The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (22 page)

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE None.

OTHER USES The oleoresin is used in high class perfumery work. Extensively used for flavouring tobacco in countries without the coumarin ban.

Acacia dealbata

FAMILY Mimosaceae

SYNONYMS
A. decurrens var. dealbata
, Sydney black wattle.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION An attractive small tree up to 12 metres high, having a greyish-brown bark with irregular longitudinal ridges, delicate foliage and clusters of ball-shaped fragrant yellow flowers.

DISTRIBUTION Native to Australia; naturalized in North and Central Africa. It was brought to Europe as an ornamental plant in the early nineteenth century, but it now grows wild. The concrete (and absolute) is mainly produced in southern France, and also Italy.

OTHER SPECIES There are many varieties of
Acacia
, such as the East African type
(A. arabica)
which is very similar; the mimosa of the florist shop
(A. floribunda);
and the Brazilian mimosa or sensitive plant
(Mimosa humilis)
, the homoeopathic tincture of which is used for swelling of the ankles. It is also closely related to cassie.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION The bark of mimosa which is known as ‘wattle bark’, has a leather-like odour and astringent taste. It contains up to 42 per cent tannins (also gallic acid) and is used extensively by the tanning industry. It is employed medicinally in similar ways to oak bark, as a specific for diarrhoea, and as an astringent gargle and ointment.

The extract of black catechu
(A. catechu)
is current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a specific for chronic diarrhoea with colitis.

ACTIONS Antiseptic, astringent.

EXTRACTION A concrete and absolute by solvent extraction from the flowers and twig ends.

CHARACTERISTICS 1. Concrete – a hard wax-like yellow mass with a sweet-woody, deep floral fragrance. 2. Absolute – an amber-coloured viscous liquid with a slightly green, woody-floral scent. It blends well with lavandin, lavender, ylang ylang, violet, styrax, citronella, Peru balsam, cassie, floral and spice oils.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Mainly hydrocarbons; palmic aldehyde, enanthic acid, anisic acid, acetic acid and phenols.

SAFETY DATA Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE

SKIN CARE
: Oily, sensitive, general skin care.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
: Anxiety, nervous tension, over-sensitivity, stress.

OTHER USES Employed largely in soaps, due to its good fixative properties. Also in high class perfumes, especially colognes, floral and oriental types.

Mentha arvensis

FAMILY Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

SYNONYMS Field mint, Japanese mint.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A rather fragile herb with leafy stems up to 60 cms high, lance-shaped leaves and lilac-coloured flowers borne in clustered whorls in the axils of the upper leaves.

DISTRIBUTION Native to Europe and parts of Asia (Japan and China); naturalized in North America. Major producers of the oil include China, Brazil, Argentina, India and Vietnam.

OTHER SPECIES There are many varieties and chemotypes of this herb, which is used for large scale oil production, such as the Chinese type
M. arvensis var. glabrata
, and the Japanese species
M. arvensis var. piperascens.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION It is used therapeutically in many of the same ways as peppermint; the bruised leaves are applied to the forehead to relieve nervous headache. In the East it is used to treat rheumatic pain, neuralgia, toothache, laryngitis, indigestion, colds and bronchitis. In Chinese medicine, it is also employed for relieving earache, treating tumours and some skin conditions.

ACTIONS Anaesthetic, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cytotoxic, digestive, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the flowering herb. The oil is usually dementholized since it contains so much menthol that it is otherwise solid at room temperature.

CHARACTERISTICS Dementholized oil – a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a strong, fresh, bitter-sweet minty odour, somewhat like peppermint.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Menthol (70–95 per cent), menthone (10–20 percent), pinene, menthyl acetate, isomenthone, thujone, phellandrene, piperitone and menthofuran, among others. Constituents vary according to source.

SAFETY DATA Non-toxic, non-irritant (except in concentration); may cause sensitization in some individuals. Menthol is a dermal irritant.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE None. Use peppermint in preference, since it is not fractionated like the commercial cornmint oil and has a more refined fragrance.

OTHER USES Used in some pharmaceutical preparations, such as cough lozenges, herb teas and syrups, mainly in the form of menthol. Extensively employed in soaps, toothpastes, detergents, cosmetics, perfumes and especially industrial fragrances. Used by the food industry especially for flavouring confectionery, liqueurs and chewing gum. However, it is mainly used for the isolation of natural menthol.

Mentha piperita

FAMILY Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

SYNONYMS Brandy mint, balm mint.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A perennial herb up to 1 metre high with underground runners by which it is easily propagated. The ‘white’ peppermint has green stems and leaves; the ‘black’ peppermint has dark green serrated leaves, purplish stems and reddish-violet flowers.

DISTRIBUTION Originally a cultivated hybrid between
M. viridis
and
M. aquatica
, known to have been propagated from before the seventeenth century in England. Naturalized throughout Europe and America, it is cultivated worldwide. The oil is produced mainly in France, England, America, Russia, Bulgaria, Italy, Hungary, Morocco and China.

OTHER SPECIES There are several different strains or chemotypes of peppermint. In addition there are numerous other species of mint, such as spearmint, apple mint, pennyroyal, water mint and pineapple mint – some of which are used to produce essential oils (see Botanical Classification section). Peppermints grown in northern regions, including the Mitcham peppermint, are considered of superior quality.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION Mints have been cultivated since ancient times in China and Japan. In Egypt evidence of a type of peppermint
has been found in tombs dating from 1000
BC
. It has been used extensively in Eastern and Western medicine for a variety of complaints, including indigestion, nausea, sore throat, diarrhoea, headaches, toothaches and cramp.

