Guest guest Posted April 15, 2004 Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 Around January Butch posted a long list of oils used in aromatherapy, but which had no safety data on them. At the time I was too ill to apply my mind to making a proper reply. I kept the email for when I was feeling better as the information is important. Below are my comments inside the brackets. This is just my first stab at a huge list of oils so if you copy this I will try to do the others at a later date. The main problem is that 95% of aromatherapy courses and authors have never educated people on the significant differences between herbal medicines used internally,and the same plants essential oil used externally. Many in aromatherapy are just brainwashed into believing these oils work for the same conditions as the herbs; in most cases that is completely wrong. Another problem lies in the definition of 'traditional use'. In my eyes that means in the traditional medicine systems dating back hundreds of years. However, many AT educators and oil sellers call 20 years " traditional use " . That is just hype, beware! Another problem is that suppliers will find one or two pieces of academic scientific investigations on a particular oil and start plugging the oil hard to make sales. This is before anyone even considers if the oil is safe, or effective used in a different manner to that used by the researchers. These comments apply only to skin application or internal use. Many of these oils may be fine as room or none skin contact perfumes. --- Aloe Wood: (perfume and incense product - oil not used in traditional medicine) Amyris: (no traditional medicine use of this oil - trees endangered) Angelica Root: (was always produced for the fragrance trade until it was introduced into aromatherapy with most attributes based on traditional herbal use) Balsamita Carvone: (no idea on the oil and I doubt anyone has) Basil Grand Basil Bush Basil Camphor Basil Eugenol Basil Thymol (all above no testing and massive differences in chemical composition compared to the known tested Basil oils). Boronia: (not tested - don't know about traditional use) Buplevre: not tested - (don't know about traditional use) Cassie: (perfume absolute - never used in traditional medicine) Calamus: (a chemical conversion starter material - the only use of the oil is modern and 100% based on extrapolations from the herb use - a very dangerous oil) Calamint Lessor: (extensive use of the herb, the oil may have uses but we do not know the safety factors) Calamint Common: (ditto) Calendula (Marigold): (no such essential oil - only a fragrance trade absolute which has no traditional use as a medicine) Calophyllum: (safety unknown -no traditional use of the essential oil) Cedarwood Himalayan: (safety unknown, probably ok, but trees are being grossly over exploited and as a result causing flooding down stream from the mountains. Celery Plant: (oil for food trade use only) Chamomile Moroccan: (not tested so safety unknown. Only introduced to AT as a cheap substitute for german chamomile. Chemistry is complex and contains unknown chemicals with unknown action. No use of the oil in Moroccan traditional medicine) Chervil: (oil food trade use only) Cistus: (Only the absolute has been tested - no used in trad. medicine) Cistus, CT (Ditto) Combava: (just another citrus oil) Combava Petitgrain (just another Petitgrain) Cyperus Round: (oil not tested - no traditional use of the essential oil) Cyperus Nagar Matha: (ditto) Cypress Arizona :(oil not tested - no traditional use of the essential oil) Cypress Wood: (ditto) Davana: (extensive use of the herb - no traditional use of the essential oil) Eucalyptus rosrata: (safety unknown) Eucalyptus campanulata: (safety unknown-very different to glubulus which is known) Eucalyptus dives: (safety unknown-very different to glubulus which is known) Eucalyptus polybractea Cineole: (similar to globulus safety of which is known) Eucalyptus polybractea Cryptone: (safety unknown, safety of cryptone suspect) Eucalyptus radiata: (similar to globulus safety of which is known) Eucalyptus smithii: (safety unknown) Eucalyptus staigeriana: (safety unknown-very different to glubulus which is known) Fleabane Common: (safety unknown - no traditional use of the essential oil) Garlic: (oil food trade use only, crazy to use it in aromatherapy - a known allergen) Galanga Large (food trade use only) Galanga Lessor (ditto) Gingergrass: (safety unknown - no traditional use of the essential oil) Gotu Kola: (no idea) Khelkla - Ammi Seeds: (no traditional medicine use of this oil, mainly a herb drink) Lanyana: (not tested - traditional medicine use no idea) Hemp Seed: (only fixed oil is known - any distilled oil is 100% safety unknown) Sandalwood Australian: (Safety on skin not known, recent animal tests done by Scantox on behalf of Mt Romance indicate low toxicity. Oil extracted from wild trees which are *not being replaced in the wild*). Vitex agnus castus: (No safety data on the essential oil. Concerns over possible side effects on the female hormone system.) A hyped oil with no sound therapeutic studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2004 Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 --- aromamedical2003 <aromamedical-2 wrote: > > of the oil in Moroccan traditional medicine) > Eucalyptus smithii: (safety unknown) > This one concerns me as many people attest that it is better on young children and the elderly than E. globus. Does anyone know where this originated from? Is it from herbal usage or just another aromatherapy myth? TIA, Cheryl ===== Cheryl Smith A Heavenly Body Anchorage AK 99508 (907) 222-0886 http://www.aheavenlybody.com Tax Center - File online by April 15th http://taxes./filing.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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