Essential Oils
| Other Names
Aroma, atherische ole, atherischal, essence, essenz, etherisches aI, volatile oil Essential oils are complex mixtures of carbohydrates, alcohols, ketones, acids and esters, ethers, aldehydes, and sulfur compounds that are volatile and evaporate at low temperatures. Essential oils can exhibit tremendous variation in their composition. Each specific mixture produces its own characteristic scent. For the most part, essential oils are distilled from raw drugs or stock plants through a variety of techniques. Essential oils are used medicinally in what has become known as aromatherapy. This healing system was founded by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse (1881-1950) and is gaining increasing recognition throughout the world (Carle 1993; Henglein 1985; Kraus 1990; Strassmann 1991). Many psychoactive plants contain essential oils. They are sometimes the only active constituents, while sometimes they occur only in trace amounts. Several components are present in the essential oils of most plants that have unequivocal psychoactive effects. Eugenol Eugenol is known to be stimulating, anesthetic, and psychoactive (Sensch et al. 1993; Toda et al. 1994). High concentrations of eugenol occur in the essential oil of clove (Syzygium aromaticum). Myristicin Myristicin is regarded as the hallucinogenic component of many essential oils (Wulf et al. 1978,271). Myristicin is present in dill (Anethum), lovage (Levisticum officinale), parsnips (Pastinaca sp.), and parsley (Petroselinum crispum). The essential oil of the Australian Zieria species (Rutaceae) contains up to 23.40/0 myristicin. It is thought that myristicin is metabolized into an amphetamine derivative (MDA) (cf. Myristica fragrans). Safrole Safrole is found in cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and in the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum). Safrole is one of the most important precursors for the synthesis of MDMA and other similar substances (MMDA, MDE, MDA). The halogen derivatives of safrole, the closely related piperonal and isosafrole, are also suitable for this purpose (Yourspigs 1995). In the body, safrole is thought to be metabolized into amphetamine derivatives. Thujone In nature, thujone exists in two forms: O'.-thujone and p-thujone. The common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), whose name is derived from the Greek word athanaton ("immortal"), is very rich in thujone (= tanacetone; cf. Semmler 1900). According to myth, Ganymede became immortal because he had eaten tansy (Albert-Puleo 1978,65). Clary sage (muscatel sage) (Salvia sclarea 1.) has a high thujone content. During the nineteenth century, this plant was used in England instead of hops (Humulus lupulus) to produce a more potent type of beer. Other plants that contain thujone (Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris) were used for the same purpose (Albert-Puleo 1978,69). Thujone kills the common roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides (Albert-Puleo 1978, 65). The pharmacological effects of thujone are very similar to those ofTHC (cf. Artemisia absinthium). Udall It has often been reported that ud oil, the essential oil in lignum aloe or aloe wood (Aquillaria agallocha Roxb. [syn. Aquillaria malaccensis Lam.] ; Thymeleaceae), can induce psychoactive effects: As an incense or aromatic oil, it is used to treat mental and psychological disturbances as well as emotional instability, particularly in cases when this has been produced by negative mental energies. Our experience indicates that aloe wood has unusually relaxing and moodenhancing properties. It produces a state of trance and introspection and lifts the mind to higher plains of perception. It facilitates the attainment of high levels in meditation. For this reason, it should not necessarily be used prior to a work-filled day in which concentration and quick reactions are required. (Ashisha and Mahahradanatha 1994, 10) Sufis utilize the precious lignum aloe or distilled ud oil (essence) for advanced. stages of Islamic mysticism: One could say that only those individuals whose minds are more highly developed experience the benefits of ud. In fact, it is only used to treat imbalances during the last three states of mental development. (Moinuddin Chishti 1991, 118*) Aromatic lignum aloe (lignum aquillariae resinatum) contains p-methoxycinnamic acid, agarotetrol, and the sesquiterpenoids agarol, agarospilrole, 0:- and 13-agarofurane, dihydroagarofurane, 4-hydrodioxydihydroagarofurane, and oxo-nor-agarofuran, among other constituents. Plants Containing Psychoactive Essential Oils (from Albert-Puleo 1978; Bock 1994*; supplemented) <tbody> </tbody>
