deterrents, antifungal
defenses and attractants for pollinators
(Bouwmeester et al, 1998). Seventeen compounds
have been identified in Indian dill leaf (Raghvan et al,
1994). The applications of carvone are as fragrance
and flavor, potato sprouting inhibitor (Score et al,
1997), antimicrobial agent and building block in a
biochemical environment. D-limonene is one of the
most common terpenes in nature. It is a major
constituent in several citrus oils (orange, lemon).
Being an excellent solvent of cholesterol, d-limonene
has been used clinically to dissolve cholesterolcontaining gallstones. It has chemo-preventive and
chemo-therapeutic activities and is also reported to
have low toxicity in pre-clinical studies (Vigushin et
al, 1998). Myristicin is a naturally occurring
insecticide and an important compound of the
essential oil (Duke, 2001; Dhalwal et al, 2008).
Anethole is a terpenoid that is present in minor
quantity in Anethum, but is also found in the essential
oils of anise and fennel (Newberne et al, 1999). It is
used as a flavoring substance. p-anisaldehyde has a
strong aroma and is an important component in
pharmaceuticals and perfumery.
Acknowledgements
G. S. Shekhawat acknowledges financial support from
the University Grants Commission (UGC), New
Delhi, and Professor Aditya Shastri, Vice Chancellor,
Banasthali University for his unwavering support. 
References
Arora D S and Kaur JG. (2007). Antibacterial activity of some Indian
medicinal plants. J Nat Med. 61, p313–7.
Bailer J, Aichinger T, Hackl G, Hueber KD, Dachler M. (2001).
Essential oil content and composition in commercially available dill
cultivars in comparison to caraway. Indus Crops Prods. 14, p229–39.
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Editor's note
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0
Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This
article was not reprinted in its entirety.
For the full article: Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Jul-Dec; 4(8): 179–184.
doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.70915
Gyan Singh Shekhawat PhD. Area of study: Plant Tissue
Culture & Plant Biochemistry. Associate professor at the
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali
University, Banasthali, Rajasthan, India.
Sayantan Jana PhD. Department of Physiology, Drug
Development Diagnostics & Biotechnology Division, CSIRIndian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S.C. Mullick
Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India.
East Meets West: An Integrated
Viewpoint of The Skin as an Avenue of
Absorption and Healing in Aromatherapy
Terese Miller, DOM, CA
Image © Dianna Meir
For Aromatherapists, the skin represents a vast
canvas waiting to be painted with our palettes of
essential oil-rich lotions, sprays, and butters. Our
design is to color the surface of the body with scent
and healing moisture. On a deeper level we regard
the skin as a major route of absorption, a passageway into the body’s vital systems. Here we send our
formulas to act and counteract the forces of dis-ease
and discomfort.
In medical terminology skin is defined as cutaneous
tissue comprised of the epidermal and dermal layers.
The skin actually has five layers over most of the
body and six on the palms of the hands and feet. The
epidermis consists of four layers of skin cells in
different stages of life. The outer most layers of cells
are dead and sloughing off the surface. The remaining
layers are busy birthing new skin cells and making a
tough cementing protein called keratin.
Western Science and Chinese Medicine, while holding different perspectives, offer valuable insights into
the skin and its related structures. This article will
present both the solid evidence of the West and the
more energetically based beliefs of the Eastern mind.
In Western Medicine the skin is officially part of the
Integumentary system. It is considered the largest
organ in the body. In Chinese Medicine the skin is an
extension of the Lung (yin). Coupled with the Large
Intestine (yang), the skin falls within the auspices of
the element of Metal. Metal is one of the five energetic elements that rule the body of man and the
natural world.
Integumentary system
The skin along with the hair, oil glands and nails comprise the vast Integumentary System. The skin serves
as a protective waterproof covering for the entire
body allowing for the excretion of wastes and helping to regulate body temperature through the functioning of the pores. It contains sensory nerve receptor sites that detect sensations such as pressure,
temperature, and pain. With significant exposure to
sunlight it provides a vehicle for vitamin D synthesis.
The skin also acts as a first defense against infection
and dehydration (Martini and Bartholomew, 2009).
Diagram of the skin
dreamstime.com
© Anton Novik
The dermis lies just below the protection of the
epidermis. Here we find a plentitude of blood
vessels, nerve fibers, hair follicles, and sweat glands.
It is the dermal layer that provides the higher
function of the Integumentary System allowing
absorption and elimination in fluid respiration.
Collagen and elastin are two very important components of the dermis. Collagen is a protein that gives
us surface shape and contour while elastin acts as a
pliable glue holding the skin in place while stretching
and rebounding through constant movement. The
collagen and elastin fibers are interlaced like the
warp and woof of a resilient fabric.
21
The lung-large intestine organs of the metal
element
For many readers this first encounter with Traditional Chinese Medical nomenclature will require a
bit of patience and imagination. These concepts are
foreign to our Western sensibility, as mysterious as
the ancient culture that envisioned them 23 centuries before our reading.
disease is cured" (Moyers, 1993).
In Chinese Medical theory we come upon a very
different discussion about the importance of skin and
its function. Here the skin represents the entire
body surface including sweat glands, pores, and hair,
which act as a barrier against the invasion of exogenous pathogenic factors. The skin does not really exist as a separate system. It is always seen within its
mutually influencing relationship to the lung. Through
the dispersing function of the lung, the essentials of
food and water are transported to the body surface
in order to nourish the skin, hair, and muscles.
The Yin/Yang paired meridian and organ relationship
for Metal consists of the Lung and Large Intestine.
The classical functions of this pair of organs include
governing the skin and exterior of the body. Their
meridians open to the nose and throat. Metal
controls Qi and the downward flow of body fluids.
“The lung also mists defensive (Wei Qi) out to the
body's surface and regulates the opening and closing
of the pores" (Unschuld and Tessenow, 2011). The
lung has the ability to protect the organic body by
controlling the quality and function of the skin to defend against the invasion of exogenous pathogenic
factors. Unchecked, this “evil wind” would proceed
to enter through the skin and hair to the lung carrying a damaging amount of cold or heat. Protective
Qi pushes out to prevent pathogenic qi from pushing
inward.
The organic body is easily attacked by external
pathogenic factors. In other words, the "evil wind"
could be a chilling draft, a breezy Spring day where
one encounters allergens, or the sneezing and coughing of a febrile work associate. If the lung is strong it
can easily defend the surface by opening the pores
and maintaining the barrier of protective Qi. Stimulation of appropriate meridian points will vitalize that
function.
"This is truly something special to Chinese medicine.
The meridian is considered to connect the interior
and the exterior of the body. Thus, our inner
diseases can be treated through the exterior of the
body. Once the Qi of the meridian is opened up, the
22
In Taoist principals of The Theory Of The Five
Elements, the Lung is associated with the Metal
Phase. Metal is Autumn, the West, the color white,
pungent tastes, dry climates, harvest, sadness, crying,
righteousness, and the ability to create order.
Absorption
Let us look at what we know in the West to be true
of the skin regarding absorption of Essential Oils
(EOs). To penetrate the many layers of the epidermis and dermis, molecules need to be relatively
small, mostly lipophilic, but with some hydrophilicity.
Most EO constituents conform to this description.
Absorption occurs at different rates depending on
the size of the molecules and their lipo/hydrophilicity. Aromatherapy products often include a fatty
substance. Many of these have their own desirable
properties that enhance the intention of a blend, and
they have very variable skin absorptions. While it can
be generally stated that fatty oils tend to retard EO
absorption, transcutaneous absorption of some fatty
acids occurs over time, and some EO constituents
aid in this process. Those EO constituents that cross
the epidermis travel inward to the depth of the capillary beds where they are taken into the blood.
Rate of absorption can be enhanced by massage or
applied warmth (e.g. infrared). Hydration increases
skin permeability as demonstrated in the use of
essential oils in a bath. Occlusion, or covering the
skin, adds both warmth and decreases surface evaporation (Price and Price, 2012).
Stepping once again into the Taoist model, absorption must be seen in terms of Qi transmutation and
transportation. The material becomes the ethereal.
The skin as an extension of the Lung respires along
with the physical lungs themselves. Air, or in this
instance the “vapor” of the Essential Oils, is respired
into the body and transformed into Qi going deep
into the waterways through the descending action of
these Metal organs.
Actions
As Aromatherapists we routinely use skin application
of blends to assist in resolving conditions in body
systems. For example:

A belly blend to calm an irritable bowel or resolve constipation

A chest rub to decongest and expectorate
phlegm and resolve viral, bacterial, and fungal
agents associated with the infection

A massage blend to stimulate lymphatic movement and act as a diuretic for sluggish, swollen
legs and feet

An anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and analgesic blend for injury and chronic pain issues

Blends to heal conditions of the skin itself like
acne, eczema, burns, and abrasions
There are many forms and levels of Qi in the body.



