WHY
AROMATHERAPY?
A brief look at some of the science behind aromatherapy
Many people have heard about essential oils, but generally, a lot of folks may not have a working knowledge of them and their many uses and applications for disease, emotional/psychological imbalances, and environmental stressors. The aromas of many essential oils are very pleasant and appealing to the senses but there is much more to these aromatic substances. For some, the thought of aromatherapy may conjure an idea of a nice, relaxing smell but perhaps not more than this. The market is full of plug-in air fresheners, scented candles, scented lotions and body products, and air freshening sprays. There are fragrance oils used in candle-making and potpourri. Some of these may contain essential oils but more often they contain cheaper synthetic fragrances. These products may be pleasant to smell, but they are not aromatherapy. In fact, some may contain toxic chemicals.
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The use of essential oils is multifaceted, multilayered and has broad applications in health and well-being. This has become increasingly important given the health challenges of today. In our current culture, more and more people are turning to natural, holistic products to address a multitude of ailments, diseases, stressors and emotional imbalances. Many people are looking for effective remedies that have very few to no side effects. Essential oils can be a powerful and valuable tool in one’s arsenal for health and well-being. They can be used topically, with proper dilution or through inhalation in diffusers and nasal inhalers.
The scientific research of essential oils is vast and ongoing. It is astounding what researchers are discovering about the power of essential oils. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as being an infectious bacterium that is resistant to many antibiotics which historically have been used to treat bacterial infections (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Healthcare, 2019). MRSA can cause infections of the bloodstream, lungs, and surgical sites. BioMed Central Ltd. (BMC) published a research study identifying the essential oils that had the strongest activity against stationary phase S. aureus in vitro (Xiao, 2020). The researchers found that thirty-nine essential oils had profound antibiotic activity. Some of the strongest oils in this regard were oregano (Origanum vulgare), amyris (Amyris balsamifera), and sandalwood (Santalum album). This study further discussed oregano essential oil as one of the most effective essential oils inhibiting many other bacteria including Pseudomonas sp. (a bacteria that causes infections mostly in healthcare settings and shared public spaces), Salmonella sp. (a bacterium that is spread through food and water and affects the intestinal tract), Escherichia coli (a bacterium that can live in the intestinal tract without causing infection though some strains do), and Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease). The study also included combining essential oils with current prescription antibiotics with powerful positive outcomes.
In a review of studies of essential oils on the nervous system, it was found that these substances have antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and memory enhancement effects (Lizarraga-Valderrama, 2020). This review showed specific essential oils, routes of administration (i.e., inhalation, transdermal, etc.) and their actions on the brain. Additionally, the specific chemical constituents of these oils were identified with their effects on the brain/nervous system. One of the oils studied was lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil which showed strong effects on depression and demonstrated equally improved results compared to doctor prescribed anti-depressants. Frankincense (Boswellia carterii), rose (Rosa damascena), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) and bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oils all demonstrated anti-anxiety effects. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) essential oil showed remarkable memory enhancement activity. The collective results of such a review are important since depression, anxiety and memory problems have become the most pressing mental health issues of our time (Lizarraga-Valderrama, 2020).
Looking at a study on breast cancer, it was seen that the chemical constituent, alpha-santalol, found in sandalwood oil (S. album), had strong anti-cancer cell action (Santha et al., 2013). In a similar study, alpha-santalol was used in vitro and in vivo with human prostate tumor cells (Saraswati et al., 2013). The results showed phenomenal anti-tumoral activity. Researchers observed that the conventional anti-tumoral drugs often have adverse side effects and that alpha-santalol could be considered as a potentially effective anticarcinogenic drug with no known harmfulness or hazards. Tisserand and Young (experts in aromatherapy) state that alpha-santalol has no known toxicity and further cited its anticarcinogenic effect in several other studies (Tisserand & Young, 2013, p. 1187).
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These are just a few of the areas of research using essential oils and plant extracts. Other areas of study and research include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease (and other cognitive impairments), medication-resistant fungal infections, nerve pain and nerve regeneration, sleep issues, women’s health concerns, anti-inflammatory effects, cardiac and circulatory disease, to name a few.
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Essential oils and plant extracts have a strong potential for addressing many crucial health issues in current times. Aromatherapy research is still in its infancy but already contains a vast body of information and research. Though there is ample evidence of the power of essential oils, its efficacy in so many health areas does not automatically translate into practical applications in our current medical industry; thus, the important findings of this research will need broad investigation of aromatherapy in practical treatment and practice to enter mainstream medical usage and recommendation, here in the US. In the United Kingdom and France, however, aromatherapy is a widely accepted modality in medical practice where essential oils are prescribed for treatment of various illnesses. Meanwhile, the body of research has made a strong point in favor of the use of essential oils and plant extracts in addressing many of the important health and well-being issues of our time.
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Essential oils are currently being used effectively and safely in people’s homes. Common issues such as headaches, digestive issues, allergies, colds/flus, fungal infections such as thrush, athlete's foot, and candidiasis, skin problems, mental clarity, sleep problems, emotional conditions, such as depression and anxiety and many others are being successfully treated at home with the essential oil collection in the medicine cabinet with few to no side effects. With a minimal understanding of essential oils, these powerful substances can be used properly with powerful results at home. Given the research and popularity of current use, it can be expected that aromatherapy will become an even greater tool in dealing with health and wellbeing in the near future.
