Essential Oils

The history of essential oils

The benefits of essential oils have been recognised for
thousands of years.

Egyptians, used essential oils in medicinal purposes,

religious rites, and embalming process.

In India, it was taken up as an integral part of the Indian

Ayurvedic medicinal system.

Greeks, The medicinal wisdom of the Egyptians were

taken over and absorbed by the ancient Greeks. They
included aromatherapy massage as a treatment.
 The history of essential oils

Romans, again took over the medicinal wisdom of the

Greeks and were great believers in hygiene to promote
health and also place great stock in aromatherapy and the
power of fragrances.

Arabian empire, the Persian physician Avicenna (980 -

1,037 AD) that is being credited with perfecting the
distillation process of essential oils.
 What are essential oils?
Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the
seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of
plants.

It give plants their distinctive smells, and provide plants

with protection against predators and disease and play a
role in plant pollination.

Essential oils are non water-based phytochemicals made

up of volatile aromatic compounds.
 What are essential oils?
They contain the true essence of the plant it was derived
from.

Essential oils are highly concentrated.

It doesnt contain artificial substances, unlike perfumes and

fragrance oils.

Essential oils are steam distilled or expressed.

 Essential oils composition
Essential oils are mixtures of organic compounds.

Terpenes are the key components of all essential oils.

The distinctive character of an essential oil can be

attributed to the functional group present in its key
molecule.

Esters, ethers, aldehydes, lactones, ketones and alcohols

are all found in essential oils.
 How Are Essential Oils Extracted?
Essential oils can be extracted via two key
methods:

Distillation Expression
 Essential oils distillation
Water Distillation: this method is most often
employed with flowers (rose and orange blossoms)

Water and Steam: it can be employed with herb and

leaf material.

Steam Distillation: it is the most commonly used.

 Steam distillation
Steam distillation is one of the methods used to
extract essential oils from plants.

Steam passes over the plant and extracts the

essential oil.

The mixture evaporates and passes into the

condenser.

The essential oil vapour is chilled and collected.

Steam distillation
 Essential oils expression

Expression, also referred to as cold pressing,

is a method of extraction specific to citrus
essential oils, such as tangerine, lemon,
bergamot, sweet orange, and lime.
 Essential oils
today in our life.
 Modern uses

Cosmetics Cleaning Flavours

Dentistry Essential oils Adhesives

Perfumes Insect
Medical
repellents
 Essential oils perfume
Perfumes consist of three layers, or notes:
1. Top: most volatile, initial smell
2. Heart: main aroma of the perfume, some volatility, stays
for several hours
3. Base: least volatile, stays for most of the day

Basic ingredients:
80%-90%: ethyl alcohol
H3C
1. C O

2. essential oils from plants CH3 O CH3

C CH2 C CH2

3. fruit flavors H3C CH CH2 CH

Linalyl acetate
 Essential oils perfume
The perfume world also classifies perfumes into scent families which
are:

1. Floral: smells like flowers

2. Fruity: smells like fruit, including
citrus
3. Green: fresh grass or leaves
4. Herbaceous: like any variety of
herbs
5. Woody: like different types of wood
6. Amber: like tree resin
7. Musk: like a substance made by the
musk deer
8. Oriental: amber and spice
 Nowadays perfumes consist of 500-600 chemical substances.
Only 5% of todays perfumes are derived from natural compounds.
 Essential oils cleaning
The essential oil known as lemon oil contains the
terpene d-limonene.

It is known for its ability to act as a natural solvent

and a cleanser.

H3C CH2
C

CH
H2C CH2

H2C CH
C

CH3

Limonene
(skin of citrus fruits)
 Hospital cleaners
Certain essential oils kill bacteria and fungi within 2
minutes of contact.

Essential oils are blended into soaps and shampoos

used in hospitals to eradicate deadly super bugs.
 Essential oils toothpaste
The essential oil thymol has antiseptic properties.

CH3

C
HC CH

C CH
HO C

CH
H3C CH3

Thymol
 Essential oils cosmetics
The essential oil geraniol is added to some cosmetics
to balance and revitalise the skin.

CH3 CH3

C CH2 C CH2
H3C CH CH2 CH OH

Geraniol
Some medicinal uses of
essential oils
 Peppermint
Stops spasms
Uses: upset stomach, cramping, gas, bloating,
heart palpitations bug and ant repellent.
 Lemon
Anti infectious
Uses: colds, fevers, soar throat, ear infection,
infections
 Lavender
calming, relaxing, wound healing
Uses: burns, cuts, wounds, anxiety, sleeplessness,
depression, bug repellent
 Frankincense
Anti-tumoral, immune-stimulant, and antidepressant
Uses: Asthma, depression, ulcers, cancers,
hemorrhaging, herpes, warts (virus)
 Basil
relaxant
Uses: Migraines, scanty menstrual periods,
Muscle relaxant, soothing to insect bits