Just as the Spleen energetic assists the Stomach
by transforming the food we eat into Gu Qi (the
essence of grain), the Large Intestine assists the
Lung in its transformation of Da Qi (the essence
of air).
The Gu and Da Qi combine to create Zhong Qi
(gathering Qi of the chest). The gathering Qi is
more subtle and refined and therefore dynamically usable by the body.
It flows downward to meet and collect the Original Qi of the Kidneys and forms the “Sea of Qi”
in the chest.
The further we go into this lineage of deeper and
broader levels and functions of Qi, the more one can
begin to fathom the inter-connectedness of energy in
and around the body. By treating any one part the
whole is transformed.
Aspects of enhancing absorption here are governed
less by external stimulation than emotions. If the
client is feeling supported and optimistic then their
field will be receptive to what is given. Feelings of
depression, grief, sadness, or anxiety are emotional
dissemblers of balance within the Metal element. If
these emotions are present, the disharmony within
the Lung will diminish its ability to function optimally
(Maciocia, 1989).
We may choose our Essential Oils by chemical
constituents that research shows to provide certain
actions. We may base our decisions on experience,
instinct, and timeworn traditional beliefs. We use
carriers and other EOs that we know to be skin
nourishing to protect our route into the body. We
are always aware of the emotional components available to us in the oils that so often do double duty in
our blends, supporting the body, the mind, and the
spirit simultaneously.
Using an Eastern approach, the Essential Oils can be
similarly concocted in blends although allowing the
energetic model to bear fruit encourages a shift in
thought and application. Just as Acupuncture points
are chosen and stimulated with needles and
moxabustion, EOs can be chosen for their energetic
qualities and pressed into Acupuncture points.
This model of treatment can be as complex or as
simple as you desire. If you follow the Tao, keep it
simple.
Image of metal yin yang symbol
Istock.com © Blackbeck
23
As an Aromatherapist
there is a technique
that you can employ
today that utilizes the
principals discussed.
You can apply EOs
manually to the Shu
Points on the back of
the torso. The Shu
points run paraspinally
and have powerful
associations to all of
the organs and their
elements. By applying
Shu points Photo © Redwing Press
a thin layer of carrier
oil down the paraspinal muscles you can get a tactile
sense of where the tissue feels stuck. You have a
carrier on the skin and so you can apply one drop of
Essential Oil to the Shu points safely.
Taoism regards living authentically in the moment as
a core principal of life and certainly working with Qi
is a practice that can only exist in the absolute
present. Armed with your knowledge and the inner
wisdom you already possess about your client and
the oils, apply your chosen oil(s) to the Shu point(s),
pushing it into the skin with the Qi and intention at
your fingertip. Allow a sense that the Qi present at
the tip of your finger is a combination of your skill,
true intention, and the “fire in your belly.” Breathe
deeply from the belly, gathering the Original Qi and
let it rise to your heart to collect your true intention. Now the Tao is flowing from your heart down
your arms and finally out the tips of your fingers.
Envision the energy of the oil being accepted and
carried deep into the inner cosmos of your clients’
energy body. Entrain your breath to that of your client and hold that space until you feel a sense of completion.
Moving, rectifying, and disinhibiting are common
words translated from Chinese characters that
describe the actions needed to promote the optimal
flow of Qi and Blood.
These activities support balance between the body,
mind, and spirit. This need for balance is ongoing.
Just as a plant stretches to the warmth and vitality of
24
the sun, our human form uses all the resources
made available to thrive. The work you do in this
way will set the wheels of change in motion, reaching
deep into the energetic field and echoing that change
outward through the many layers we inhabit to the
surface we manifest.
The practice of Aromatherapy is rapidly gaining
credibility driven by the richness of clinical research
that is increasingly available. Likewise, recognition of
the validity of Eastern practices focused on life force
(Qi) has been growing in our culture. Both of these
resources are limitless. By integrating Eastern and
Western models of treatment, we can take two lines
of thought and create a circle of holistic healing.
References
Jäger W, Buchbauer G, Jirovetz L, Fritzer M. (1992). Percutaneous
absorption of lavender oil from a massage oil. Journal of Cosmetological
Chemistry. 43 (January-February), p49-54.
Maciocia G. (1989). The Functions Of The Lungs. In: The Foundations Of
Chinese Medicine. 4th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone. p83-87.
Martini F and Bartholomew F. (2009). Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology. 5th ed. New York: Benjamin Cummings.
Moyers B. (1993). The Mystery of Chi. In: Healing and The Mind. New
York: Doubleday. p257-314.
Price S and Price L. (2012). Aromatherapy For Health Professionals. 4th
ed. London: Churchill Livingstone. p128-136.
Unshuld P and Tessenow H. (2011). Huang Di nei jing su wen, An Annotated Translation of Huang Di's Inner Classic-Basic Questions. Los Angeles:
University of California Press. Chapters 1-52.
Terese Marie Miller, Doctor of Oriental Medicine and
Certified Aromatherapist, has promoted wellness in her
private practice for 25 years. She is co-owner of Essential
Elements; Aromatherapy For Healthy Living offering GC/
MS tested essential oils and Aromatherapy product design.
As co-founder of Essential Elements School Of Aromatic Studies,
Terese teaches a NAHA approved 235 hour Aromatherapy Certification Program along with other curriculum. In 2011-12 she served as
Florida State Representative for AIA. Web: EssentialElementsSite.com
Contact her at [email protected]
Plant sprouts reaching
for the sun
dreamstime.com
© Alena Brozova
Case Study: Using Essential Oils for
the Management of Haemorrhoids
Sharon Falsetto, Clinical Aromatherapist
iStock.com © Jana Blašková
Haemorrhoids are a painful condition that can cause
distress and discomfort to the sufferer. If left
untreated, haemorrhoids can develop into a more
complex issue which, in extreme cases, may result in
treatment with sclerotherapy or cryosurgery.
However, mild cases of haemorrhoids can be controlled by a combination of diet, regular toilet habits,
and essential oils to control some of the more painful and irritating symptoms.
Overview of haemorrhoids
Haemorrhoids develop on the veins in the lining of
the anus and the junction of the rectum due to
sustained pressure; sustained pressure can be the
result of chronic constipation and straining repeatedly to pass hard faeces. Haemorrhoids are also a
common condition associated with pregnancy and
recent childbirth when pressure has been increased
for a period of time in the pelvic region. Some
people are prone to haemorrhoids during periods of
stress due to the associated constipation issues
triggered by the stressful situation.
maintaining regular toilet habits can help keep the
symptoms at bay once the initial problem has been
addressed.
More serious cases of haemorrhoids may need to be
treated with methods such as sclerotherapy, cryosurgery or even a haemorrhoidectomy in which the
haemorrhoids are surgically removed. In such cases,
professional medical advice should be sought.
Case study
Client history
The client is a healthy woman in her 40s with a
balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, and meat. She had
no major health issues but had been going through a
period of stress in her life. As a consequence of this
stress and the pattern in her health history during
previous bouts of stress, constipation became a
problem. This resulted in the formation of haemorrhoids. She was familiar with the use of essential oils
in aromatherapy practice and sought help with relief
from the itching and pain of her haemorrhoids.
Haemorrhoids restrict the normal circulation of
blood to the rectum. They can result in rectal
bleeding and discomfort when passing faeces. If the
haemorrhoids are prolapsed itching, redness and a
mucous discharge around the anus may develop too.
Prolapsed haemorrhoids may lead to thrombosis
which causes extreme pain for the patient. Another
complication of haemorrhoids is the development of
anemia as a result of blood loss caused by rectal
bleeding.
The aim of the treatment of haemorrhoids is to
reduce symptoms such as swelling, pain, and itching.
A high fiber diet, drinking plenty of fluids, and .
Flickr.com © Jacky Smith
25
Aromatic treatment
In January 2012, a selection of essential oils were
blended together in an unscented white lotion base
to be applied externally to the affected area of the
anus. The rationale for choosing the specific
essential oils was as follows:

Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) – high in
monoterpenes such as pinene, camphene and
limonene, noted for stimulating and phlebotonic
properties (Price and Price, 2002; Caddy, 1997);
Cypress is recommended by several sources as
proving effective for the relief of the symptoms
associated with haemorrhoids (Caddy, 1997;
Davis, 1999).

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)* – high in
monoterpenes such as pinene, thujene and
limonene; noted for anti-inflammatory and
analgesic properties (Price and Price, 2002).

