How Essential Oils Work

This is the source I use for my essential oils.

Aromatherapy – How Essential Oils Work

Where do aromatherapy oils come from? The odoriferous substances themselves are formed in the chloroplasts of the leaves where they combine with glucose to form glucides and are then circulated around the plant in this form. At certain times of the day or year they are stored in particular parts of the plant.

In some plants, the oils are produced by the secretory tissues, and in others they are combined with glycosides, and are therefore not detectable until the plant is dried or crushed.

Oils are considered to be an important part of the plant's metabolism: some have hormonal activity and others are a stage in some other process; for example the oil found in the rind of the orange is a stage in Vitamin A synthesis.

Oils can be found in almost any part of the plant, in differing concentrations, depending on the plant itself, the time of day and year. They may be found in the roots (Calamus and Valerian), flowers (Lavender, Rose), bark (Sandalwood, Cedarwood), fruits (Lemon, Cardamom, Orange), berries (Juniper), leaves (Thyme, Rosemary, Sage).

Plants that contain essences must be picked at the correct time of day and in the correct season, and in particular weather conditions in order that a maximum yield of the oils can be obtained, and of course, as with all medicinal or nutritional plants, soil conditions, and climatic conditions will also dictate the quality of the oils obtained.

Heavy, concentrated oils are called ABSOLUTES (for example, Rose, Jasmine) and oils that are solid at room temperature and must be warmed before use are called BALSAMS (for example, Benzoin and Camphor).

How Do Essential Oils Work?

Essential oils are known to affect us in three different, but overlapping, ways:

• On the physical body, both locally and systemically, by way of the lymphatic and blood circulation.
• On the mind and emotions by way of the sense of smell and the Limbic System.
• On the Etheric Energy System of the body by way of the energy vibration of the individual oils themselves.

When aromatherapy oils are applied to the surface of the body, either using massage, baths, compresses, creams, or lotions, they will have an effect locally (that is, the site at which they are applied), and systemically (that is, throughout the body). The systemic effect occurs when the oils are absorbed through the skin into the lymphatic circulation, and they are then dumped from the lymphatic circulation into the blood stream.

Once the oils are circulating in the blood, they are carried to their TARGET ORGAN(s), where they exert a therapeutic effect on the specific tissues. Every oil has its own Target Organ; for example, Juniper oil targets the urinary tract and kidneys in particular, with secondary effects on the Digestive, Respiratory and Reproductive Systems. Chamomile Oil targets the Nervous System by way of which the oil can then exert a broad effect on many other body systems, such as the Digestive Tract.

Even when the oils are inhaled only, say in the form of a steam inhalation for a cold or as a fumigator for a background "psychological" effect, the oils will be absorbed across the mucous membranes of the Respiratory Tract and lungs into the blood stream. The oil’s effect can then travel around the body very rapidly.

If oils are taken orally, their absorption through the mucosa of the stomach and into the blood is very rapid. Very few essential oils are actually ‘digested,’ which is fortunate as their therapeutic principles may well be altered if this were the case.

The reason why oils behave in this manner in the body is that the molecules of which they are composed are organic molecules and very small indeed. Below are some of the more common Therapeutic Properties that can be obtained by using essential oils.

Some Therapeutic Properties of Essential Oils

1. ANTISEPTIC

All oils are to a greater or lesser extent antiseptic. This is one of their most important and valuable properties. This broad description of antisepsis includes anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and general anti-microbial activity that is found in such oils as Lemon, Thyme, Tea Tree, Garlic, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Pine, Lavender, and Sandalwood.

2. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Some oils help to ease inflammation. The symptoms of inflammation are typified by pain, redness, swelling, and partial or total loss of function of the tissue involved. Examples of oils with this property are Chamomile, Rose, Lavender, Sandalwood, Myrrh, and Benzoin.

3. CYTOPHYLACTIC

Restoration of tissue function and regeneration of cells is another outstanding property of essential oils. Oils such as Pine, Basil, and Rosemary are known to restore function to the adrenal glands; Jasmine, Cypress, and Ylang Ylang restore function of reproductive endocrine glands; and lavender and chamomile stimulate cell regeneration in the skin.

4. SEDATIVE

Oils may also have a pronounced effect on the nervous system by producing relaxation, pain relief, and relief from muscle spasm. Oils with these properties include Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Geranium, and Ylang Ylang.

However, the most outstanding essential oil property is as an antiseptic/antigenic.

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