The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (6 page)

Trachyspermum copticum

FAMILY Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

SYNONYMS
T. ammi, Ammi copticum, Carum ajowan
, C.
copticum, Ptychotis ajowan
, ajuan, omum.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION An annual herb with a greyish-brown seed, which resembles parsley in appearance.

DISTRIBUTION Chiefly India, also Afghanistan, Egypt, the West Indies and the Seychelle Islands.

OTHER SPECIES See Botanical Classification section.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION The seeds are used extensively in curry powders and as a general household remedy for intestinal problems. The tincture, essential oil and ‘thymol’ are used in Indian medicine, particularly for cholera.

ACTIONS Powerful antiseptic and germicide, carminative.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the seed.

CHARACTERISTICS A yellow-orange or reddish liquid with a herbaceous-spicy medicinal odour, much like thyme.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Thymol, pinene, cymene, dipentene, terpinene and carvacrol, among others.

SAFETY DATA Possible mucous membrane and dermal irritant. Due to high thymol level, should be avoided in pregnancy. Toxicity levels are unknown.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE Not recommended.

OTHER USES It has been used extensively for the isolation of thymol, but this has largely been replaced by synthetic thymol.

Pimenta dioica

FAMILY Myrtaceae

SYNONYMS P.
officinalis
, pimento, pimenta, Jamaica pepper.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION An evergreen tree which reaches about 10 metres high and begins to produce fruit in its third year. Each fruit contains two kidney-shaped green seeds which turn glossy black upon ripening.

DISTRIBUTION Indigenous to the West Indies and South America, it is cultivated extensively in Jamaica, Cuba and, to a lesser degree, in Central America. Imported berries are distilled in Europe and America.

OTHER SPECIES Four other varieties of pimento are found in Venezuela, Guyana and the West Indies which are used locally as spices.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION Used for flatulent indigestion and externally for neuralgic or rheumatic pain. Pimento water is used as a vehicle for medicines which ease dyspepsia and constipation since it helps prevent griping pains. It is used extensively as a domestic spice – allspice is so called because it tastes like a combination of cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon and pepper.

ACTIONS Anaesthetic, analgesic, anti-oxidant, antiseptic, carminative, muscle relaxant, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from 1. the leaves, and 2. the fruit. The green unripe berries contain more oil than the ripe berries, but the largest percentage of oil is contained in the shell of the fruit. An oleoresin from the berries is also produced in small quantities.

CHARACTERISTICS 1. Pimenta leaf oil is a yellowish-red or brownish liquid with a powerful sweet-spicy scent, similar to cloves. 2. Pimenta berry oil is a pale yellow liquid with a sweet warm balsamic-spicy bodynote (middle note) and fresh, clean top note. It blends well with ginger, geranium, lavender, opopanax, labdanum, ylang ylang, patchouli, neroli, oriental and spicy bases.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Mainly eugenol, less in the fruit (60–80 per cent) than in the leaves (up to 96 per cent), also methyl eugenol, cineol, phellandrene and caryophyllene among others.

SAFETY DATA Eugenol irritates the mucous membranes, and has been found to cause dermal irritation. Pimenta leaf and berry oil should therefore be used with care in low dilutions only.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE CIRCULATION, MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Arthritis, fatigue, muscle cramp, rheumatism, stiffness etc.

‘Used in tiny amounts … in a massage oil for chest infections, for severe muscle spasm to restore mobility quickly, or where extreme cold is experienced.’
¹

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
: Chills, congested coughs, bronchitis.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM:
Cramp, flatulence, indigestion, nausea.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
: Depression, nervous exhaustion, neuralgia, tension and stress.

OTHER USES Used in aromatic carminative medicines; as a fragrance component in cosmetics and perfumes, especially soaps, aftershaves, spicy and oriental fragrances. Both leaf and berry oil are used extensively for flavouring foods, especially savoury and frozen foods, as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.

Prunus dulcis var. amara

FAMILY Rosaceae

SYNONYMS
P. amygdalus var. amara, Amygdalus communis var. amara, A. dulcis, P. communis.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The almond tree grows to a height of about 7 metres and is

popular as a garden tree due to its pinky-white blossom. It is botanically classified as a drupe.

DISTRIBUTION Native to Western Asia and North Africa, it is now extensively cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region, Israel and California.

OTHER SPECIES There are two main types of almond tree – bitter and sweet. The sweet almond does not produce any essential oil.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION A ‘fixed’ oil commonly known as ‘sweet almond oil’ is made by pressing the kernels from both the sweet and bitter almond trees. Unlike the essential oil, this fixed oil does not contain any benzaldehyde or prussic acid, and has many medical and cosmetic uses. It is used as a laxative, for bronchitis, coughs, heartburn and for disorders of the kidneys, bladder and biliary ducts. It helps relieve muscular aches and pains, softens the skin and premotes a clear complexion.

ACTIONS Anaesthetic, antispasmodic, narcotic, vermifuge (FFPA).

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the kernels. The nuts are first pressed and macerated in warm water for 12 to 24 hours before the oil is extracted. It is during this process that the prussic acid is formed; it is not present in the raw seed. Most commercial bitter almond oil is rectified to remove all prussic acid, i.e. free from prussic acid (FFPA).

CHARACTERISTICS Light colourless liquid with a characteristic ‘marzipan’ scent (FFPA).

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Benzaldehyde (95 per cent), prussic acid (3 per cent).