Juniper (Juniperus communis) – high in
monoterpenes such as pinene and limonene;
noted for analgesic and antiseptic properties
(Caddy, 1997; Price, 2000).
An unscented white lotion base was chosen for the
area of application as it was easy to administer,
gentle to use and wasn't slippery like an oil base.
Observations and outcome
By day four, improvements were noted in the swelling and pain surrounding the area of the haemorrhoids. Although daily bowel movements had still
not commenced, the itching had reduced. After
several more days and several bowel movements,
the pain surrounding the area had reduced significantly. By the end of week two, normal bowel
movements were in place once again and the
haemorrhoids appearance and size were reduced.
Evaluation
During the period of application of the essential oil
blend, the client obtained relief from the itching and
pain caused by the haemorrhoids. Due to the site of
the problem, the blend was initially difficult and
uncomfortable to administer. The application was
easier as time progressed and the pain and inflammation were reduced.
References
British Medical Association. (2002). Illustrated Medical Dictionary. UK:
Dorling Kindersley.
Caddy R. (1997). Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Colour. Caddy Classic
Profiles. UK: Amberwood Publishing Ltd.
Davis P. (1999). Aromatherapy: An A-Z. UK: Vermilion.
Price S. (2000). Aromatherapy Workbook. UK: Thorsons.
Formula
2 oz (60ml) unscented white lotion base
4 drops Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
6 drops Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)
8 drops Juniper (Juniperus communis)
The blend was applied twice daily, once in the
morning (after going to the toilet) and once at night
prior to going to bed. Client was reminded to wash
hands each time the blend was applied. To avoid
bacterial contamination, it was recommended that
unwashed hand(s) not be dipped into the lotion.
The blend was used for 10 days. It is also important
to note that this blend was for the external
application onto the haemorrhoids located outside
the anus.
26
Price S and Price L. (2002). Aromatherapy for Health Professionals. UK:
Churchill Livingstone.
Waugh A and Grant A. (2001). Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology
in Health and Illness. UK: Churchill Livingstone.
*Boswellia carteri is considered to be an endangered plant species. You
can use Boswellia serrata as a substitute because it is a faster growing,
larger tree than Boswellia carteri.
Sharon Falsetto is a UK certified clinical aromatherapy
practitioner with an online aromatherapy business located
in Arizona, United States. She custom blends essential oils
for individual clients, spas, and therapists for both clinical
and scent purposes. Sharon also tutors aromatherapy
courses and has written e-books specifically for the aromatherapy
beginner. Sharon is a professional writer, with articles published both
on- and off-line. Website: www.sedonaaromatherapie.com Email:
[email protected]
Let the Sun Shine In:
A Psychospiritual Profile of
Popular Citrus Essential Oils
Katharine Koeppen, RA, LMT, NCTMB
Crude oils derived from citrus fruits are among the
most loved and most used by aromatherapists,
whether beginner or expert. Many of us can recite
their uses for physical ailments by rote, but when it
comes to emotional and spiritual applications these
oils begin to blend together. All seem to be useful
for anxiety and depression, and all seem to be
uplifting. This is not surprising because citrus oils
have more commonalities than differences. This
article will discuss key common psychospiritual
properties of the most frequently used citrus oils,
and further expound on this family by delineating the
subtle differences among them.
Essential oils which are composed almost entirely of
monoterpene hydrocarbons, be they citruses,
conifers or the like, largely have to do with some
form of cleansing or purification. In the case of citrus
oils, this purification occurs by physically freeing up
blood and lymphatic circulation, and by purging
toxins via high levels of antimicrobial activity.
However, this cleansing property also extends to
emotional and spiritual levels. Citruses are simple
and strongly nurturing, feeding our souls equally as
their fruits feed our bodies. They allow us to honor
and enjoy the sweetness of life.
From an energetic standpoint, all citrus oils support
the solar plexus chakra and a few of them have an
affinity for multiple chakras. The solar plexus chakra
is our center of self-esteem, self-confidence, responsibility, personal protection, and the source of our
personal power in terms of how we as individuals
relate to groups. This chakra also manages the often
complex relationship with our chosen profession,
life’s work, or legacy. Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit and
Mandarin all reflect the very colour of this energy
Citrus fruits © Holistic Photo
center, variously described as bright yellow or
brilliant yellow-orange.
All citrus fruits share a common ancestor, Mandarin
(Citrus reticulata). This forebearer fruit originated in
the vicinity of southern China and Southeast Asia
where it was heavily documented in medicinal use
and regarded as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Mandarin was brought to the Mediterranean
centuries ago by Arab and Persian traders, and
careful cultivation by Arab gardeners produced
several distinct crosses and hybrids. By the Middle
Ages, North African peoples had introduced
oranges, mandarins, lemons, and citron to Spain and
Sicily, and by the Renaissance these and several
additional species were cultivated throughout the
Mediterranean basin.
Bitter orange is thought to have been the original
“golden fruit” grown by a miraculous tree in the
mythical Garden of Hesperides. The tree was gifted
to Hera by the great mother Gaia upon Hera’s
marriage to Zeus. As a gift, this magical tree was
prized, symbolizing the union of earth and sky, spirit
and matter. Its precious fruit was reflective of the
alchemical aur, or gold, believed to be sunlight
condensed into earthbound matter. All citruses
share this solar property making them an energetic
bridge between body and soul.
Sweet orange, the Zest for Life
Pharmacist and aromatherapy
pioneer Paolo Rovesti cited Sweet
Orange (Citrus sinensis) oil as an
Oranges
effective antidepressant, and the peel
© Holistic Photo
was used to treat melancholia in
Europe for at least three centuries prior to Rovesti’s
findings. Sunny and cheerful, Sweet Orange seems
27
the essential oil of the eternal optimist. Its bright hue
is the colour of joy and it can be used to alleviate
stress, anxiety, tension, irritability, and frustration.
The Sweet Orange characterology is that of a young
person: one who is eager, loves challenges, is excited
about his work, and wants to have it all, ideally as
soon as possible. In many respects, he resembles the
archetype of the Fool, a sensitive innocent who has
yet to emotionally mature but who has set out very
independently on a grand adventure. In his inexperienced youth, the Sweet Orange person wants to
create and maintain his identity but doesn’t know
how to handle power inside or outside the workplace, and doesn’t understand the concept of sharing.
He doesn’t yet have a framework on how to properly relate to others because he has yet to achieve
the wisdom of experience, and this gets him into
trouble. Like the Fool, he can be charming and goodnatured one moment, cranky and petulant the next.
A person who resonates with Sweet Orange can be
a youthful Type A in the making. He often throws
himself into his work, where he develops perfectionist tendencies, intolerance of mistakes and a tendency to judge. Consequently, he is prone to health
issues related to overwork and rigidity such as headaches, eyestrain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),
nervous indigestion, extreme anxiety, and poor
appetite. When out of balance, he is given to
nervous fidgeting, impatience, snappishness, bouts of
aggression, loss of spontaneity, tossing about during
sleep, and feelings of helplessness (which he abhors).
His overactivity puts a strain on the sympathetic
nervous system (SNS) and he begins to burn out.
This constitution can work productively in short
bursts but has no stamina, so prolonged heavy activities result in asthenia and depression. When in this
state, a Sweet Orange type loses his enthusiasm and
starts to expect obstructions and difficulties at every
turn. Wherever he looks, he sees Murphy’s Law.
Incorporating Sweet Orange oil into such a person’s
treatment regimen will bring back a sense of ease
and alleviate frustration, as well as the exhaustion
and boredom of burnout. Citrus sinensis gently tonifies the SNS without overstimulating the nervous
system. When in balance, the natural, sunny
optimism of this archetype returns. His big heart and
giving spirit come back into play, he becomes less
thin-skinned, and obstacles disappear. His will to
28
succeed strengthens and, most importantly, he is
able to take a more mature view toward his life’s
work by getting back in touch with the joy it brings
him. A somewhat wiser Fool is ready for his next
adventure.
Lemon, the Purifier
Lemon (Citrus limonum) was
Lemons
parented by the original citrus
©
Holistic
Photo
(Mandarin) and Citron (Citrus
medica). Known to Mesopotamian peoples as the
Median apple, Lemon symbolized both the fruitfulness of the mother goddess and bittersweet quality
of life. In old Europe it was used primarily as an
insect repellant, but by the late Renaissance it was
regarded as a blood cleanser and cure for any type
of virulent toxin. Today, Lemon odor has strong
associations with cleanliness and has even been
used to initiate cleaning behaviour in scientific
studies.
Lemon is a premier liver detoxifier, and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) this organ is associated with the emotion of anger. TCM holds that
the liver controls the blood (upon which the life
force travels), and Western medicine recognizes
that this fluid-rich organ stimulates the blood and
produces lemon-coloured bile. Accordingly, the
Lemon characterology is that of one who tends
toward a sour disposition, frustration, has issues of
fluid imbalance, and is prone to the mental fogginess that results from liver stagnation.
Like the Sweet Orange archetype, the imbalanced
Lemon archetype has a tendency to become
bogged down, but her sluggishness is both physical
and emotional. Emotions travel upon the fluid
body, and stagnant blood and lymph collect both
metabolic waste and muddied feelings. Consequently, the individual who resonates with Lemon
is often confused, listless, unfocused, has a short
attention span, and overthinks but never comes to
any logical conclusions. When mired in a toxic
liquid stew, her immune system suffers and she is
prone to developing opportunistic illnesses and
flare-ups of latent infections such as herpes. As her
condition deteriorates she falls into worry and
depression, struggles over simple decisions, develops irrational fears, and can segue into chronic
physical illness. Spiritually, her natural inclination is
to seek a deep connection with a Higher Power,
but she loses this vital link in her disharmonious
state and may resort to substance abuse or become an information junkie in order to fill the void.
Lemon also cleanses and supports the spleen and
pancreas which are, respectively, key to immune
system function, blood health, and proper dietary
assimilation. In TCM, the spleen/pancreas is considered one organ and associated with issues of selfesteem, control, and security. Consequently, a
Lemon constitution likes things fairly controlled
and feels most comfortable with tight regimens
regarding things such as exercise, diet, housekeeping, and work hours. This individual is highly
grounded and enjoys material comforts when in
balance. When out of balance, she becomes overly
concerned with the temporal world and focuses on
material acquisition, excessive monitoring of
possessions and investments, and is mistrustful of
anyone who questions her behaviour. Her primary
focus is that of attachment and this can manifest in
worry, food cravings, weight gain, bloating, gallstones, kidney stones, varicosities, and a guarded
posture.
Lemon oil provides both a physical and emotional
purging, purifying her body, breaking her attachments, enlivening her senses and enabling rational
thought. Archetypally, Lemon is the Tightrope
Walker whose impeccably controlled high wire act
requires a crystal clear mind and a perfectly tuned
body.
Bergamot, the Lightbringer
Multiple legends exist regarding the
murky origins of Bergamot (Citrus
Bergamot
bergamia), but recent DNA analysis
istock.com © slallison
has solved the mystery: Bergamot
is a cross of Citron and Bitter Orange. This somewhat rare fruit has narrow geographic distribution
because it is notoriously difficult to grow; the trees
are highly prone to fungal infection. For centuries,
Reggio Calabria has been home to the world’s
most extensive cultivation of Bergamot, and home
to the stereotypical Mad Italian; among Calabrians
there is a strong folkloric history of depression and
mood swings. The essential oil was a favorite of
Paolo Rovesti, who used it successfully in psychiatric research on anxiety and depression.
The negative aspect of Bergamot takes many of the
characteristics of his Orange parent and magnifies
them. A Bergamot individual is the least mentally
stable of the citrus temperaments. He falls into
depression easily, burns out rapidly, and may suffer
bouts of agitation and hyperactivity. Creative,
hypersensitive, and impressionable, he often feels
the need to escape from outside stimulation
through fantasy, alcohol, or drug use. Left
unchecked, this can lead to paranoia and distrust of
everyone and everything around him. Bergamot is
very critical of himself and others, lacks compassion, and with his addictive tendencies, becomes
imprisoned in a joyless personal hell.
Many of this temperament’s imbalances stem from
a sympathetic nervous system that has lost the
ability to turn off. Bergamot is predisposed to
illnesses typical of nervous system overload such as
eczema, nervous acne, stress incontinence, IBS,
panic attacks, and chronic insomnia. In the absence
of sunlight, which he adores, he can develop
seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The essential oil is a wonderful balancer of the
SNS, and a happy Bergamot individual is filled with
brilliant, concentrated light. His emotional resilience and stability return. He has unbridled access
to his creative talent and intuitive abilities. The oil
is also a great opener of the heart chakra, allowing
him to regain compassion and courage, enabling
forgiveness of self and others. Such qualities are
necessary to deal with the frequent and deep
explorations of the dark side which so fascinate
this temperament.
Psychospiritually, Bergamot is the archetypal lone
Candle in the Dark, the light at the end of the
tunnel. The oil carries precious light to the deepest, darkest parts of soul. There, it sputters and
sparks into a Roman candle, flaring heavenward
and uniting with Divine Light.
29
Grapefruit, the Essence of
Hope
Zesty Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii) is
the offspring of a Sweet Orange
father and a Pomelo (Citrus
Grapefruit
maxima) mother. Originating in
flickr.com © geekspeakllc
the Caribbean, it was once known
as the “forbidden fruit” of Barbados. The heavy,
juicy citrus has long been a mainstay of dieters. Its
essential oil has a pronounced affinity for the
lymphatic system and detoxifies multiple organs:
liver, gall bladder, spleen, and pancreas.
The ability to flush and restore normal fluid flow to
these organs is important to the Grapefruit individual, who tends toward a phlegmatic constitution.
She has difficulty setting appropriate boundaries
and is often burdened by the problems of others.
Chronic self-esteem issues are the hallmark of the
Grapefruit person, resulting from too much
responsibility and not enough positive reinforcement during childhood. She has very high expectations of herself and wallows in worry and selfcriticism when she can’t meet them.
Grapefruit is exquisitely sensitive, even more so
than her other citrus cousins. Like Orange,
Bergamot and Lemon, she has problems with
depression and anxiety, but hers are caused by
being overly compassionate and dutiful. She fears
letting others down and often gets into situations
where she feels hopelessly trapped. She has the
digestive problems typical of a citrus, with a
greater tendency for weight gain and lymphatic
sluggishness, plus a propensity for food addiction,
stress eating, and other eating disorders. Food and
sleep are her safety valves. When out of sorts,
disappointment hangs over her like a cloud and she
numbly retreats into bed with a box of bonbons,
pulling up the covers and shutting out desperation
and exhaustion.
Grapefruit is a person of unquestionable integrity
and deep spirituality. She is an evolved citrus and
understands the need to self-actualize, but is
distracted from her spiritual path by her need to
attend to others. She frequently becomes
enmeshed in toxic relationships. A natural empath,
she has a direct line to spiritual guidance which
becomes blocked when emotional and physical
stasis interfere.
30
A key emotion for Grapefruit is hope. In tarot this
is personified by the Star which features a kneeling
woman pouring a vessel of water into a crystalline
pond, presided over by a tranquil night sky. The
Star signifies the hope that returns with emotional
clarity after a period of heaviness. All is now
purified, flowing in perfect harmony, and the right
path is clear. With renewed hope, Grapefruit
reclaims her power and achieves inner peace.
The Happy Family
There are many other members of the citrus family
that yield beneficial essential oils: Mandarin (Citrus
reticulata Blanco var. Mandarin; Citrus deliciosa
Tenore), Tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Lime
(Citrus aurantifolia), Citron, Yuzu (Citrus junos) and
Combava/Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix). Each of these
oils has its own special ability to banish the blues
and uncover the optimist in all of us. Together
they truly constitute a happy family. Whether
bitter or sweet, citruses collectively cleanse us and
joyfully lift our bodies, minds, and souls to the light.
Author’s note: Although citrus oils are primarily
neutral in terms of male/female characteristics,
they are given gender specific pronouns for narrative purposes. 
References
American Society for Horticultural Science. “Genetic Origin of Cultivated Citrus Determined: Researchers Find Evidence of Origins of
Orange, Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit, Other Citrus Species.” ScienceDaily. (2011, January 26). http://www.sciencedaily.com-/
releases/2011/01/110118101600.htm Last accessed 8 January 2013.
Berkowsky B. (2000). Essential Oils and the Cancer Miasm. Mount
Vernon, Washington: Joseph Ben Hil-Myer Research, Inc.
Berkowsky B. (2000). Spiritual Phytoessencing Diploma Course Workbook. Vol. 1, 5. Mount Vernon, Washington: Joseph Ben Hil-Myer
Research, Inc.
Holland R, Hendriks M, Aarts H. (2005). Smells Like Clean Spirit.
Psychological Science. 16(9), p689-693. EBSCOhost
Academic
Search Premier database. Last accessed 11 September 2008.
Mojay G. (1997). Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Rochester,
Vermont: Healing Arts Press.
Paolo Rovesti Biography. Paolo Rovesti Institute. http://
www.istitutorovesti.it/en/paolo.php. Last accessed 8 January 2013.
Pollack R. (1997). Seventy-eight Degrees of Wisdom. London:
Thorsons.
Katharine Koeppen is a registered clinical aromatherapist in private practice. She is the founder of Aromaceuticals, a company providing high integrity essential
oils and aromatherapy products for complementary
and integrative healthcare. A writer and educator, she
maintains the AromaBlog at www.aromaceuticals.com.
Cancer-Preventing Properties
of Essential Oil Monoterpenes
d-Limonene and Perillyl Alcohol
Mark Brudnak, PhD, ND
Figure 1 Structures of Perillyl Alcohol and Limonene
This article originally appeared in Positive Health Issue
53 - June 2000 and was revised by the author for the
IJPHA in February 2013.
Monoterpenes (MTs) are widely found in common
citrus fruits such as oranges. While MTs are used
as cleaning agents (try placing a small amount on
the front hubcaps of your car to clean off the black
grime) due to their solvent properties, they are far
from being poisons. Indeed, nothing could be
further from the truth for these wonderful, naturally occurring, and health-promoting substances.
While the solvent properties of monoterpenes
have been exploited clinically to dissolve gallstones
(Igimi et al, 1976), monoterpenes are also the focus
of much investigation in the area of cancer prevention and therapeutics.
Cancer prevention, inhibition, and regression are
the most noteworthy attributes of the MTs. Dlimonene (DL) and perillyl alcohol (POH) have
been shown to be chemopreventive against mammary (Crowell, 1997), liver, lung, and UV-induced
skin cancer (Uedo et al, 1999), and chemotherapeutic against both experimental mammary and