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Essential Oils as Aphrodisiacs
Some essential oils are attributed with aphrodisiac effects. Perfume manufacturers consider the aroma of the Mexican tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.; Agavaceae) (cf. Dressler 1953, 144*) to be aphrodisiac. The evergreen ylang-ylang tree (Cananga odorata [Lam.] Hook. f. et Thoms. [f. genuina] [syn. Canangium oderatum Baill.]), which thrives only in tropical regions, is the source of the oil of the same name. In India, ylang-ylang oil is regarded as the favorite oil for tantric rituals because it is believed to have potent aphrodisiac effects and to stimulate and refine erotic sensations. Today, individuals throughout the world use ylang-ylang oil to ritualize their own eroticism (Huron 1994; Kraus 1990; Strassmann 1991). The flowers contain 1.5 to 2.50/0 of an essential oil composed of linalool, safrole, eugenol, geraniol, pinene, cadinene, and sesquiterpenes. There have been frequent reports of ylang-ylang having mind-altering powers. Pharmacologically, this effect is probably due to the safrole component of the essential oil (R~itsch 1996). Above a certain concentration, safrole appears to produce psychoactive effects that are quite similar to those ofMDMA (see herbal ecstasy). Literature See also the entries for Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia spp., Myristica fragrans, herbal ecstasy, and incense. Albert-Puleo, Michael. 1978. Mythobotany, pharmacology, and chemistry of thujone-containing plants and derivatives. Economic Botany 32:65-74. Ashisha, Ma Deva, and Mahahradantha. 1994. Duftkrauter und atherische Ole in der ayurvedischen Heilkunst. Tostedt: Yogini Verlag. Carle, Reinhold. 1993. Atherische Ole-Anspruch and Wirklichkeit. Stuttgart: WVG. Chandler, R. E, S. N. Hooper, and M. J. Harvey. 1982. Ethnobotany and phytochemistry of yarrow, Achillea millefolium, Compositae. Economic Botany 36 (2): 203-23. Cipolla, Carlo M. 1992. Allegro ma non troppo. Frankfurt/M.: Fischer. Dandiya, P. C., and M. K. Menon. 1963. Effects of asarone and 13-asarone on conditioned responses, fighting behaviour and convulsions. British Journal ofPharmacology 20:436-42. ---. 1964. Actions of asarone on behaviour, stress hyperpyrexia and its interaction with central stimulants. Journal ofPharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 145:42-46. Gattefosse, Rene-Maurice. 1994. Aromatherapie. Aarau: AT Verlag. Harnishfeger, Gatz. 1994. Thuja. In Hagers Handbuch der pharmazeutischcn Praxis, 5th ed., 6:955-66. Berlin: Springer. Hengelein, Martin. 1985. Die heilende Kraft der Wohlgeruche and Essenzen. Munich: Schanbergers. Hurton, Andrea. 1994. Erotik des Parfums: Geschichte und Praxis der schonen Dufte. Frankfurt/M.: Fischer. Kraus, Michael. 1991. Atherische Ole fur Korper, Geist and Seele. Gaimersheim: Simon und Wahl. Kremer, Bruno P. 1988. Duft und Aromapjlanzen. Stuttgart: Franckh-Kosmos. Laatsch, Hartmut. 1991. Wirkung von Geruch und Geschmack auf die Psyche. In Jahrbuch des Europaischen Collegiums fur Bewufitseinsstudien (1991), 119-33. Berlin: VWB. Miller, Richard Alan, and Iona Miller. 1990. Das magische Parfum. Braunschweig: Aurum. Morwyn. 1995. Witch's brew: Secrets ofscents. Arglen, Penn.: Whitford Press/Schiffer Publishing. R~itsch, Christian. 1996. Ylang-Ylang, "die Blume der Blumen." Dao 6:68. Richter, Dieter. 1984. Schlaraffenland. Cologne: Diederichs. Rimmel, Eugene. 1985. Das Buch des Parfums. Dreieich: Hesse und Becker. (Orig. pub. 1864.) Schivelbusch, Wolfgang. 1983. Das Paradies, der Geschmack und die Vernunft. Frankfurt/M.: Ullstein. Semmler, E W. 1900. Dber Tanaceton und seine Derivate. Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft 33:275-77 Sensch, 0., W. Vierling, W. Brandt, and M. Reiter. 1993. Calcium-channel blocking effect of constituents of clove oil. Planta Medica 59 suppl.: A687. Strassmann, Rene A. 1991. Duftheilkunde. Aarau: AT Verlag. Toda, Shizuo, Motoyo Ohnishi, Michio Kimura, and Tomoko Toda. 1994. Inhibitory effects of eugenol and related compounds on lipid peroxidation induced by reactive oxygen. Planta Medica 60:282. Wieshammner, Rainer-Maria. 1995. Der 5. Sinn: Dufte als unheimliche Verfuhrer. Rott am Inn: F/O/L/T/Y/S Edition. Wulf, Larry W., Charles W. Nagel, and Larry Branen. 1978. High-pressure liquid chromatographic separation of the naturally occurring toxicants myristicin, related aromatic ethers and falcarinol. Journal ofChromatography 161:271-78. Yourspigs, U. P. 1995. The complete book ofecstasy. 2nd ed. N.p.: Synthesis Books. |