|
Antiviral and Antimicrobial Properties of
Essential Oils, by
Dominique Baudoux
(Excerpts)
During the 1960s, Dr Jean Valnet gave rise to the
rebirth of aromatherapy, which split up into several
schools, allowing thousands of doctors to get familiar
with an anti-infectious technique not acknowledged by
medical schools. Encouraged by hundreds of thousands of
patients, a wide-ranging movement was born.
Anti-Infectious
Properties
Antibacterial
This is the most widely studied area of essential oils;
this property is the only one that is really well-known
and used regularly. In fact, many people associate
'aromatherapy' with 'anti-infectious therapy'.
The capacity of essential oils to neutralize
germs is now irrefutable.
Experimental studies were undertaken in France by
Chamberland as early as 1887. In I888, Cadeac and
Meunier published the results of their own research (Annales
de l'Institut Pasteur). Many in-vitro confirmations were
performed by pharmacists and doctors; results were
conclusive. In his book, Antiseptiques Essentiels,
published in 1938, René-Maurice Gattefosse described the
already considerable advancement of the research.
Molecules with the highest anti-bacterial coefficient
are: carvacrol, thymol and eugenol; all three are
phenols. Not a phenol (but related, with a benzenic
core), cinnamic aldehyde has an anti-infectious activity
comparable to phenols.
Thanks to these four molecules, any aromatherapy-savvy
practitioner will be able to master most common
infections.
Alcohols with ten carbon atoms (or monoterpenols) come
immediately after: geraniol, linalool, thujanol and
myrcenol, terpineol, menthol and piperitol are the most
well-known. Reliable, broad-spectrum molecules, they are
useful in numerous cases of bacterial infections.
Aldehydes are also somewhat antibacterial; the most
widely used are neral and geranial (citrals),
citronnellal and cuminal.
Ketones are interesting for the treatment of
mucupurulent infectious states (usually a strictly
indirect action): verbenone, thujone, borneone
(camphor), pinocamphone, cryptone, fenchone, menthone,
piperitone and carvone.
Anti-Fungal
Fungal infections are a hot topic today, due to the
overuse and abuse of antibiotics by most members of the
medical profession; as we all know, antibiotics are
first and foremost microscopic fungi. The molecular
groups with the strongest antibacterial action are also
active on fungi. However, treatment must be over a
longer period. Fundamental studies have also revealed
the anti-fungal activity of alcohols and sesquiterpenic
lactones.
Antiviral
The mad parasites of any and all forms of life, viruses
give rise to pro-teiform pathologies, some of which
medical science can do nothing to cure. Classic
responses to these infections are very limited, so
essential oils are a godsend in treating viral problems,
from the most common to the most fearsome.
Molecules from many chemical families have shown an
in-vitro antiviral activity, among them monoterpenols
and monoterpenals.
Ketones, and especially rare cryptone, have shown
an interesting capacity to fight naked viruses.
Aldehydes, whether used internally or in the atmosphere,
are good complementary treatments for patients with
viral infections.
Generally, viruses are highly sensitive to aromatic
molecules, and some severe viral pathologies may show a
vast improvement following their use. A fact of the
highest interest, unearthed during fundamental research
and clinical experiments:
normal cells of patients under aromatic treatment seem
to acquire a special resistance to viral penetration.
|
