Essential Oils
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are aromatic compounds and volatile liquids derived from plants' seeds, roots, bark, stems, leaves, flowers, resins, and other parts. These valuable liquids are most commonly obtained from plants via distillation—often with the help of steam. Citrus oils extracted from peels, for example, can be expressed mechanically or cold-pressed. The end product of solvent extraction is an absolute that contains both essential oils and other plant constituents. This oil is not an essential oil, but it is frequently used by aromatherapists. The chemical composition of essential oils is extremely complex, with hundreds of distinct chemical compounds.
A Brief History Of Essential Oils
Essential oils, known in the past as aromatic oils, have been used for centuries by many different cultures around the world. Depending on the culture, their uses often varied from healing the sick or wounded to religious practices. We have not been able to pinpoint exactly when these natural oils gained popularity as healing agents, but eventually the knowledge and effectiveness of essential oils in treating the sick spread throughout the world. The earliest evidence we have unearthed of the healing properties of certain plants was found in Lascaux, an area in the Dordogne region in France. Cave paintings in the area suggest that the use of plants in everyday life for medicinal purposes have been carbon dated as far back as 18,000 B.C.E.
Recorded history and evidence have shown that the early Egyptians used aromatic oils as far back as 4500 B.C.E. They used perfumed oils, balsams, aromatic vinegars, scented barks, spices and resins in their everyday life. They transformed plants into pastes, powders, oils, medicinal cakes, pills, suppositories, and ointments. They also used fragrances for religious purposes, dedicating specific fragrances to each deity and anointing statues with their chosen oil. Myrrh and Cedar were used in the process of embalming and traces of these aromatic oils have been found on mummies throughout Egypt.
Under certain circumstances, carefully inhaling the oils can also be beneficial as the oil molecules will enter the lungs and be absorbed into the bloodstream.
One of the first publications on the use of essential oils was found in China between 2697-2597 B.C.E during the reign of Huang Ti, the Yellow Emperor. His famous book “The Yellow Emperor’s Book of Internal Medicine” contains many uses for aromatic oils and even today is considered a useful text by eastern medicine practitioners.
Indian medicine has a 3,000-year history of incorporating aromatic oils into their healing salves and potions. Some of their written texts list over 700 substances including ginger, cinnamon, sandalwood and myrrh as effective healing agents. During the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague, or ‘Black Death’ as it was commonly called, their medical techniques, called Ayur Veda, were successfully used in the place of ineffective antibiotics. The purpose of essential oils and aromatic plants were also believed to be a godly part of nature and this played a vital role in the philosophical and spiritual outlook of traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Between 400-500 B.C.E. the Greeks started to record their knowledge of essential oils which came mostly from the Egyptians. The Greek physician Hypocrites (called the ‘Father of Medicine’ at the time) documented the effects of over 300 plants including cumin, saffron, thyme and peppermint.
The Romans were known for using perfumed oils on their bedding, bodies and clothing. They also used oils in baths and for massages. During the fall of the Roman Empire, Roman physicians brought books written by Hypocrites with them and these texts were later translated into Arabic, Persian and other languages.
During the Crusades, Knights and their armies spread knowledge of herbal medicines that they learned in the Middle East throughout Western Europe. Pine and frankincense were burned in the streets in the hopes of warding off “evil spirits” during the Bubonic Plague. It has been noted that fewer people succumbed to the plague in these areas.