(This information is for those who might like to know a little more about the specific essential oils we use.)
Cinnamon Bark
Cinnamon bark is an ancient herbal remedy found in the Chinese Materia Medica. It has also been used as far back as the 15th century in Europe. It is among the most antiseptic essential oils with a high antioxidant rating. The terpenoids found in the volatile oil including eugenol and cinnamaldehyde account for cinnamon’s medicinal effects. Its oil vapors are very potent anti-fungal compounds and also enhance other oils.
Cinnamon oil can also be a good source of antibacterial actions. Cinnamon oils were found to be inhibiting both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In 1987 the International Journal of Food Microbiology reported that essential oils of cinnamon (also thyme, & clove) killed 92% of 25 different gram negative & positive bacterial strains.
Now, studies compare cinnamon and oregano with penicillin and ampicillin in inhibiting activity against E. coli and Staph aureus. There was an 82% reduction in M. Luteus, a 96% reduction in P. Aeruginosa, and a 44% reduction in S. Aureusbioaerosols following 10 minutes of exposure. Those are impressive results! In some tests, a very low percentage of cinnamon oil destroyed various strains of H. pylori and completely stopped the growth of 35 fungi within 2 hours!
Caution is needed since the bark oil is a dermal toxin, irritant and irritant to the mucous membranes. Cinnamon oil must always be used in very small amounts since it is one of the more hazardous oils! Fortunately, it is so powerful that only a small amount is needed.
Clove Bud
The power of Clove essential oil is noted upon the first sensing of the aroma – it is quite strong, sharp and earthy. Clove oil has been found to be the strongest antioxidant of any essential oil and is a component of ‘longevity’ formulas. It is also an extremely potent anti-bacterial, effective against a broader range of microbes than any other oil except, perhaps, Oregano. Clove oil has even been employed to sterilize surgical instruments!
Clove bud oil is one of the most antiseptic essential oils. It is the highest scoring on the ORAC scale of antioxidants and a wonderful aid to the immune system. The expert panel German Commission E has approved the use of clove as a topical antiseptic and anesthetic in Germany. It reduced candida infection in test subjects by 75% after 8 days – closely equivalent to Nystatin. Even at low concentrations, clove oil totally inhibited toxic mold.
Eugenol, the active ingredient in clove oil, killed more than 60 types of bacteria and 15 strains of fungi, & viruses and is even used synthetically in the dental industry for the numbing of gums. More importantly, clove (along with cinnamon) has been found to be inhibiting to both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Clove bud must also be used in low dilution moderation.
Eucalyptus
Another essential oil with a broad range of properties, eucalyptus is most often used for respiratory conditions, being useful in clearing congestion with coughs and colds. Because of its broad range of effects, it is certainly not limited to airways. It has been called the aromatherapist’s “designer oil” because eucalyptus oil can cool the body in the summer and support the immune system in winter.
Though famous in steam rooms and as a vapor mist, eucalyptus has had a long antiseptic history. In 1865 British surgeon Joseph Lister, the “Father of modern antiseptics”, was the chief surgeon at the King’s College Hospital in London. He was the first to disinfect surgical rooms with eucalyptus oil vapors and reducing deaths from infection. In fact, using these phenolic antiseptics reduced the death rate from 50% to less than 3% during major surgeries.
Eucalyptus also showed up in the famous Listerine Antiseptic. Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Jordan Wheat Lambert first formulated it in 1879 as a surgical antiseptic. It was provided to dentists for oral care in 1895 and became the first over-the-counter mouthwash sold in the United States in 1914. They, as we, also included eucalyptus and thyme in their formula.
A 1999 Journal of Clinical Periodontology study also found that a mouth rinse with essential oils, including eucalyptus, was more effective in improving oral health than a fluoride-based antiseptic. Eucalyptus species having the highest antiseptic compound eucalyptol (about 80 percent) have the strongest antiseptic action. More important to us, a pair of orthopaedic surgeons reported on two essential oils (eucalyptus and tea-tree oil – both in our formula). They said that they are surprisingly effective at treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections! Dr. Eugene Sherry of the University of Sydney in Australia said that eucalyptus and tea-tree oil, applied to the skin of infected wounds, can work when modern antibiotics fail.
Diffusing Eucalyptus oil can also help kill most airborne staphylococcus bacteria, so we also include it in our Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil Blend formula.
Geranium
Geranium was used by ancient people as a remedy for wounds, tumors, and skin care. The plants originated from South Africa, as well as Egypt, Madagascar, and Morocco, and were introduced to European countries such as Italy, Spain and France in the 17th century. With antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, Geranium essential oil is anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, anti-tumoral, adrenal support, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antibacterial, and anti-fungal.
This essential oil is one of the few that has been used successfully against the MRSA staph bacteria in laboratory studies (Pub Med has more – search for “geranium oil MRSA”). It is this asperum variety considered the most potent Geranium for its anti-microbial action and has a wonderful aroma at the same time. Geranium oil has also been successfully used in treatment of Candida infections and has been the subject of many scientific studies validating its antimicrobial actions.
As well as having a balancing effect on the mind, this uplifting essential oil has a great all-over balancing property which extends to the skin, where it helps to create balance between oily and dry skin. Geranium is soothing to the mucous membranes of the skin. Balancing the sebum production (the fatty acid secretions in the sebaceous glands) of the skin, Geranium helps to cleanse the skin as well as restore balance, tone, and suppleness.
For the next essential oils, go Here.