The membership section is getting very close to completion. I finished revamping the earlier datasheets, and have now completed 20 EO datasheets, 21 carrier oil datasheets, and 8.5 herb datasheets. I've coordinated the informational format across all the datasheets to make it easy to find information.
Remaining are 11.5 herb datasheets and 15 chemical datasheets. I anticipate being able to get this done by September 6, 2019. Members are welcome to print and share these sheets. Each month, I will add at least 1 new sheet per section (6 total). Below is a sample EO Datasheet. Essential Oil Datasheet by Karen Dragoo Updated August 26, 2019 Essential Oil: Allspice Botanical Name: Pimenta dioica , L (also Pimenta officinalis Lindl.) Common Names: Allspice, Jamaica pepper, Pimento Berry Plant Family: Myrtaceae Related to: clove and myrtle Part(s) used: Berries Extraction Method: Steam distilled Flash Point: 199.94° F 93.3° C Aroma: spicy, like a combination of cinnamon, clove, pepper, and other spices -hence the common name ‘allspice’ (Note: Allspice is a spice by itself, it does not contain any of the above mentioned spices.) Note: Middle note Shelf Life: 4 years Emotional/Energetic Qualities: relaxing, calming, reduce stress and nervous tension, help with depression Therapeutic Properties: anesthetic (local), analgesic, antibacterial, anticoagulant, anti-convulsant, anti-diabetic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiulcerogenic, antiviral, carminative, circulatory stimulant, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, immunostimulant, neuroprotective, relaxant, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic, vasodilator, Traditional & Common Uses: Intergumentary: (skin, hair, nails): Athlete's Foot, bites, cuts, minor skin infections, stings, warming effect on skin, wounds Note: Phenols make up the majority of this oil, and they are very harsh on the skin. Skeletal: arthritis, numb local nociceptive & neuropathic pain, muscle pain, muscle spasms, sprains, strains Respiratory: bronchitis, colds, coughs, sinus congestion, sinus infection, sinusitis Digestive: bloating, calm stomach, cramping, gas, indigestion, nausea Circulatory: increase blood flow, lower blood pressure Immune: stimulate immune system, Endocrine: Lymphatic: Neural/CNS: anxiety, depression, headache, stress Organs: liver, heart Excretory: relieves gas, Female: Male: Other: may lower the germ count in the air when diffused Primary Chemical Families: Phenols, sesquiterpenes Main Constituents: Phenols+++ Eugenol 67 – 80 % Methyleugenol 2.9 – 13.1 % Sesquiterpenes beta-caryophyllene 4 - 6.6% (+)-limonene tr - 42% alpha-Phellandrene 0 - 1.8% Terpinolene 0.1 – 1.5 % alpha-Humulene 0.1 – 1.5 % alpha-Selinene 0 - 1% alpha-Myrcene 0 - 1% Oxides 1,8 Cineole 0.2 – 3 % Safety: According to Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, the methyleugenol content has the potential to cause cancer. There is a moderate risk of skin sensitization and mucous membrane irritation. This oil may inhibit blood clotting. Avoid during pregnancy. Do not use before major surgery. Dilute to 0.02 % if using topically. Do not take orally. Maximum dermal use levels: EU = 0.0015 %, IFRA = 0.003 %, Tisserand & Young = 0.02 % dermal limit (1 drop per 10 oz carrier oil) Phenol-rich oils should be used at low dilutions for very short periods of time. Contraindications: * Do not use if you are taking blood thinners or have a blood-clotting disorder. * As with all essential oils, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using (or inhaling) any essential oil. * Avoid using essential oils on children under the age of 6, and limit use on children from ages 6 - 10 to 0.5% or less (3 drops per 1 oz carrier oil). * Always check with your doctor before using any essential oil. * For topical and inhalation use only. * For short term use only (max 3 days). +++ Phenols are chemicals that have powerful therapeutic properties. EOs that have a high level of phenols are strongly therapeutic. It's important to note that they must be used in very low dilution and for very short periods of time only because they are also powerfully damaging to skin cells and mucous membranes. Resources: 1. Tisserand, R. Y. (2014). Essential Oil Safety Second Edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, ©2014, pages 392 - 393 2. Lawless, Julia, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, Conari Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2001, pages 33 - 34 3. Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, List of plants in the family Myrtaceae, Encyclopaedia Briticannica, August 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-plants-in-the-family-Myrtaceae-2075387, Accessed August 25 - 26, 2019 4. Healthy Focus LLC, 7 Benefits of Allspice Essential Oil, Healthy Focus LLC, (c) 2018, https://healthyfocus.org/benefits-of-allspice-essential-oil/, Accessed August 26, 2019 5. Patil, Kiran, 10 Best Benefits of Allspice Essential Oil, Organicfacts.com, last updated Apirl 18, 2019, https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-allspice-essential-oil.html, Accessed August 26, 2019 6. Butje, Andrea, Eugenol, Component Database in Aromahead Institute, © 2019 Aromahead LLC, Accessed August 26, 2019 I'm taking this week and next week off from writing my weekly blogs in order to concentrate on the membership section of this website.
