An Essential Oil Chemistry Primer: What Makes A Great Healer And Great Scent
Posted on May 27, 2010
Filed Under Fitness |
Chemistry. Already getting nervous? The chemistry chapters of essential oil texts are the most frequently skipped, even by natural health professionals. But it can be fun and useful…really! Knowing what essential oils are made of, and how this affects their aroma and therapeutic value can have a big impact on the efficacy of your aromatherapy practice. Understanding the basics can help you make better choices in essential oils, and better choices in their application. Plus, this can give you the foundation for further understanding of true “medical aromatherapy”, as practiced in much of the rest of the world. So here’s a primer on the chemistry of essential oils, with some common examples and important tips to help you grow as a holistic medicine practitioner.
So what is it that makes an “essential” oil different than every other oil we’re familiar with? They don’t feel the same, they don’t act the same, and they certainly don’t smell the same. Essential oils and the so-called “fixed” oils (seed or nut oils also known as “carrier oils”) are distinctly different in their molecular structure. While both essential and fixed oils share common basic atomic elements of carbon and hydrogen, that’s really where the similarity ends. Fixed oils are made of triglyceride structures - three long chains of carbon atoms, with hydrogens bonded at various places. The length of the chains and the position and number of hydrogens define the nature of the oil; if hydrogens are bonded to every available location, the oil is “saturated”, for example. One missing hydrogen is “mono-unsaturated”, more than one is “poly-unsaturated”. The long chains and relative consistency of the molecular structures makes fixed oils “oily”, and does not allow them to evaporate quickly.
Volatile oils are another matter - volatile oils do easily evaporate, due in-part to their smaller, more complex structures. Essential oils are a sub-category of volatile oils, essential oils being specifically those volatile oils that have been distilled directly from plants (rather than laboratory made, or from another otherwise “inorganic” source). Essential oils still have a core structure of linked carbon and hydrogen atoms, but they come in a great variety of shapes including short chains, rings and multiple-rings hooked together. Each of these core structures will have what is known as a “functional group” attached - a sort of “molecular sub-unit”. Despite their seeming complexity, though, essential oils are still very compatible with mammalian biology - their atomic structure allows them to penetrate into the deepest regions of our bodies, and even to the centers of our cells.
The therapeutic action of an essential oil is primarily determined by the functional groups found in the molecules that make up that oil (here, many folks might be responding with “Say what?!?”). An essential oil is actually made up of many liquid chemicals; sometimes more than one hundred distinct chemicals are found in one pure essential oil. Each of these chemicals is formed of a carbon-hydrogen structure with a functional group attached - it is the combination of the base structure AND the attached functional group that makes a single, unique molecule. And MANY of these unique molecules combine to form ONE essential oil.
As you can see, essential oils are really very complex in their chemical nature. There are nearly infinite possibilities of functional group and base ring or chain combinations. And ONE essential oil alone can be made up of HUNDREDS of these different molecular arrangements. Don’t worry, though! While it sounds complex, one needn’t know all the precise chemical details to use essential oils therapeutically. Just know that any single essential oil is comprised of a few natural chemicals that make up the bulk of the oil, and many minor “trace” constituents that also affect both aroma and therapeutic activity.
The essential oil with the most perfect balance of natural chemical constituents will have the finest aromas and the most potent therapeutic action. Many factors in an essential oil’s production affect this balance. These include where the plant was grown, soil and climate conditions, time of harvest, distillation equipment, as well as the equipment settings and skill of the distiller. This can give you an idea as to why two varieties of the same oil can smell so different: The wonderful aroma of a fine essential oil will contain an array of notes in a lovely balance, telling you that all natural components are present in the correct amounts.
To best understand this, we’ll examine Lavender essential oil; more than fifty individual molecules have been identified in pure lavender essential oil. The aromatherapist must remember that ALL of these chemicals found in pure and natural Lavender oil work together to produce a therapeutic effect. For example, the linalool molecule is antiviral and antibacterial; the linalyl acetate is emotionally calming; other major components including cineol, limonene, pinene and others are all noted for specific biologic and aromatic activity. It is the combined, balanced, synergistic action of these chemicals that make pure, high-quality Lavender such a great healer.
What does this mean to the lay-practitioner? That it’s important to find a nice smelling lavender oil! Each individual chemical, both major and minor, has a distinct smell, and is talked about in terms of “notes” within the overall lavender aroma. Some of these are sweet, some citrusy, some are herbaceous, and some camphorous (and the list goes on). A precise amount of each will create a certain Lavender aroma. Some lavenders are more sweet (and may therefore more relaxing), others are more herbaceous. Your nose is an incredible detector of essential oil chemistry, and you’ll be surprised how effective it is at choosing the finest, most therapeutically valuable oil. Your nose can tell you if all the constituents are in balance, if the oil is fresh, and interestingly, also if the oil is right for you - trust yourself in this regard!
A balanced approach in aromatherapy, as in all of natural medicine, is best. The most effective practitioner will have a well-developed “internal pendulum” combined with a solid education. Significant variations exist in the quality of essential oils; it is really cost effective to buy the higher grades of oil, as their synergy of expertly distilled chemicals will have the greater therapeutic action. Use your nose, knowledge and intuition to find a source you trust, that delivers consistently high-grade oils for a reasonable cost. Use these same faculties to skillfully select and apply the appropriate oil for each circumstance. Essential oils are complex by nature; at the same time, they have an exceptionally broad scope of therapeutic applications. Hopefully, this little bit of aromatherapy chemistry will enrich your ability to support your own health, and the health of those around you.
The author is proponent of the varied and potent healing actions of aromatherapy essential oils. For more, see www.anandaapothecary.com.
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