Absolute Beginner's Guide to Alternative Medicine

Plant oils are highly concentrated, and it is important to respect their power. One

drop of oil is the medical equivalent of one ounce of the parent plant material used

in herbal medicine. Essential oils are chemically diverse and may contain a mixture

of more than 100 organic compounds including esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones,

phenols, acids, and so on. Each kind of oil may contain more of some compounds

than others, which gives the oil its particular therapeutic use. Table 9.2 lists some of

the major chemical components and their therapeutic effects.

Table 9.2 Chemical Compounds of Essential Oils and Their Therapeutic
Actions

Compound Therapeutic Action

Aldehydes Anti-infectious, boost immune system, sedative

Eugenol Antiseptic, stimulant

Ketones Sedative, liquefy mucous, stimulate cell regeneration

Phenols Antiseptic

Esters Antispasmodic, calming

Sesquiterpenes Antihistamines, anti-inflammatory

Acids Anti-infectious, boost immune system

Oxides Expectorant, antiparasitic

C10 terpenes Antiseptic

How Essential Oils Work

Stimulating the sense of smell is, naturally, the primary effect of aromatherapy. The

nose contains 5 million smell-sensing cells that allow people to consciously register

smells. Each cell has 6–12 hairlike receptors (cilia) that hang down into the stream

of air rushing into the nose. These olfactory receptors are the only sensory pathways

that open directly to the brain. The cilia detect scents and the nerve cells relay this

information directly to the limbic system triggering memories and influencing

behavior. The amygdala of the limbic system, which stores and releases emotional

memories, is most sensitive to odor or fragrance. Thus, the sense of smell can evoke

powerful memories in a split second and change people’s perceptions and behaviors.

Also inside the human nose is a small cavity called the vomero nasal organ (VMO),

which is lined with a cell type that is unlike any other cell in the human body. The

VMO is far less prominent in people than in animals who depend more heavily on

smell for guidance. Pheromones are chemical substances produced by one animal

that cause a specific reaction in another, usually of the same species, through smell.

CHAPTER 9 AROMATHERAPY 119