pancreatic tumors. DL has also been shown to
inhibit angiogenesis and metastasis of human colon
cancer cells (Chidambara et al, 2012). The importance of which is discussed below. Perillyl alcohol
stands out as effective against human pancreatic
cancer (Stark et al, 1995), against colon and liver
tumors (Broitman et al, 1996), and in reduction of
vein graft intimal hyperplasia (Fulton et al, 1997).
Furthermore, POH is effective as chemopreventive
against colon carcinogenesis, prostate, and lung
cancer (Reddy et al, 1997). These are further
discussed in the context of the data.
What they are?
As seen in Figure 1, DL is a monocyclic MT with
POH, a metabolite of d-limonene, being its
hydroxylated form. Monoterpenes are found in
essential oils of many plants including Lemon (Citrus
limon), Orange (Citrus aurantium var. sinensis per.),
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Caraway (Carum carvi),
Dill (Anethum graveolens), Bergamot (Citrus
bergamia), Peppermint (Mentha x piperita fol.),
Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Citronella (Cymbopogon
nardus), Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
(Chanthai et al, 2012), and Tomato (Solanum
lycopersicum). They are also associated with vegetables and some evergreen trees (Von Burg, 1995).
POH, often distilled from lavender, is also found in
cherries, mint, and celery seeds (Hohl, 1996) and
can be produced synthetically. It is typically used as
a flavouring agent, food additive, and fragrance and
has been found to be a major volatile component
of mother's milk (Von Burg, 1995).
Many people regularly consume DL everyday without even knowing it. This is because DL is found in
things such as orange juice, at concentrations ranging from 10-100 ppm, and chewing gum, which
contains up to 2,300 ppm (Von Burg, 1995).
Molecular stages of cancer formation
In order to understand the mode of action of the
anticancer properties of monoterpenes, it is necessary to understand a little of the molecular events
that surround cancer. Normal, non-cancer cells live
a limited and constrained life. Once normal cells
are formed, they have a finite number of cell divisions they undergo during their life-span and, with
few exceptions, they remain relatively localized to
the same point in the body during this entire
31
process. As a cell lives and ages, it maintains an
"awareness" of its surroundings via cell-cell communication molecules both on the cell surface and
secreted. This allows the cells to determine if all
around them is well and good and instructs them
to maintain their relative positions in the body. Towards the end of a cell's designated life-span, certain cellular events occur which instruct the cell to
terminate. This is called apoptosis or programmed
cell death and is a very normal and useful event for
clearing away the old and making room for the
new. While it may not sound like the most compassionate thing to do to old cells, the evolutionarily derived utility of such action affords the body a
mechanism to remove cells which could possibly,
although rarely likely, be on their way to becoming
cancer cells via mutations.
longer have finite life-spans but can live indefinitely.
This allows the cancer cells to escape the process
of apoptosis. At this stage, the cancer cell is still
relatively harmless. However, the earlier one can
catch cancer, the greater the chances of success.
D-limonene has been shown to induce apoptosis
(Jia et al, 2012) thus restoring the body’s ability to
clear damaged cells.
All cells are at risk of mutation during the process
of replication. A replicating cell could become a
cancer threat, Mutations may eventually disrupt the
cell’s growth-related regulatory machinery, leading
to uncontrolled growth. These mutations can
come as a result of environmental agents, toxic
products of metabolism, or arise spontaneously.
The exact mechanism is not important. What is
important, however, is that evolution is built into
the cell’s mechanisms to deal with these mutations.
Apoptosis is one way to get rid of cells which have
had ever increasing chances of suffering mutations
that are irreparable. The cellular machinery is such
that the basal level of mutations are usually
successfully corrected by processes such as
Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) (Lindahl and
Wood, 1999). When, for various reasons, they
cannot be, then apoptosis ultimately will make the
mutations moot.
There are several stages in the formation of cancer
cells. The first is the initiation stage. During initiation, some mutation has to occur that results in
either a loss of function (exemplified by p53, tumor
suppressor gene) or a gain of function (e.g., virally
derived oncogenes in which there is production of
aberrant proteins having normal cellular counterparts). The key is, a mutation needs to occur and
not be corrected by the usual cellular mechanism.
At this point, cells will typically become described
as 'immortalized.' When this occurs, the cells no
32
The next stage is the promotion/progression stage
of cancer development. Now the cancer cell,
usually through a result of even more mutations,
becomes transformed and no longer acts like a
normal cell. The transformed cell is now unrestricted in both its life-span and localization. As
stated above, a normal cell will sense its environment and be restricted in its growth. The transformed cell no longer abides by such rules and will
multiply, literally piling up on top of its neighbors.
Typically there is an associated perturbation of the
cellular glycosylation pattern (Dennis et al, 1999;
Taniguchi et al, 1999). Also, the morphological
structure of the cell itself changes, from being flat
with multiple projections to being much smaller
and rounded up. They pile up into what is known
as a tumor. The tumors are “fed” by new blood
vessels formed by a process known as angiogenesis.
The final stage is metastasis. Here the cancer cells
have progressed to the point where they are no
longer localized to one ever-growing tumor. They
gain the ability to enter the blood vessels
(intravasation), move to a different location in the
body, stop and exit the blood vessel (extravasation) and establish a new site of tumor development. Eventually the body becomes riddled with
tumors consuming the bulk of available energy. The
body is literally eaten alive as evidenced by the cancer associated cachexia (body wasting). Cells in the
body undergo this process frequently. However, it
is usual for the immune system to pick those cells
up and clear them from the body. Cancer is often
thought of as an evasion of the immune system.
The body has two main routes for the types of
cells it makes in response to different threats:
B-Cells and T-Cells. B-cells secrete antibodies
whereas the T-cells are more interactive and some
subsets will actually seek out and destroy cancer
cells. Such activity depends on the T-cells activity
and viability. DL has been shown to improve T-cell
activity and viability (Lappas and Lappas, 2012).
In that dreadfully bleak picture of cancer development, there are some valiantly shining points of
light. Monoternes, found in essential oils, are such
points of light offering some hope in the struggle to
prevent and treat cancer. The best news is that DL
and POH can not only prevent but also treat
cancer. That is to say, the MTs can act before a
cancer is established and, in the cases where
cancer is already present, they can cause a regression of the tumor. They do this in four ways. First,
during the initiation phase of carcinogenesis, they
induce (cause the body to make more of) Phase II
(Kensler, 1997) carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes,
resulting in carcinogen detoxification. An example
of such a Phase II enzyme would be glutathione
S-transferase (van Lieshout et al, 1998). Second,
post initiation phase, they have been shown to
increase cell redifferentiation (Gould, 1997). This
causes the potential cancer cells to take on a more
normal morphology. Third, they can induce apoptosis in otherwise immortalized cells (Yeruva et al,
2007). Fourth, they have been shown to inhibit the
isoprenylation (Galli et al, 1997) of the cellular
products Ras (Yamamoto et al, 1999) of oncogenes. Simply put, the proteins from oncogenes,
which on the whole are cell-growth regulating
proteins, need to be modified (referred to as 'posttranslational modification') by a process called
prenylation in order to be placed in a membrane
where they are active. If the proteins from oncogenes do not undergo isoprenylation, they do not
cause the cell to behave as a cancer cell and hence
cancer inhibition results.
Data
Because the metabolites, which vary from species
to species, of monoterpenes also show anticancer
effects, it is necessary to discuss dosage in the
context of the specifics of each study.
Most of the data presented are for in vitro or animal models. In rats treated with DMBA (an agent
that induces tumor formation), POH and DL had
complete regression rates of 81 and 68%. Interestingly, the amount of DL required to achieve these
results was four times higher than POH (Gould et
al, 1995; Gould et al, 1995). The dosage for mammals in these experiments is suggested to be approximately 2.5g/kg for POH (roughly five times
that for DL). The mammalian in vivo data suggests
a dose of 7.5 g/m2. In humans, this would translate
to approximately 10-15 g/day. While most of the
work cited above has been done in rodents, they
are not perfect reproductions of human diseases.
33
Human phase I clinical results for POH used in the
treatment of advanced malignancies in humans have
been reported (Ripple et al, 1998). Dosages ranging
from 800 mg/m2/dose to 2400 mg/m2/dose were
assayed for tolerability. The main toxicity was
gastrointestinal, and included nausea and vomiting,
anorexia, unpleasant taste, satiety, and eructation
(belching). The main metabolites were perillic acid
and dihydroperillic acid. The authors reported
evidence of POH efficacy in metastatic colorectal
cancer where one out of two colorectal cancer
patients of the 15 total evaluable patients in this
safety trial was free of tumor. Three other patients
in this study had their advanced stage disease (two
prostate cancer patients and one patient with
adenocystic carcinoma of the salivary gland) stabilized. While the conclusions were not as positive
as hoped for, there was some encouragement. The
disease was shown to stabilize for six months,
although no objective tumor responses were
observed. The authors concluded that the dosage
interval should be increased and the results of that
have not been announced. It should be noted that
these were advanced malignancies which had been
refractory to prior treatments. Also, the use of
2,400 mg/m2/dose is over three times less than the
recommended dosage (Gould et al, 1995).
In a telephone conversation in 2000, the Principle
Investigator of the above study revealed that resulting Phase II studies are currently ongoing for
Breast and Prostate cancer using POH. Additionally, because of problems with the original National
Cancer Institute (NCI) formulation (half soy bean
oil and half POH in 250 mg capsules) they are
currently repeating Phase I studies with a new
formulation of 90% POH in 700 mg capsules. Additional problems with the original formulation were
the complications that any phytoestrogens present
in the soybean oil might contribute to the interpretation of the data. However, the results look
promising in that an effect was seen for both breast
and prostate cancer.
The main study using DL has been reported by a
British group who saw disease stabilization for
both breast and colon cancer patients using 8g/m2/
day (Vigushin et al, 1998). Presently, there are no
34
other ongoing studies for DL, although the NCI in
the US is said to be considering it. One of the problems with getting a study going for prevention is that
large, randomized studies for five or six years need
to be performed. It is difficult to get companies
interested in doing those, despite the exciting data,
because of the huge investment of time and money
coupled with the difficulty of patenting the naturally
occurring compounds.
Toxicology
The bulk of the toxicity data for monoterpenes
comes from the study of limonene in animals and has
been well presented by Von Burg (Von Burg, 1995).
To briefly summarize, limonene can cause skin sensitization in susceptible people. A blood clearance rate
of 1.1 l /kg/hr has been established with the majority
being eliminated through the urine. Immunosupression has been observed in mice. This is particularly
interesting because aberrations of the immune system have been postulated for causes of cancer cell
proliferation, which seems counter-intuitive. There
appears to be no genotoxicity (Ames test) although
straight Orange peel oil was found to have slight
promotional activity for mouse skin tumors initiated
with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA).
However, the promotional activity was not observed
when either limonene or straight Orange peel oil
was added to the diet, suggesting a relationship
between promotion and irritant properties of the
straight oil. Similarly, there appears to be no neurotoxicity. It should be noted that when relatively high
dosages (2363 mg kg-1) were orally administered to
mice, decreased body weight and increased bone
abnormalities were observed in foetuses. However,
at lower dosages (591 mg kg-1), no effects were
seen either maternally or in the foetus.
From where does one obtain MTs?
Currently, POH use is restricted in the US due to
the issuance of an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application. Nevertheless, there are major laboratory
chemical supply companies which do carry POH as a
chemical reagent, although not for human consumption.
At this time, the only product on the market in both
Europe and the US that the author is aware of is
manufactured by Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company
(Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company, 2000). Solgar
carries a product, in their Gold Specific line, called
'Cell Support,' which contains d-limonene.
Hohl R J. (1996). Monoterpenes as Regulators of Malignant Cell
Proliferation. Advances in Experimental Med and Biology. 401, p137-46.
With the high level of impressive scientific data available on the efficacy and clinical tolerability of these
naturally occurring nutrients, the monoterpenes are
positioned to take a strong role in the war on cancer. They offer a strong ally for the more established
routines of cancer therapy and deserve to be given
the attention they are drawing. The next few years
will be an exciting time as more and more of the
Phase II clinical trials are completed and results reported. The public can expect to see new products,
such as DL combined with Red Rice Yeast, which
contains lovastatin, whose chemopreventive properties (Broitman et al, 1996) may be additive or synergistic. Until then, enjoy your fruits and vegetables! 
Jia S S et al. (2012). Induction of apoptosis by D-limonene is mediated
by inactivation of Akt in LS174T human colon cancer cells. Oncol Rep.
29 (1), p349-54.
References
Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company. (2000).
Broitman S A, Wilkinson J IV, Cerda S. (1996). Effects of Monoterpenes and Mevinolin on Murine Colon Tumor CT-26 In Vitro and its
Hepatic 'Metastases' In Vivo. Adv Exp Med Biol. 401, p111-30.
Stark M J, Burke Y D, McKinzie J H, Ayoubi A S, Crowell P L. (1995).
Chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer with the monoterpene perillyl
alcohol. Cancer Lett. 9, p15-21.
Chanthai S et al. (2012). Influence of extraction methodologies on the
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(Cymbopogon nardus) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) grown in
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Taniguchi et al. (1999). Implications of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases III and V in cancer: gene regulation and signalling
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Crowell P L. (1997). Monoterpenes in breast cancer chemoprevention.
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 46, p191-197.
Dennis J W, Granovsky M, Warren C E. (1999). Glycoprotein glycosylation and cancer progression. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1473, p2134.
Fulton G J, Barber L, Svendsen E, Hagen P O, Davies M G. (1997).
Oral monoterpene therapy (perillyl alcohol) reduces vein graft intimal
hyperplasia. J Surg Res. 69 (1), p128-34.
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of Cell Cycle Events: A Role for Protein Isoprenylation? Biol. Chem.
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Acid Methyl Ester. United States Patent No. 5,470,877.
Gould M N, Crowell P L, Elson C E. (1995). Regression of Mammalian
Carcinomas. United States Patent No. 5,414,019.
Gould M N. (1997). Cancer chemoprevention and therapy by
monoterpenes. Environ Health Perspect. 105 (4) Suppl. p977-9.
Igimi H, Hisatsuga T, Nishimura M. (1976). The use of d-limonene as a
dissolving agent in gallstones. Dig. Dis. 21, p926-939.
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C V. (1997). Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by dietary
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Ripple G H et al. (1998). Phase I clinical trial of perillyl alcohol
administered daily. Clin Cancer Res. 4 (5), p1159-64.
Uedo N et al. (1999). Inhibition by D-limonene of gastric
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Yamamoto T, Taya S, Kaibuchi K. (1999). Ras-Induced Transformation
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Yeruva L et al. (2007). Perillyl alcohol and perillic acid induced cell
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Mark A. Brudnak, PhD, has authored more than 40 peerreviewed scientific and trade journal articles while an
undergrad (University of Southern California) and a graduate student (University of Tulsa). Often quoted in the
health food industry, cited in the scientific literature, and
sought out worldwide, he is a leading expert and speaker in the areas
of probiotics, enzymes and functional carbohydrates.
35
Inspire Educate Create
Sedona Aromatherapie
Aromatherapy Courses & Custom Blends
www.sedonaaromatherapie.com
36
Beneficial Blending for Elder Care:
The Scents-ible Solutions Aromatherapy Program
Cynthia Loving, Aromatherapist, LMT
iStock.com © Andrew Gentry
The U.S. Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987
emphasized the importance of residents’ rights and
quality of life. In the almost 2.5 decades since its
passage, a movement known as Culture Change has
brought about many improvements in granting
people living in nursing homes more privacy and
choices in their daily living. One of the changes
addresses the use of unnecessary drugs, excessive
dosage, or duration of drug use with a focus on
antipsychotic drugs occasionally used for behavior
control. This change has opened the door for many
integrative therapies, such as massage, reflexology,
acupuncture, and aromatherapy, to be introduced
into residential settings.
In 2001, Jackie Farnell, an aromatherapist, licensed
massage therapist, licensed esthetician, and owner of
Scents-ible Solutions, was asked to conduct an inservice program at Mattie C. Hall Nursing Home in
Aiken, South Carolina, concerning the use of essential oils to lower the stress levels of employees.
During the presentation the staff became interested
in the possibility of using essential oils for people
residing in their Alzheimer’s unit to enhance the
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of
the residents and staff. Ms. Farnell created four
blends for the residents and three for the care
providers. She and Patricia Bishop, RN, the
Alzheimer’s unit supervisor at the nursing home,
then developed a one-year project to evaluate the
benefits of the blends.
The results of this study were submitted to the state
of South Carolina and the nursing home was
awarded the 2003 South Carolina’s “Spirit of Caring
Best Practice Initiative” and awarded the Best
Practice Award. The study and the award created an
interest among many other facilities providing care
for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of
dementia - and the word spread. In the years that
Ms. Farnell owned Scents-ible Solutions, over 450
facilities began using the blends and numerous family/
friend care providers began incorporating these into
their daily routines.
In 2010, Jackie Farnell transferred the reigns of
Scents-ible Solutions to Cynthia Loving, owner of
LovingScents. Within a year of acquiring Scents-ible
Solutions, there were four new blends added to the
four primary areas of concern to allow room for
personal preferences and to reduce the possibility of
acclimation and potential decreased effectiveness.
There are now 11 blends specifically designed to
address anxiety, aggression, insomnia, mental
stimulation, undesired weight loss, and stress experienced by care providers.
Scents-ible Solutions blends
Lowering anxiety and aggression
Restore Peace (Decrease agitation, ease confusion,
elevate mood, and instill a sense of calm)