My goal is to have 20 datasheets each for Essential Oils, Carrier Oils, and Herbs, and 15 under Databases -- 5 each for EO constituents, Herb constituents, and FA Profiles at the time of launch. Then, monthly, I'll add 1 new datasheet under each of the listed sections (for a total of 6 new datasheets every month). Before I had any formal training in aromatherapy, I did a ton of research on essential oils. One of the things I began to look into was using essential oils with pets. There was a reason behind this -- one of our dogs, Lady, has had chronic ear infections her whole life. She would go back and forth from bacterial to yeast infections, and finally had both bacterial and yeast infections that would never clear up. We tried changing her diet, we washed her ears, we gave her medicines - everything the vet recommended, we did. Nothing helped. As I researched, I found very controversial information on using EOs with animals - some said that the oils were toxic for pets, others said that there are safe oils to use with them.
I was able to find information written by veterinarians that discussed oils that are (verifiably) safe to use with dogs. I made a very low dilution blend for Lady and sprayed it in her ears 1 - 2 times a day. It worked - her ears cleared up for about a year. Several months after I stopped using my blend on her, the ear infections returned and hot spots cropped up - not as bad as before, but still there. During that year, I had started my formal training in aromatherapy and came to realize that I am not a veterinarian and I don't have the proper veterinary training to make products for animals. The good news is that there are holistic veterinarians who integrate the use of current veterinary medicine and essential oils to help heal our pets. One of these veterinarians is Dr. Melissa Shelton. Her website is called Animal EO and the url is http://www.animaleo.info/ . Her website is easy to navigate, but most importantly, it's informative. She explains how diet plays a crucial role in animal health and how to use her products with your pets. Her website has links to past newsletters she's written with all kinds of great information. Best of all, she has created essential oil blends for many issues for different species of animals. She is able to prove the benefits of her blends with irrefutable scientific data by performing tests (like blood work) both before and after using her blends on animals. On her Facebook page (which I follow) she helps people by answering questions they have about issues their pets are encountering. Dr. Shelton has also written the book The Animal Desk Reference Second Edition which is a great resource for understanding how to use essential oils with animals. I keep this book right next to my Essential Oil Safety and Power of the Seed books for quick reference in my research. If you are interested in using essential oils with your pets, I highly recommend going to Dr. Shelton's website and Facebook page. I started delving further into phytochemistry recently. I'm already strong in the chemistry of essential oils, but the chemistry of the whole plant is where I'm headed. It occurred to me that, as we look at molecular and atomic structures, it's like looking at solar systems. The nucleus, made up of protons and neutrons, is like a star. The electrons are the planets that are revolving around the star. Now visualize a molecule. I imagine molecules as adjoining solar systems that share planets (the electrons). Below, you see images I drew to demonstrate this. First, there is a Hydrogen atom which has 1 proton for the nucleus and 1 electron in orbit. Second, you see a carbon atom with 6 each protons and neutrons in the nucleus and 6 electrons in orbit. Finally, you see an ethylene molecule: C2H4 : 2 carbon atoms double bonded (attached by 2 electrons) together and each carbon bonded to 2 hydrogen atoms. The bonds are electrons that are shared by both atoms. How does this apply to essential oils, carrier oils, and herbs? The chemicals comprising each of these substances start with carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) backbones (as do all living things on Earth). In some, there are other types of atoms attached (i.e. nitrogen, sulfur). Differences in the number of C and H atoms and how they are arranged determine therapeutic properties, ability to absorb, safety, toxicity, aroma, energetics, etc. of the chemicals. The pictures below demonstrate both small and large molecules. Carbon atoms are black, Hydrogen atoms are white, and Oxygen atoms are red. Believe it or not, each of these 3-D molecule models represents a structure I've encountered in my studies. Shown first is Methane. It has 1 carbon and 4 hydrogen atoms. Chemically, it's written as CH4, and is a gas formed from the decay of organic matter. I model this molecule because it's the simplest hydrocarbon.
Second is a Butyric Acid molecule. Butyric Acid is a Short Chain Fatty Acid found in small quantity in dairy products like milk and butter. Scientific studies show it can be of benefit in gut health, digestion, reducing inflammation, diabetes, insulin resistance, and fighting cancer. The third molecule is Thymol which is a phenol found in abundance in Thyme herb and essential oil. Thymol is responsible for the aroma, flavor, antiseptic property, and other therapeutic properties. (See my brief explanation of phenols under the Weekly Tidbits tab.) I'll touch on some of the chemistry basics from time to time, but want to end this blog with an extension of the whimsy: Our bodies are like galaxies with billions of these atomic 'solar systems' -- and each system has its own form and function! |
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February 2021
CategoriesAuthorKaren Dragoo |