It is current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia for intestinal colic, flatulence, common cold, vomiting in pregnancy and dysmenorrhoea.

ACTIONS Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiphlogistic, antipruritic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, cordial, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, nervine, stomachic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, vermifuge.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the flowering herb (approx. 3–4 per cent yield).

CHARACTERISTICS A pale yellow or greenish liquid with a highly penetrating, grassy-minty camphoraceous odour. It blends well with benzoin, rosemary, lavender, marjoram, lemon, eucalyptus and other mints.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Menthol (29–48 per cent), menthone (20–31 per cent), menthyl acetate, menthofuran, limonene, pulegone, cineol, among others.

SAFETY DATA Non-toxic, non-irritant (except in concentration), possible sensitization due to menthol. Use in moderation.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE

SKIN CARE
: Acne, dermatitis, ringworm, scabies, toothache.

CIRCULATION, MUSCLES AND JOINTS
: Neuralgia, muscular pain, palpitations.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
: Asthma, bronchitis, halitosis, sinusitis, spasmodic cough – ‘When inhaled (in steam) it checks catarrh temporarily, and will provide relief from head colds and bronchitis: its antispasmodic action combines well with this to make it a most useful inhalation in asthma.’
⁵⁵

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
: Colic, cramp, dyspepsia, flatulence, nausea.

IMMUNE SYSTEM
: Colds, ’flu, fevers.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
: Fainting, headache, mental fatigue, migraine, nervous stress, vertigo.

OTHER USES Flavouring agent in pharmaceuticals, and ingredient in cough, cold and digestive remedies. Flavouring agent in many foods, especially chewing gum and sweets, alcoholic and soft drinks; also widely used to flavour tobacco. Fragrance component in soaps, toothpaste, detergents, cosmetics, colognes and perfumes.

Mentha spicata

FAMILY Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

SYNONYMS M.
viridis
, common spearmint, garden spearmint, spire mint, green mint, lamb mint, pea mint, fish mint.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A hardy branched perennial herb with bright green, lance-shaped, sharply toothed leaves, quickly spreading underground runners and pink or lilac-coloured flowers in slender cylindrical spikes.

DISTRIBUTION Native to the Mediterranean region, now common throughout Europe, western Asia and the Middle East. It was introduced to the USA where it has become a very popular flavouring. The oil is produced in midwest USA, Hungary, Spain, Yugoslavia, the USSR and China.

OTHER SPECIES There are several different types of spearmint, especially in the USA, such as the curly mint
(M. spicata var. crispa).
In Russia the oil from M.
verticellata
is also sold as spearmint oil.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION Valued all over the world as a culinary herb, as shown by its folk names. It was used by the ancient Greeks as a restorative and to scent their bathwater. The
distilled water is used to relieve hiccough, colic, nausea, indigestion and flatulence. ‘Applied to the forehead and temples, it eases the pains in the head, and is good to wash the heads of young children with, against all manner of breakings out, sores or scabs … being smelled unto, it is comforting to the head.’
⁵⁶

ACTIONS Anaesthetic (local), antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, decongestant, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, nervine, stimulant, stomachic, tonic.

EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the flowering tops.

CHARACTERISTICS A pale yellow or olive mobile liquid with a warm, spicy-herbaceous, minty odour. It blends well with lavender, lavandin, jasmine, eucalyptus, basil and rosemary and is often used in combination with peppermint.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS L-carvone (50–70 per cent), dihydrocarvone, phellandrene, limonene, menthone, menthol, pulegone, cineol, linalol, pinenes, among others.

SAFETY DATA Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE ‘The properties of spearmint oil resemble those of peppermint but its effects are less powerful … it is better adapted to children’s maladies.’
⁵⁷

SKIN CARE:
Acne, dermatitis, congested skin.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
: Asthma, bronchitis, catarrhal conditions, sinusitis.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
: Colic, dyspepsia, flatulence, hepatobiliary disorders, nausea, vomiting.

IMMUNE SYSTEM
: Colds, fevers, ’flu.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
: Fatigue, headache, migraine, nervous strain, neurasthenia, stress.

OTHER USES Used as a fragrance component, mainly in soaps and colognes. Primarily used as a flavour ingredient in a wide range of products, including toothpaste, chewing gum, sweets, alcoholic and soft drinks.

Artemisia vulgaris

FAMILY Asteraceae (Compositae)

SYNONYMS Armoise, wild wormwood, felon herb, St John’s plant.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION An erect, much-branched, perennial herb up to 1.5 metres high, with purplish stems, dark green divided leaves which are downy white beneath, and numerous small reddish-brown or yellow flowers.

DISTRIBUTION Believed to have originated in eastern Europe and western Asia; now found in temperate zones all over the world. The oil is produced in southern France, Morocco, Germany, Hungary, India, China and Japan.

OTHER SPECIES There are many different species in the
Artemisia
group (see Botanical Classification), which includes wormwood and tarragon. There are also several different types of mugwort such as the great mugwort
(A. arborescens)
and the Chinese mugwort
(A. moxa
and
A. sinensis)
which are both used to make ‘moxa’ in Japan, containing mainly borneol.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION In Europe, the herb has been associated with superstition and witchcraft, and was seen as a protective charm against evil and danger. It is said that St John the Baptist wore a girdle of the leaves in the wilderness. It was also seen as a woman’s plant, used as a womb tonic, for painful or delayed menstruation and as a treatment for hysteria and epilepsy. It was also used to expel worms, control fever and as a digestive remedy.