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)-Non-sedative;
mentally enlivening; antidepressant (Davis, 1999).

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)*-antidepressant;
alleviates anxiety, nervous tension, and stress
conditions; releases anger, anxiety, and stress
(Davis, 1999; Keville and Green, 2009; Mojay,
1999).
* Frankincense is considered to be a “threatened” essential oil. An
alternative may be Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides). Vetiver is considered
an antidepressant, is very relaxing, and eases stress, anxiety, fear,
insomnia, and grief (Davis, 1999; Keville and Green, 2009).
37
Tranquility (Cool anger and ease restlessness while
bringing clarity and elevating mood)

Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora)* uplifting and
enlightening properties reputed to have an overall balancing effect (Battaglia, 2003).

Rosalina (Melaleuca ericifolia) calming and relaxing;
ideal for sleep and stress disorders; supports
deep breathing (Webb, 2000).

May chang (Litsea cubeba) antidepressant; alleviates stress and anxiety (Battaglia, 2003).
* Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) is an endangered essential oil. Due to
the high levels of the naturally occurring chemical linalool, an alternative to Rosewood might be Ho leaf (Cinnamomum camphora ct linalool)
(Kerr, 1998). Linalool plays a role in the antidepressant and sedative
qualities of these two essential oils.

Mental stimulation
Promote Alertness (Joyful stimulant that
enhances memory, activity, and socialization; elevates
mood)

Orange, sweet (Citrus sinensis) relieves nervous
tension and anxiety; energizes; revives interest;
harmonizes (Sheppard-Hanger, 1995; Cleary,
2005).

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ct. cineole) antidepressant; circulatory stimulant; stimulates mind
and improves memory (Price and Price, 2012;
Holmes, 2008).
Insomnia
Helps Relieve Insomnia and Pain (Decrease pain
perception; calm nervous tension; decrease anxiety,
exhaustion, mood swings; increase relaxation; aid
sleep induction)


Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) mentally and
physically balancing and normalizing; relieves
insomnia due to physical discomfort, mental
stress, anxiety or overactive brain (Davis, 1999;
Holmes, 2008).
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) antidepressive;
refreshes; relaxes; relieves insomnia; uplifting;
antispasmodic (Schnaubelt, 1998; Mojay, 1999;
Valnet, 1990; Kerr, 1999).
Sweet Dreams (Encourage deep and easy breathing, lessen anxiety and agitation, promote physical
and mental relaxation, aid sleep)


38
Fragonia™ (Agonis fragrans) gentle expectorant;
analgesic; anti-inflammatory; calming; tranquility
inducing (Battaglia, 2003).
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) mentally and
physically balancing and normalizing; relieves insomnia due to physical discomfort, mental stress,
anxiety or overactive brain (Davis, 1999; Holmes,
2008).
Marjoram (Origanum majorana) antidepressant;
analgesic; antispasmodic; calming; sleep-inducing
(Price and Price, 2012; Valnet, 1990; Kerr, 2003;
Cleary, 2005; Holmes, 2008).
iStock.com © Abel Mitja Varela
Vitality (Refreshing, elevates mood, encourages
physical and mental activity, encourages deep breathing)

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) non-sedative antidepressant; mentally enlivening (Davis, 1999).

Spearmint (Mentha viridas) antidepressant; lowers
stress and metal fatigue; uplifting (Battaglia,
2003).

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) emotionally
stimulating; relieves stress and anxiety (Keville
and Green, 2009).

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) warming; invigorating;
stimulating (Mojay, 1999).
Unwanted weight loss
Appetite Stimulant (Elevates mood, energizes and
activates digestive system-from salivation to

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) antidepressive;
antispasmodic; eases nervous tension, stress, and
anger (Mojay, 1999; Sheppard-Hanger, 1995).
peristalsis)

Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) antidepressant; antispasmodic; relieves tension; antiinfectious (Keville and Green, 2009; Valnet, 1990;
Schnaubelt, 1999).

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) antidepressant; refreshing; stimulating (Price and Price, 2012).

Clove bud (Eugenia caryophyllata) antispasmodic;
stimulates digestion; eases nausea; relieves flatulence (Keville and Green, 2009).
Bon Appétit (Activates digestive system, eases
digestion, antispasmodic)

Orange, sweet (Citrus sinensis) antidepressant;
digestive stimulant (Price and Price, 2012; Cleary,
2005).

Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) digestive stimulant; carminative; antispasmodic (Valnet,
1990; Jefferies, 2007).


Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) appetite and digestive
stimulant; antispasmodic; eases constipation,
diarrhea, and nausea; carminative (Davis, 1999;
Mojay, 1999; Price and Price, 2012).
Stress Reduction (primarily for care providers)
Care Giver Relief (Stimulates mental clarity, promotes relaxation, relieves anxiety and nervousness)


Orange, sweet (Citrus sinensis) antidepressant;
antispasmodic; relaxing; lowers stress (Davis,
1999; Price and Price, 2012; Schnaubelt, 1999;
Cleary, 2005).
Lemon (Citrus limon) antidepressive; antiinflammatory; antispasmodic; immuno-supportive;
eases sadness and anger; clears thought; sharpens
focus (Cleary, 2005; Keville and Green, 2009;
Price and Price, 2012; Sheppard-Hanger, 1995).
Unwind (Mood elevating; grounding; lowers stress,
tension, anxiety and nervous strain)

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) antidepressant; uplifting; cooling; refreshing; antispasmodic (Mojay,
1999; Valnet, 1990; Kerr, 1999).

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) antidepressive;
eases anxiety, stress, agitation, and mood swings;
balances hormonal system; mental stimulant
(Davis, 1999; Cleary, 2005; Keville and Green,
2009; Mojay, 1999; Price and Price, 2012; Shutes,
2012).

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) antidepressant; antiinflammatory; eases stress and anxiety; grounding; mentally stabilizing (Davis, 1999; Mojay, 1999;
Price and Price, 2012; Jefferies, 2007).
Utopia (Calming, aids in finding emotional equilibrium, elevates mood, cools frustration)


Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) antidepressive;
eases anxiety, stress, agitation, and mood swings;
balances hormonal system; mental stimulant
(Davis, 1999; Cleary, 2005; Keville and Green,
2009; Mojay, 1999; Price and Price, 2012).

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) antidepressive;
antispasmodic; eases nervous tension, stress and
anger (Davis, 1999; Mojay, 1999; Price and Price,
2012).
39
Primary methods of application
These blends were created to be used primarily via
inhalation. In most instances it is suggested that one
drop of the blend be placed on a self-adhesive felt
appliqué (Fig. 1) and adhered
to the individual’s clothing –
when using with people with
dementia, it is best if the appliqué is placed outside of the
individual’s visual range (back
of shoulder). Some facilities
will put 20 drops of the blend
in distilled water in a 4 oz (120
ml) mister bottle and spray in
the room. When appropriate,
Fig. 1
the blends can be diffused into the
room. The recommended use for stress relief
blends for care providers is a drop of the selected
blend on a tissue or terra cotta clay disk to be
inhaled as needed. Two or three drops may be used
in a diffuser or aromatherapy jewelry. The blend
may also be used in an aroma stick for personal inhalation as needed.
Why inhalation?
Olfaction has a direct tie to the Limbic system.
When inhaling essential oils, the volatile molecules
ride on the air to the top of the nose where cilia
(microscopic, hair-like structures) project from the
olfactory receptor cells. From here, an electrochemical message is sent through the olfactory bulb and
olfactory tract to an ancient part of the brain known
as the Limbic system – once called the Rhinencephalon or “nose brain.” The Limbic system is primarily
responsible for our emotional life and plays a major
role in the formation and retrieval of memories.
From the Limbic system, messages can be sent to
other parts of the brain and throughout the body via
the blood stream where they may impact mental
states through the central nervous system and/or
endocrine (hormonal) system. These messages then
influence the discharge of neurochemicals that can
calm, stimulate, elevate mood, or ease anxiety,
depending on the needs of each individual.
40
Scents-ible Solutions training manual
Purchase of the Training Manual is required prior to
a facility or professional home care provider instituting the Scents-ible Solutions Aromatherapy Program.
Family/friend care providers are not required to
purchase the manual but are provided with information concerning the blends they purchase and their
appropriate use.
The manual includes chapters entitled:

What is Aromatherapy

A Brief History of Aromatic Medicine

Aromatherapy as a Wellness/Healing Tool

How does Aromatherapy Work

The Mattie C. Hall Nursing Home Study
Scents-ible Solutions Protocol
 Scents-ible Solutions Blends & Methods of
Application


Appendices:
 History of Aromatic Plants in the Art and
Science of Aromatherapy
 Sample Aromatherapy Program Policy
Statement

Sample Consent Form

Material Safety Data Sheets
The manual contains the results of the year-long
study conducted at Mattie C. Hall concerning
unwanted weight loss. This study, using the Appetite
Stimulant blend, monitored weight changes (static,
loss, or gain). At the beginning of the study there
were ten residents losing three or more pounds per
month. At the end of the study there were two.
Simultaneously, they conducted a study concerning
the use of psychotropic medications. The blend
used for this study was Restore Peace. At the beginning of this year-long study there were nine
residents using psychotropic medications. At the
end of the study, there were two. There is also
anecdotal information provided by staff and family
members as to the results they witnessed while
residents of family members were using the Scentsible Solutions blends.
In addition to the manual, training is provided for the
staff of facilities desiring to use the Scents-ible
Solutions program. Consultations are offered for
those who seek customized blends to meet the
specific needs of an individual.
Due to HIPPA Privacy Practices, case studies are not
available for publication, however the facilities and
family care providers shared this anecdotal information:
 The impact of diffusing Restore Peace or Tranquility in common areas in mid-afternoon through
early evening has been reported to lower confusion,
agitation, stress, fear, pacing, and other symptoms of
sundowning. Individual application on an appliqué
has also been shown to ease the aforementioned
symptoms in addition to anger, loneliness, and grief.
 Helps Relieve Insomnia and Pain and Sweet
Dreams have been effective in promoting deep relaxation and sleep. It has been reported that Sweet
Dreams seems to be more effective with people who
have respiratory challenges.
 Diffusing Promote Alertness or Vitality prior to
and during activities often encourages more participation and socialization.
 Appetite Stimulant and Bon Appétit activate and
ease the digestive system. We have heard many
times of people who have lost their appetite and the
ability of these blends to then reintroduce the desire
to eat.
The blends addressing the needs of the care givers
(Care Giver Relief, Unwind, and Utopia) enable many
to ease their stress and grief while offering relief of
some of the challenges they encounter.
Female, 71 years of age and diagnosed with dementia,
became hysterical and combative whenever she was bathed.
This facility has a “quiet room” with dimmed lights, calming
music, and a water feature connected to the bathing room.
For this resident, Tranquility was diffused for three to five
minutes prior to her being brought in. She entered the room
and sat quietly for about ten minutes. She was then taken
into the bathing room where the blend was being diffused.
She proceeded with her bath without any signs of agitation
or combativeness (a routine repeated with the same results).
Wheelchair-bound Male, 76 years of age, was residing in a
residential memory unit and diagnosed with dementia. While
bored at group activities he would survey the area for a staff
member coming his way. He would then take aim for that
person and ram his wheelchair into them. After this happened several times, the Recreational Therapist in charge of
the Scents-ible Solutions program prepared a self-adhesive
felt appliqué with a drop of Restore Peace on it. As the patient began moving toward a staff member, the Recreational
Therapist gently placed the appliqué on the front of his shirt
and stopped to talk to him. Within a minute, the patient
took a deep breath, sighed, and wheeled himself to his room.
Female, age 78, living in a care residence and diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease, refused to eat saying she wasn’t hungry.
She would become belligerent when reminded of the need to
eat. Due to her weight loss, she was diagnosed with “failure
to thrive.” A care provider asked us what might stimulate
her appetite. We suggested she put one drop of Bon Appétit
in a bowl of warm water, place a washcloth in the bowl,
wring it out well, and have her wipe her hands with this
about ten minutes prior to mealtime. This was done as
directed and she still declined to eat. About ten minutes
later she stated she would like to eat. The same blend was
used prior to each meal and two and a half weeks later she
had gained four and a half pounds.
Female, 69 years old and diagnosed with dementia, was always very tired and sleepy. She never participated in activities or family events and would often sleep through family
visits. Her memory was seriously impaired. The staff at the
facility in which she lived diffused Promote Alertness in the
areas where group activities were taking place. Each day
during group activities she was escorted past the room and
was asked if she would like to go in. The answer was always
“no.” After three days, she walked past the room and when
asked if she would like to go in, she said “yes.” After that,
she participated in many activities and the staff and family
noticed she seemed more aware of her surroundings, slept
less, and enjoyed increased interaction with other residents,
staff and family members.
Male, 74 years of age, had been residing in a nursing home
for two months recovering from hip replacement surgery
and an acquired infection. He was angry at being in a nursing
home and complained of pain and inability to sleep. This
facility had been using Scents-ible Solutions blends for several
years and decided to try Helps Relieve Insomnia and Pain
with him at bedtime. They applied one drop of this to his
pillowcase and he feel asleep within 15 minutes but woke
about two hours later saying he was experiencing some pain.
They repeated the application of the same blend and he returned to sleep for another four hours. The next night they
placed four drops of the blend in a diffuser and found he was
able to sleep longer and did not mention pain. He continued
using this blend until he was released.
41
In its 11th year, Scents-ible Solutions continues to
grow. It is now being used in numerous types of
facilities/programs including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospices and palliative care programs,
day care programs for people with dementia,
programs for people with developmental disabilities,
and schools. Psychologists, social workers, physicians, massage therapists, and other professionals are
using some of these blends within their private
practices.
Price S and Price L. (2012). Aromatherapy for Health Professionals. 4th ed.
London: Churchill Livingstone.
As individuals and facilities learn more about Culture
Change and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services’ Antipsychotic Drug Reduction Program, the
call for this and other programs to address the needs
of people residing in nursing homes and other
related facilities will only grow. 
Valnet J. (1990). The Practice of Aromatherapy. Rochester, Vermont:
Healing Arts Press.
References
Battaglia S. (2003). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. 2nd ed.
Brisbane: The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy.
Battaglia S. http://www.perfectpotion.com.au/Learn-and-Discover/
Learn-about-Australian-oils.aspx
Cleary S. (2005). Aged, Frail and Palliative Care. Aromatherapy Today.
33, p26-27.
Schnaubelt K. (1998). Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential
Oil Therapy. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press.
Schnaubelt K. (1999). Medical Aromatherapy. Berkley, California: Frog
Ltd.
Sheppard-Hanger S. (1995). The Aromatherapy Practitioner Reference
Manual. Tampa, Florida: Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy.
Shutes J. (2012). Essential Oil Profile: Geranium. The International J. of
Professional Holistic Aromatherapy. 1 (1), p24-28.
Webb M. (2000). Bush Sense: Australian Essential Oils & Aromatic
Compounds. Sydney: Self published.
Cynthia Loving was first introduced to aromatherapy and
began her studies in the mid-1980s. She has been an
aromatherapy educator since 1995 and lectures in medical
schools, massage programs, professional associations, other
health related institutions/programs, and a wide array of
organizations. She is owner of LovingSense Aromatherapy, doing
business as LovingScents and Scents-ible Solutions, and offers retail
and wholesale essential oils and aromatherapy products. Cynthia is
also a licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist and a Craniosacral
Therapist practicing in Greensboro, North Carolina.
[email protected], www.LovingScents.com,
Natural Spring Cleaning*
nd
Davis P. (1999). Aromatherapy: An A-Z. 2 ed. London: Vermillion.
Holmes P. (2008). Systemic approach to treating depression with
essential oils. The International J. of Clinical Aromatherapy. (2), p22-29.
Jefferies J. (2007). Cinnamon essential oil. Aroma. Today. 40, p4-9.
Jefferies J. (2007). Patchouli essential oil. Aromatherapy Today. 39, p4-9.
Keville K and Green M. (2009). Aromatherapy-A Complete Guide to the
Healing Art. 2nd ed. Berkley, California: Crossing Press.
Kerr J. (1998). Essential Oil Profile Ho Leaf/Rosewood. Aromatherapy
Today. 7, p6-9.
Kerr J. (1999). Essential Oil Profile Bergamot. Aromatherapy Today. 11,
p14-16.
Kerr J. (2003). Essential Oil Profile Marjoram. Aromatherapy Today. 26,
p10-12.
Lawless J. (1992). The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Shaftesbury, Dorset:
Element Books Limited.
Deodorizing Room Spray
2 oz/60 ml distilled water
10 drops Lemon (Citrus limonum)
5 drops Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
5 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Directions
In a 2 oz/60 ml spray
bottle, combine water
and essential oils.
Shake vigorously and
mist into the air. Avoid
spraying into eyes or
on animals.
Mojay G. (1999). Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Rochester,
Vermont: Healing Arts Press.
Lemon and mint. iStock.com © Olga Brovina
*See full article beginning on page 43.
42
Natural Spring Cleaning
Andrea Butje, Clinical Aromatherapist and
Linda Byington, RA, Certified Reflexologist
iStock.com © franny-anne
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently
estimated that seven pathogens including Salmonella,
Toxoplasma, Listeria, Norovirus, Campylobacter, E. coli
O157, and Clostridium perfringens, are responsible for
90% of illnesses, hospitalizations, and even death.
Most people are concerned with the cleanliness of
restaurants and other public places, however 30% of
food-borne illnesses are found in the home. The
kitchen is known for being a bacteria factory.
Kitchen counters, cutting boards, and every knob,
drawer and door handle are part of a breeding
ground for bacteria to grow. The biggest offender in
the spread of nasty microbial trespassers, such as E.
coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, is the sponge or dish
cloth. They clean up everything from milk spills to
raw meat juices and leaky food packages. But after
repeated use, how clean are they? The bathroom
isn’t much cleaner, either, and may contain many
bacterial species that can potentially cause harm if
not adequately maintained. Staphylococcus bacteria,
which are especially widespread, are frequently
found in and around toilets, in showers, on door
handles, and in and around the bathroom sink. Essential oils can be just the antimicrobial agents we
need.
An alternative approach against these germs is to
integrate non-toxic cleaning products into your
home. Most commercial cleaning products contain
chemicals and cleansing agents that are potentially
toxic and, when breathed in, some of these substances can irritate the respiratory system. This can
cause allergies, headaches and a multitude of other
health concerns so it is wise to limit your exposure
to chemical toxins. You can safeguard your health by
making your own simple, all-natural household cleaners with a few affordable ingredients:

