Traditional medicine has long employed herbal preparations to reduce inflammation of wounds or achy muscles and joints. In fact, our single most popular inflammation-reducing drug came originally from the bark of the white willow tree: aspirin. Today, many home users as well as licenced practitioners make use of essential oils for inflammation reduction, which in turn reduces pain, which actually reduces further inflammation. Massage therapists have long known that certain essential oils can help speed the healing of their clients, and home users have found the same result with arthritic and rheumatic conditions.
A quick look at the current research available on pubmed.gov gives an extensive list of scientific publications confirming the anti-inflammatory action of essential oils. The oils used in today's therapies have been carefully distilled to retain their medicinal potency. This means that they can have very complex natural chemical structures, and depending on the plant, a powerful inflammation-reducing action. Some obvious oils are distilled from plants that they themselves have long been used for this purpose -- particularly Ginger and Turmeric. Carbon-dioxide distillations (a new, cold-process method of making essential oils) of both these plants have been included in patented inflammation-reducing formulas. These CO2 distillations are readily available for any practitioner to employ in their formulas.
Just published in the Journal of Lipid Research are the results of an investigation in Japan confirming the anti-inflammation activity in several essential oils. This supports the selection of many essential oils used in pain relief and anti-inflammation formulas. The oils shown to reduce inflammation through suppression of the COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzyme included herbs, like thyme, clove and fennel; rose; eucalyptus; and even the citrus Bergamot. The oils considered to have the strongest anti-inflammation activity used in aromatherapy were not even examined, which can mean that there are naturally a great many compounds found in essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Further, some of the individual natural constituents of the essential oil were examined, and it was discovered that carvacrol had the strongest activity. Carvacrol is found in many essential oils, and is most often considered aromatherapy's most potent anti-bacterial, and has been directly implicated in boosting immune system function in other scientific studies. There seems to be a link between inflammation reduction, immune system function and longevity (the inflammation reducing power of the essential oils studied was compared to red-wine extract, implicated in potentially extending lifespan). The study did not go so far as to elucidate the actual mechanism of reducing inflammation, but it would not be suprising if this activity were a factor -- carvacrol, as well as thymol -- the other major component of Thyme essential oil -- are well-known antioxidants.
Many people find relief from painful muscles and joints through the daily self-massage with a pre-made or home-made aromatherapy massage formula. You can find many on the market with high-grade essential oils that can help, or you may be interested in making your own custom recipe. These formulas typically contain a concentration of 2 to 5 percent essential oils in a carrier oil (like Hazelnut or Sesame). Each one percent is made by adding eight drops of an essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. Thus, a three percent concentration would be twenty-four drops essential oil in each ounce of carrier. An excellent example of an anti-inflammatory blend would be one percent German Chamomile, two percent Helichrysum Italicum and two percent Lavender. A little research can help you find the oils that will work best for you.
A quick look at the current research available on pubmed.gov gives an extensive list of scientific publications confirming the anti-inflammatory action of essential oils. The oils used in today's therapies have been carefully distilled to retain their medicinal potency. This means that they can have very complex natural chemical structures, and depending on the plant, a powerful inflammation-reducing action. Some obvious oils are distilled from plants that they themselves have long been used for this purpose -- particularly Ginger and Turmeric. Carbon-dioxide distillations (a new, cold-process method of making essential oils) of both these plants have been included in patented inflammation-reducing formulas. These CO2 distillations are readily available for any practitioner to employ in their formulas.
Just published in the Journal of Lipid Research are the results of an investigation in Japan confirming the anti-inflammation activity in several essential oils. This supports the selection of many essential oils used in pain relief and anti-inflammation formulas. The oils shown to reduce inflammation through suppression of the COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzyme included herbs, like thyme, clove and fennel; rose; eucalyptus; and even the citrus Bergamot. The oils considered to have the strongest anti-inflammation activity used in aromatherapy were not even examined, which can mean that there are naturally a great many compounds found in essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Further, some of the individual natural constituents of the essential oil were examined, and it was discovered that carvacrol had the strongest activity. Carvacrol is found in many essential oils, and is most often considered aromatherapy's most potent anti-bacterial, and has been directly implicated in boosting immune system function in other scientific studies. There seems to be a link between inflammation reduction, immune system function and longevity (the inflammation reducing power of the essential oils studied was compared to red-wine extract, implicated in potentially extending lifespan). The study did not go so far as to elucidate the actual mechanism of reducing inflammation, but it would not be suprising if this activity were a factor -- carvacrol, as well as thymol -- the other major component of Thyme essential oil -- are well-known antioxidants.
Many people find relief from painful muscles and joints through the daily self-massage with a pre-made or home-made aromatherapy massage formula. You can find many on the market with high-grade essential oils that can help, or you may be interested in making your own custom recipe. These formulas typically contain a concentration of 2 to 5 percent essential oils in a carrier oil (like Hazelnut or Sesame). Each one percent is made by adding eight drops of an essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. Thus, a three percent concentration would be twenty-four drops essential oil in each ounce of carrier. An excellent example of an anti-inflammatory blend would be one percent German Chamomile, two percent Helichrysum Italicum and two percent Lavender. A little research can help you find the oils that will work best for you.
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Many essential oil blends have already been created that combine these wonderful botanicals. For more on all sorts of therapeutic actions of essential oils, see this list here.
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