Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is one of the "soft" medicines. This therapy of essential oils is very popular in recent years.

However, given the diversity of oils, it is however not easy to find.

What are essential oils ?

Essential oils are volatile and odorous substances derived from plants and collected by different extraction processes. Their origin dates back far enough and is appearing in 1937 the first book "Aromatherapy".

Today, the use of essential oils is as common as herbal medicine and we find it under the term phyto­aromatherapy, a combined use of species and plants.

Therapeutics use of essential oils

Essential oils can be used internally or externally. They can also be released into the air we breathe.

Whatever the chosen route of administration, it should follow the use precautions and use an essential oil that has been kept or stored in optimal conditions.

The absorption of essential oil into the body may be used by internal or external use. These are the first two therapeutic indications which are then subdivided as appropriate.

Indications and cons­indications are often briefly listed on the product label: also, do not hesitate to ask the advice of a specialist, if something does not seem clear to you.

The use of plant essences is subject to some use precautions. Once you know the dosage and that you know what are the modes of administration for a particular type of treatment, you should carefully read the indications and possible cons­indications of species that have been recommended.

Essential oils are fragrant substances from plants. These odorous substances, in liquid form, are volatile. Evaporation of this liquid can return to the odor state without a trace. Essential oils are obtained by different extraction processes.

The various names of essential oils

In liquid form, we encounter various names such as vegetable oils, essential oils, volatile oils, aromatic oils, rectors and aromas spirits. All these names describe the same product.

Note: in the literary use, technical or commercial, we most often employ the terms "essential oils" and "plant oils".

Composition of essential oils

A set of components into play in each essential oil in varying proportions depending on the type of involved oil:

* Terpenes,

* Ketones,

* Lactones,

* Esters,

* Phenols.

Although they have a fatty and oily touch, essential oils are not fat. Moreover, they do not contain fatty acids or vitamins, or minerals.

States of essential oils

Essential oils are not all alike. It will be necessary to know how to differentiate essential oils, depending on whether they are:

* artificial or synthetic,

* rectified oils,

* deterpenated oils,

* reconstituted oils or semi­synthesis.

Aromatherapy history

First steps

We could trace the emergence of essential oils to about 4500 BC. AD What is certain is that at that time, we became interested in the healing properties of plants and the use of balms and aromas.

First appearance of the term "aromatherapy"

RM Gatefossé examines the medicinal use of plants but his grades will emerge in 1937, when Dr.

Foveau de Courmelles decide to preface his book and publish it under the term "aromatherapy".

Interest in the use of plant oils, for therapeutic purposes, has mainly increased since 1945.

Aromatherapy, herbal medicine, phyto­aromatherapy

If aromatherapy refers exclusively to therapeutics by essential oils, herbal therapy refers to therapeutics by plants (decoctions, infusions, maceration, local application of plasters, etc.).

Since 1940, the craze for the use of plants in all its forms has caused an increase in these two therapeutics simultaneously, showing the concept of phyto­aromatherapy.