Essential Oils

The history of essential oils

The benefits of essential oils have been recognised for thousands of years.

Egyptians, used essential oils in medicinal purposes, religious rites, and embalming process.

In India, it was taken up as an integral part of the Indian Ayurvedic medicinal system.

Greeks, The medicinal wisdom of the Egyptians were taken over and absorbed by the ancient Greeks. They included aromatherapy massage as a treatment.

The history of essential oils

Romans, again took over the medicinal wisdom of the Greeks and were great believers in hygiene to promote health and also place great stock in aromatherapy and the power of fragrances.

Arabian empire, the Persian physician Avicenna (980 -1,037 AD) that is being credited with perfecting the distillation process of essential oils.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the

seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of

plants.

It give plants their distinctive smells, and provide plants

with protection against predators and disease and play a

role in plant pollination.

Essential oils are non water-based phytochemicals made

up of volatile aromatic compounds.

What are essential oils?

They contain the true essence of the plant it was derived

from.

Essential oils are highly concentrated.

It doesn’t contain artificial substances, unlike perfumes and

fragrance oils.

Essential oils are steam distilled or expressed.

Essential oils – composition

Essential oils are mixtures of organic compounds.

Terpenes are the key components of all essential oils.

The distinctive character of an essential oil can be

attributed to the functional group present in its key

molecule.

Esters, ethers, aldehydes, lactones, ketones and alcohols

are all found in essential oils.

How Are Essential Oils Extracted?

Essential oils can be extracted via two key

methods:

Distillation Expression

Essential oils distillation

Water Distillation: this method is most often

employed with flowers (rose and orange blossoms)

Water and Steam: it can be employed with herb and

leaf material.

Steam Distillation: it is the most commonly used.

Steam distillation

Steam distillation is one of the methods used to

extract essential oils from plants.

Steam passes over the plant and extracts the

essential oil.

The mixture evaporates and passes into the

condenser.

The essential oil vapour is chilled and collected.

Steam distillation

Essential oils expression

Expression, also referred to as cold pressing,

is a method of extraction specific to citrus

essential oils, such as tangerine, lemon,

bergamot, sweet orange, and lime.

Essential oils today in our life.

Modern uses

Essential oils

Cosmetics Flavours

Perfumes Medical

Cleaning

Insect

repellents

Dentistry Adhesives

Essential oils – perfume

Perfumes consist of three layers, or “notes”:

1. Top: most volatile, initial smell

2. Heart: main aroma of the perfume, some volatility, stays for several hours

3. Base: least volatile, stays for most of the day

Basic ingredients:

1. 80%-90%: ethyl alcohol

2. essential oils from plants

3. fruit flavors CH3

C

CH

CH2

CH2

C

CH

CH2

O

C

CH3

O

CH3CH3

Linalyl acetate

Essential oils – perfume

1. Floral: smells like flowers

2. Fruity: smells like fruit, including

citrus

3. Green: fresh grass or leaves

4. Herbaceous: like any variety of

herbs

5. Woody: like different types of wood

6. Amber: like tree resin

7. Musk: like a substance made by the

musk deer

8. Oriental: amber and spice

The perfume world also classifies perfumes into scent families which

are:

Nowadays perfumes consist of 500-600 chemical substances.

Only 5% of today’s perfumes are derived from natural compounds.

Essential oils – cleaning

The essential oil known as lemon oil contains the

terpene d-limonene.

It is known for its ability to act as a natural solvent

and a cleanser.

CH2

CH2C

CH

CH2

CH

C

CH2CH3

CH3

Limonene

(skin of citrus fruits)

Hospital cleaners

Certain essential oils kill bacteria and fungi within 2

minutes of contact.

Essential oils are blended into soaps and shampoos

used in hospitals to eradicate deadly ‘super bugs’.

Essential oils – toothpaste

The essential oil thymol has antiseptic properties.

CH

CH

C

C

CH

C

CH3

OH

CH

CH3 CH3

Thymol

Essential oils – cosmetics

The essential oil geraniol is added to some cosmetics

to balance and revitalise the skin.

CH3

C

CH

CH2CH2

C

CH

CH2OH

CH3CH3

Geraniol

Some medicinal uses of essential oils

PeppermintStops spasms

Uses: upset stomach, cramping, gas, bloating,

heart palpitations bug and ant repellent.

LemonAnti infectious

Uses: colds, fevers, soar throat, ear infection,

infections

Lavendercalming, relaxing, wound healing

Uses: burns, cuts, wounds, anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, bug repellent

FrankincenseAnti-tumoral, immune-stimulant, and antidepressant

Uses: Asthma, depression, ulcers, cancers,

hemorrhaging, herpes, warts (virus)

Basilrelaxant

Uses: Migraines, scanty menstrual periods,

Muscle relaxant, soothing to insect bits