Baking soda acts as a natural abrasive deodorizer and cleanser, and is gentle enough to use on
most surfaces.

Borax is a natural mineral compound that lifts
dirt, softens water, and is an insecticide (Woods,
1994).

Castile soap is made with fat from a vegetable
origin (usually olive oil) rather than animal fats. It
is high quality soap, is gentle on the skin and a
great cleanser.

White vinegar can inhibit the growth of bacteria, including E. coli (Entani E et al, 1998), by creating an unfriendly, acidic environment.

Essential oils offer antimicrobial properties for
cleaning, such as –
 Eucalyptus (E. globulus) which is effective for
cleaning children's toys to remove house dust
mites (Chang et al, 2011)
 Lemon (Citrus limonum) which is “second to
none in its antiseptic and bactericidal properties” (Valnet, 1990)
 Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) which is an
“anti-infective agent with very broadspectrum of action” (Schnaubelt, 1998)
 Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) which is effective
against food born bacteria including Brochothrix thermosphacta and Staphylococcus
aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella abony,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. fragi (Schmidt
et al, 2012)
43
Formulas for Household Cleaners
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
1/4 cup/50 gm borax
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
1/4 cup/50 gm baking soda
5 oz/150 ml water
2 tablespoons Castile soap
2 oz/60 ml hydrosol of choice (like Peppermint)
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon Castile soap
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
10 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
10 drops Lemon (Citrus limonum)
5 drops Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
10 drops Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus or E. radiata)
20 drops Lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum)
Directions
In an 8 oz/240 ml wide-mouth container, combine
borax, baking soda, and Castile soap. Add white
vinegar and water. Add essential oils and mix well. 
Directions
Combine all ingredients in an 8 oz/240 ml spray bottle. Shake vigorously before each use. Avoid spraying
into eyes or on animals.
References
40 drops White Pine essential oil (Pinus strobus)
All-Natural Cleaning Scrub
1 cup/200 gm baking soda
3 tablespoons Castile soap
1 tablespoon white vinegar
15 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Chang C F, Wu F F, Chen C Y et al. (2011). Effect of freezing, hot
tumble drying and washing with eucalyptus oil on house dust mites in
soft toys. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 22 (6), p638-641.
Entani E et al. (1998). Antibacterial action of vinegar against foodborne pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7. J Food
Prot. 61 (8), p953-959.
Schmidt E, Wanner J, Hiiferl M et al. (2012). Chemical composition,
olfactory analysis and antibacterial activity of Thymus vulgaris chemotypes geraniol, 4-thujanol/terpinen-4-ol, thymol and linalool cultivated
in southern France. Nat Prod Commun. 7(8), p1095-1098.
Schnaubelt K. (1998). Advanced Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing
Arts Press.
15 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Valnet J. (1990). The Practice of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing
Arts Press.
Directions
In a 16 oz/480 ml wide-mouth container, mix all ingredients. Add more vinegar or Castile soap as
needed to make a smooth consistency.
Vizcaya D, Mirabelli M C, Antó JM et al. (2011). A workforce-based
study of occupational exposures and asthma symptoms in cleaning
workers. Occup Environ Med. 68 (12), p914-919.
Cutting Boards
To keep wooden and plastic cutting boards free of
bacteria, use a few drops of Lemon (Citrus limonum)
essential oil to clean the cutting board. First, wash
the board with hot water and castile soap. Then put
about five drops of Lemon essential oil on a clean
sponge and wipe the board vigorously, front and
back. The “side effect” is that the sponge is now also
clean and bacteria free.
Andrea Butje has been teaching courses in the medical
uses of essential oils since 1995. In addition to writing
course materials and working with essential oil distillers,
Andrea developed The Aromahead Institute’s Component Database containing current scientific research of
the chemical constituents of essential oils. www.aromahead.com
44
Woods WG. (1994). An introduction to boron: history, sources, uses,
and chemistry. Environ Health Perspect. 102 (Suppl 7), p 5–11.
Linda Byington became a Registered Aromatherapist in
2003 and is a Certified Reflexologist. In addition to her
private practice, Linda teaches aromatherapy workshops
and lectures locally. www.elementalaromas.com
Blind Leading the Blind:
Essential Oils in Eye Care
© Lora Cantele
There has been much social media discussion
recently (February 2013) about the wisdom or
otherwise of putting essential oils into your eyes to
treat eye problems. This arose from two web pages:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/123613-essentialoils-eyes/
http://
aromatherapyliving.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/clearvision-with-natural-eye-drops/
The Livestrong article states: “More and more
people are choosing to use alternative medicines to
treat minor illnesses rather than taking a prescription. Putting essential oils in or near the eyes isn't
something that is widely known about, but there are
several that can aid in the treatment of eye problems. Before using essential oils for your eyes, always
contact your doctor.
Clary sage is the essential oil that is most widely
used to treat vision problems. It is placed in the eye,
so advice from an optometrist is important before
use. Clary sage is used as a cleanser for the eyes. It
can also be used to clear eye sight due to foggy
vision or an injury to the eyes. Clary sage can also be
used to brighten the eyes and improve vision. Finally,
it can have beneficial results for people with eye
issues related to aging.”
This actually dates from May 2010 but, judging from
the related comments, has only recently been noticed. The statement that “Clary sage is the essential
oil that is most widely used to treat vision problems”
is not true, since there are no essential oils commonly used to treat vision problems. The only
evidence for any essential oil treating any eye prob-
lem relates to Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil and
eyelash mites (see below). The reference to Clary
sage probably derives from 17th century European
herbalists, but this refers to using Clary sage seeds,
or mucilage made from them, and not to Clary sage
essential oil: “The seed put into the eyes clears them
from motes and such like things gotten within the
lids to offend them, and it also clears them from any
white and red spots which may be on them
(Culpeper, 1652). Another common name for Clary
sage (Salvia sclarea) was “clear eye” because of this
common use of the seeds, which pre-dated Culpeper
by many years. “Clary” may derive from “clear-eye.”
Not only is there no evidence that any essential oil
can help with vision problems, age-related or otherwise, but placing any essential oil “in the eye” is
extremely dangerous advice. Almost any undiluted
essential oil coming into contact with the ocular
membranes will be corrosive, possibly causing scarring of the cornea, and certainly causing significant
pain.
Eye damage
I could find no reports in the literature of ocular
accidents involving single essential oils, but there are
several for Olbas oil (Figure 1). This is a mixture of
essential oils (species not specified) and menthol:
35.45% Eucalyptus oil
35.45% Dementholized mint oil
18.5% Cajuput oil
4.1% Menthol
3.7% Wintergreen oil
2.7% Juniper berry oil
0.1% Clove oil
Fig. 1 Olbas oil
Nasal Decongestant
45
A 2009 report from an ophthalmologist in Bristol
UK, describes partial
loss of corneal tissue
(i.e. erosion) when a
73-year-old man
dripped Olbas Oil
into his left eye (he
had no right eye)
because he thought
Fig. 2 Courtesy of Naure Publishing Group he was using eye
drops (Figure 2). He
was “considerably incapacitated.” but recovered
after a week of treatment with “topical antibiotics
and lubricants.” On checking, the author found that
just his hospital, in the previous 18 months, had seen
12 patients who had mistakenly dripped Olbas Oil
into one eye. He describes the result as a chemical
burn, though he found that Olbas Oil in tears was
pH neutral (most chemical burns are caused by substances that are strongly acid or alkaline). All “Olbas
Oil patients” recovered fully within one week following intensive treatment (Adams et al, 2009).
Olbas Oil may cause problems even when not
applied directly to the eyes. The mother of a fourmonth-old boy placed several drops of Olbas Oil in
his right nostril in an attempt to help his respiratory
infection, not realizing that the product warns against
use in infants. The child immediately showed signs of
respiratory distress and was taken to the emergency
room. Two hours after admission his eyes became
inflamed and examination revealed bilateral superficial corneal scarring. He also had conjunctivitis and
could not open his eyes. They were flushed with
saline over four days and he recovered with no
residual scarring (Wyllie and Alexander, 1994).
Emergency treatment
More than 65,000 work-related eye injuries and
illnesses are reported annually in the USA, a “significant percentage” of these being ocular chemical
burns. They require rapid treatment, and severe
burns have a poor prognosis. The standard treatment is copious irrigation with saline solution for 1-2
hours. Contact lenses should not be removed
initially (Peate, 2007). With essential oils, fatty oil has
been suggested as an appropriate first aid treatment
though the advantage of saline is that the eyes can be
continually flushed and this is less easy with fatty oil.
46
What about diluted essential oils?
The second article describes using essential oils
diluted to (by my estimation) about 3%. It includes
the following advice:
“Here is a truly natural solution, which has been
shown to benefit your eye health and the only one I
will use. Gary Young has used this recipe for his
patients at the Ecuador Clinic for macular degeneration, health issues, cataracts, and improving sight. I’ve
been using it for a couple of years and love it! I
started using this recipe before I had to have a vision
exam in order to purchase new contacts. And I
knew my vision had deteriorated from my last exam.
So I put the drops in my eyes every night for about
six months prior to the exam and my prescription
had not changed according to their records, but I
know what I was not seeing and I know what I was
seeing as a result of using these drops – clearly my
vision had improved! The recipe is as follows:
7-10 drops of Frankincense
7-10 drops of Rosemary
7-10 drops of Cypress
2 Tbsp of V-6
Put oils in a glass dropper bottle with a lid on it.
My experience has been that I can see much more
clearly just after putting the drops in my eye so I am
also going to experiment with putting a drop in my
eyes in the morning (Ewald, 2012).”
“V-6” is a proprietary blend of vegetable oils. The
above implies that using these oils on a daily basis is
likely to have a healing effect in cases of cataract,
macular degeneration, or failing eyesight. Although
the article continues to describe various effects of
the essential oils, none of them have any relationship
with any of these conditions. So the question arises –
how to weigh potential benefits against potential
risks?
The word “experiment” in the above seems appropriate. Eyesight problems are difficult to treat and,
once damage has occurred, recovery is not always
simple. A 3% dilution may not be sufficient to cause
corneal erosion, but on the other hand there is no
evidence of any benefit. One concern is that the
wrong dilution may be used, and the risk of this is
substantial. For example, it would be easy to confuse
“tbsp” with tsp,” resulting in a dilution of about 10%
instead of 3%.
In a Chinese study, an ointment containing 5% Tea
tree oil was used by patients whose eyelash follicles
were infested with “eyelash mites” (Demodex folliculorum). The ointment was applied to the lid margins
with eyes closed, daily for 4 weeks after washing the
face, and resulted in considerably less itching and
fewer mites. Two of the 24 patients experienced
slight irritation from the ointment. The 5% concentration was arrived at after preliminary testing using
various dilutions on rabbit eyes (Gao et al, 2012).
Robert Tisserand is recognized in the aromatherapy
industry as a leader and world expert. He has spent 15
years as a massage therapist, 12 years as a publisher/
editor, 18 years as an educator, and 35 years developing
personal care products. In 1988, he founded The Tisserand Institute, setting new standards for vocational aromatherapy
education. Mr. Tisserand spends much of his time tracking all the
published research relevant to essential oils and often collaborates on
projects with doctors, herbalists and pharmacologists.
www.roberttiserand.com
Business Tip
Conclusions
Andrea Butje, Clin. Aromatherapist