SAFETY DATA Prussic acid, also known as hydrocyanic acid or cyanide, is a well-known poison. Benzaldehyde is also moderately toxic.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE None. ‘Should not be used in therapy either internally or externally.’
²

OTHER USES Bitter almond oil is no longer used for internal medication. Rectified bitter almond oil is used for flavouring foods, mainly confectionery; the most common uses are ‘almond essence’ and marzipan. The oil (FFPA) is increasingly being replaced by synthetic benzaldehyde in food flavourings.

Abelmoschus moschatus

FAMILY Malvaceae

SYNONYMS
Hibiscus abelmoschus
, musk seed, Egyptian alcee, target-leaved hibiscus, muskmallow.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION An evergreen shrub about 1.5 metres high, bearing large single yellow flowers with a purple centre. The capsules, in the form of five-cornered pyramids, contain the greyish-brown kidney-shaped seeds which have a musky odour.

DISTRIBUTION Indigenous to India; widely cultivated in tropical countries including Indonesia, Africa, Egypt, China, Madagascar, and the West Indies. Distillation of the oil is generally carried out in Europe and America.

OTHER SPECIES A variety,
H. esculentus
, is grown largely in Istanbul as a demulcent. Another variety is also found in Martinique, the seeds of which have a more delicate scent.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION Generally used as a stimulant and to ease indigestion, cramp and nervous dyspepsia. In Chinese medicine it is used to treat headache; in Egypt the seeds are used to sweeten the breath and are made into an emulsion with milk to be used for itch. The Arabs use the seeds to mix with coffee. Widely used as a domestic spice in the East.

ACTIONS Antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, carminative, nervine, stimulant, stomachic.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation of the seeds. Liquid ambrette seed oil should be allowed to age for several months before it is used. A concrete and absolute are also produced by solvent extraction.

CHARACTERISTICS A pale yellowy-red liquid with a rich, sweet floral-musky odour, very tenacious. It blends well with rose, neroli, sandalwood, clary sage, cypress, patchouli, oriental and ‘sophisticated’ bases.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Ambrettolide, ambrettolic acid, palmitic acid and farnesol.

SAFETY DATA Available information indicates the oil to be non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE

CIRCULATION, MUSCLES AND JOINTS
: Cramp, fatigue, muscular aches and pains, poor circulation.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
: Anxiety, depression, nervous tension and stress-related conditions.

OTHER USES Employed by the cosmetic and perfumery industries in oriental-type scents and for the adulteration of musk; also used as a musk substitute. Used for flavouring alcoholic and soft drinks as well as some foodstuffs, especially confectionery.

Amyris balsamifera

FAMILY Rutaceae

SYNONYMS
Schimmelia oleifera
, West Indian sandalwood, West Indian rosewood.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A small bushy tree with compound leaves and white flowers which grows wild in thickets all over the island of Haiti.

DISTRIBUTION Mainly Haiti, it has now been introduced to tropical zones all over the world, e.g. Jamaica, South and Central America.

OTHER SPECIES Not to be confused with East Indian or Mysore sandalwood
(Santalum album)
, to which it bears no relation.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION The locals call it ‘candle wood’ because of its high oil content; it burns like a candle. It is used as a torch by fishermen and traders. It also makes excellent furniture wood.

ACTIONS Antiseptic, balsamic, sedative.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the broken-up wood and branches. Best if the wood is seasoned first. It provides a very plentiful yield.

CHARACTERISTICS A pale yellow, slightly viscous liquid with a musty, faintly woody scent, quickly fading away. It blends well with lavandin, citronella, oakmoss, sassafras, cedarwood and other wood oils.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Caryophyllene, cadinene and cadinol.

SAFETY DATA Generally non-irritant; no other information available at present.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE Perfume.

OTHER USES As a cheap substitute for East Indian sandalwood in perfumes and cosmetics, although it does not have the same rich tenacity; chiefly employed as a fixative in soaps. Limited application in flavouring work, especially liqueurs.

Angelica archangelica

FAMILY Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

SYNONYMS
A. officinalis
, European angelica, garden angelica.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A large hairy plant with ferny leaves and umbels of white flowers. It has a strong aromatic scent and a large rhizome.

DISTRIBUTION Native to Europe and Siberia, cultivated mainly in Belgium, Hungary and Germany.

OTHER SPECIES There are over thirty different types of angelica but this is the most commonly used medicinally. See Botanical Classification section.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION This herb has been praised for its virtues since antiquity. It strengthens the heart, stimulates the circulation and the immune system in general. It has been used for centuries in Europe for bronchial ailments, colds, coughs, indigestion, wind and to stimulate the appetite. As a urinary antiseptic it is helpful in cystitis and is also used for rheumatic inflammation. The Chinese employ at least ten kinds of angelica, well known for promoting fertility, fortifying the spirit and for treating female disorders generally; it has a reputation second only to ginseng. It is current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a specific for bronchitis associated with vascular deficiency. Candied Angelica stalks are popular in France and Spain.

ACTIONS Antispasmodic, carminative, depurative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, nervine, stimulant, stomachic, tonic. Reported to have bactericidal and fungicidal properties.

EXTRACTION Essential oil produced by steam distillation from the 1. roots and rhizomes, and, 2. fruit or seed. An absolute is also produced on a small scale, from the roots.

CHARACTERISTICS 1. A colourless or pale yellow oil which turns yellowy-brown with age, with a rich herbaceous-earthy bodynote. 2. The
seed oil is a colourless liquid with a fresher, spicy top note. It blends well with patchouli, opopanax, costus, clary sage, oakmoss, vetiver and with citrus oils.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Root and seed oil contain phellandrene, pinene, limonene, linalol and borneol; rich in coumarins including osthol, angelicin, bergapten and imperatorin; also contains plant acids.