Undiluted essential oils should not be
applied to the eyes.

It is rash to suggest that essential oils are
commonly used to treat eye problems.
Are you using both Pinterest and Facebook?

Eye injuries and diseases are medical conditions,
and any product claiming to treat them is a
medicine, subject to drug legislation.

There is currently no evidence that applying dilutions of essential oil into the eyes
will be beneficial in any condition.
Pinvolve provides tools that let you and your fans
share your Facebook picture posts on Pinterest, and
include your Pinterest pins on your Facebook
profile!

Diluted (5%) Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
essential oil may help eradicate eyelash mites, but
it should not be placed into the eyes. 
References
Adams M K, Sparrow J M, Jim S et al. (2009). Inadvertent administration of Olbas oil into the eye: a surprisingly frequent presentation. Eye
(London). 23, p244.
Culpeper N. (1652). The English Physitian, or an Astro-physical discourse of
the vulgar herbs of this nation. Being a compleat method of physick,
whereby a man may preserve his body in health; or cure himself, being sick.
London: Thomas Kelly
Ewald D. (2012). Clear vision with natural eye drops. http://
aromatherapyliving.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/clear-vision-withnatural-eye-drops/
Gao Y Y, Xu D L, Huang I J et al. (2012). Treatment of ocular itching
associated with ocular demodicosis by 5% tea tree oil ointment.
Cornea. 31, p14-17.
Peate W F. (2007). Work-related eye injuries and illnesses. American
Family Physician. 75, p1017-1022.
Wyllie J P, Alexander F W. (1994). Nasal instillation of ‘Olbas Oil’ in an
infant. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 70, p357-358.
The Pinvolve app creates a new area on your Facebook page showing all your Facebook photo posts in
a beautiful and appealing display. Your Facebook
“likes” and the comments associated with each post
will also show up.
When you place your curser over an image, you are
invited to pin, tweet or share the post. Click the
“pin” button, and the app will post your content to
your Pinterest board of choice. Click the “share”
button and your pin gets posted to your Facebook
profile.
To set up Pinvolve, simply log onto your Facebook
business page and use this link: www.pinvolve.co.
Once you install the Pinvolve app, it is located on the
top of your Facebook page just under your cover
photo in the section called your “favorites,” where
photos, “likes” and events are also located. You can
visit my Aromahead Institute Facebook page to see
how Pinvolve looks and functions by going to
www.facebook.com/Aromatherapyeducation.
47
Book Review
Anita James, SPdipA, MIFPA, Cert Ed.
Essential Oils – A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice 2nd Edition
by Jennifer Rhind
I must admit to the fact that I feel I’ve known this
book for a long time and have watched it blossom
into this wonderful publication. I first saw it some
years ago in its draft stage when Sue Jenkins, who
was then a fellow IFPA council member and work
colleague of Jennifer’s, brought it to the IFPA conference to see if therapists and students would be interested in buying a copy. It obviously past this test.
Soon it appeared on my Amazon recommendations
list and I purchased a copy that has now become one
of my ‘go to’ books and is very well thumbed. On
seeing that a 2nd version (revised edition) had been
released I went through the ‘do I need it?’ ponderings. This however didn’t take long and I can
honestly say I’m glad I bought it.
The preface sets the scene and conjures up wonderful pictures of childhood and aromas. After reading
this and talking to other aromatherapists, I am convinced that we are destined from an early age to
enter this love affair with scents and aromas, tempting us deeper into a world where there is definitely
no return.
This 2nd edition has essentially doubled in size from
the first one. It is divided into three sections. The
first supplies the essential knowledge of aromatherapy. The second focuses on blending essential oils,
going into detail about the various styles and methods. The third and final section provides profiles of
not just ‘true’ essential oils but also resinoids and
absolutes.
I loved the fact that, in the history section, Jennifer
left out the ‘ancient history’ and focused on the
‘recent history,’ bringing to life authors that are
respected and cherished as pioneers and evolutionaries of this aromatic discipline.
48
The second section on the approaches to creating an
essential oil synergy gave me food for thought about
how I approach blending essential oils and creating
blends. The author starts with the concepts of synergy and antagonism, expanding this out to cover the
concepts of blending essential oils, whilst covering
perfumery, the five elements, Ayurvedic theories,
and the chakras. Since reading this section, I have
fallen down the ‘aromatic rabbit hole’ and spent
hours playing with blends and using different principles in my blending and then comparing the results.
The third section may become the ‘go to’ section. It
covers plant taxonomy, anatomy, and classification.
Each family and genus are documented along with
uses and relevant substantiating evidence. Absolutes
and resinoids are covered in their own chapter.
A glossary is included at the back of the book along
with extensive appendices, references, and suggestions for further reading.
My only criticism is that while many hours have been
spent researching and adding information in this new
edition to confirm and substantiate the text, it is not
possible to read and evaluate it yourself unless you
have access to a university library or pay a hefty
on-line subscription.
This book is sure to become one of the classic
aromatherapy texts. It is an affordable, accessible
book that I will be using myself, recommending to
others, and using with my students.
Published by Singing Dragon
ISBN: 978-1-84819-089-4 List price: $35.00
Recipes from the Sensual Kitchen
Blood Orange Shrimp and Cool as a Cucumber Soup
Kris Wrede, Aromatic Alchemist
iStock.com © Daniel Loiselle
Blood Orange Shrimp
Cool as a Cucumber Soup
4 Tbl. key lime juice
2 Tbl. honey or agave nectar
2/3 cup/168 gm frozen orange juice concentrate,
thawed slightly
10 drops lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil
1 1/2 Tbl. soft crystallized ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh dill
3 Tbl. lemon curd
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup + 2 Tbl./89 gm brown sugar
I green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup/85 gm honey
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
10 drops lime (Citrus medica) essential oil
3 cups/681 gm plain non-fat yogurt
30 drops blood orange or orange (Citrus aurantium
var. sinensis per.) essential oil
1 cup/120 ml lime flavored mineral water
40-50 raw shrimp
Soak 10 wooden skewers in water.
Mix the first five ingredients together in a medium
size bowl and set aside.
1/2 cup/10 gm fresh mint
sea salt to taste
Mix the essential oil in the agave or honey. Then put
all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Serves 10
Warm the honey, then add the essential oils to the
honey. When incorporated, add honey to the bowl.
Stir together, then add cooked thawed shrimp and
let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.
iStock.com © Maren Wischewski
Set oven shelf so that the broiler pan is about 7”/18
cm below the flame. Place 4 to 5 shrimp on each
skewer and broil in oven 5 to 7 minutes on each
side.
Serves 10
Kris Wrede has been practicing aromatic alchemy and
perfumery since 1990 and is a dedicated teacher and
researcher. Kris teaches classes in cooking with essential
oils at private homes and in cooking schools. The safety
measures (page 50) are the result of 15 years cooking, baking, experimenting, sampling and teaching. For upcoming class information visit
www.kismetpotions.com
49
Cooking with Essential Oils Basics
Essential oils are very strong so they should never
be used in large amounts; sometimes no more than
a drop is needed. To be used properly a few
guidelines are listed below:
1. Use in moderation. 1 drop of stronger oils is
usually enough.
Good To Know...
Aloe vera gel is one of NCCAM's
top 5 most searched for herbs
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/
topsupplements-science?nav=cd#aloevera
Stronger oils are: Basil, Black Pepper, Clove, Coriander, Cumin, Dill, Geranium, Ginger, Lemongrass,
Nutmeg, Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage,
Spearmint, Tarragon, and Thyme.
Milder oils are usually citrus and flowering herb oils
such as: Bergamot, Blood Orange, Chamomile,
Fennel, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Orange,
Petitgrain, and Tangerine. You already consume
many essential oils in many foods, beverages, teas,
toothpastes, liqueurs, and medicines.
2. Dilute with another fatty or lipid substance when
using for any type of cooking or baking. Other fatty
substances are butter, cooking oils such as olive or
canola, agave nectar, or honey. They will disperse in
alcohol and liqueurs nicely. Make sure the oils are
well mixed in the other fat or alcohol before using in
cooking or baking. Pour oils into a spoon first
before adding the fatty substance so you don't
get too much. If you get too much, divide it
or start over. Be careful since the drops
(especially the citrus) come out of the bottle
very fast, so go slow and be patient.
3. Use only organic, ecocert or wild harvested
essential oils.
4. Store essential oils covered in a cool dark place.
5. Keep out of reach of children, and be careful
of using while pregnant.
Courtesy of Kris Wrede, Aromatic Alchemist
from the Sensual Kitchen
www.kismetpotions.com
50
Aloe vera © Holistic Photo
Aloe vera gel effective against
multi-drug resistant organisms
A recent study finds Aloe vera gel to be affordable
and effective against multi-drug resistant organisms
as compared to the routinely used topical antimicrobial agents.
Reference
Banu A, Sathyanarayana B C, Chattannavar G. (2012). Efficacy of fresh
Aloe vera gel against multi-drug resistant bacteria in infected leg ulcers. Australas Med J. 5(6), p305–309.
Aloe vera mouthwash to reduce
radiation-induced oral mucositis
Radiation-induced mucositis is a common and dose
limiting toxicity of radiotherapy among patients with
head and neck cancers. Patients undergoing radiation
therapy for head and neck cancer are also at
increased risk of developing oral candidiasis. A
recent study suggests that Aloe vera mouthwash
may reduce radiation-induced oral mucositis in these
patients.
Reference
Ahmadi A. (2012). Potential prevention: Aloe vera mouthwash may
reduce radiation-induced oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 18 (8), p 635-640.
Save the date!
International Congress of Aromatherapy and Medicinal Plants
Topics include: Phyto-aromatherapy research, cutting-edge applications
in healthcare, and women’s and pediatric care in clinical settings.
Free entry to the Wellness Expo Sunday afternoon!
More information available at: www.ville-grasse.fr/phytarom
www.ville-grasse.fr/english

International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy

Transcription

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