History Of Aromatherapy - Essay Example

The History of Aromatherapy Plants have been used to cure disease for as long as the human race has existed, and perhaps even earlier than that. Animals are known to eat particular plants for medicinal reasons; for example domestic cats and dogs often eat grass to induce vomiting1. As the human race evolved it developed an awareness of the effects of ingesting certain plants, and this was the beginning of herbal medicine. Cave paintings at Dordogne in France dating back to 18,000 BC depict the use of plants in medicine. The Ancient Egyptian Origins of Aromatherapy Many thousands of years ago, the Egyptian people understood that fragrance could play an important role in maintaining harmony between body and soul. Aromatherapy - the medicinal use of natural plant extracts - is known to have been practiced by the ancient Egyptians over 6000 years ago2. For this ancient culture, perfumes and aromatherapy were a part of daily life, with perfumed substances used in both religious rituals and in medicine. Fragrances were so important to the ancient Egyptians that one of their deities was dedicated to them. Nefertem, the God of perfume, was an important figure in the Egyptian pantheon3, and is linked to Egyptian creation myths as well as being the official patron of plant-based cosmetic and healing arts. Nefertem was most closely linked to the lotus flower, which is still an integral component of Chinese medicine in the present day. The ancient Egyptians used plant oils in religious ceremonies and rituals of all types including embalming, purifying, healing, beautifying, and bathing4. They are known to have used a number of aromatic compounds, including myrrh, frankincense, cedarwood, juniper, and coriander5. Records which date back to 4500 BC mention aromatic oils, barks, resins, and spices used in medicine, religious ritual, and embalming. Many different uses for various plant extracts are documented. For example; hayfever was treated with antimony, aloe, myrrh, and honey6. Queen Nefertiti is said to have used cleansing beauty masks made of honey, milk, and flower pollens7, and to have bathed in oils from 80 different fruits and herbs to keep her skin soft. The Egyptians are thought to have used the processes of distillation and enfleurage to extract plant oils8. The enfleurage technique involves drying flowers over a rack of lard or tallow so that the fat absorbs their scent. This technique was used to extract scent from the Nile lotus, an important ingredient in Egyptian perfumery which features prominently in temple art. Scented substances were included in many of the rituals involved in preparation for the afterlife. They included containers of scented oils at burial sites of the deceased for them to use in the afterlife, and tucked branches of antiseptic herbs such as rosemary within the folds of the cloth wrappings to help preserve the mummy. Cedarwood, clove and myrrh oils were used to embalm the dead. Traces of such herbs have been discovered with intact portions of mummified bodies, with the herb's scent faint but still apparent9. Aromatherapy through the Ages Both the ancient Greeks and Romans gained much of their knowledge of aromatherapy from Egyptian culture10. As trade routes began to open up between Egypt and Europe, the Greeks followed the Egyptians' lead in using plant oils both medicinally and cosmetically. Greek soldiers carried essential oils such as myrrh into battle for the treatment of wounds11, while the famous 'father of medicine', Hippocrates, believed that daily aromatic baths and scented massages were essential to good health12. Knowing that certain plants had antibacterial properties, he urged people to burn these as protection when plague broke out in Athens. Later, the Romans also imported aromatic products from the Far East13. The Romans mastered the art of aromatics, and discovered that while some fragrances were stimulating and uplifting, others had relaxing sedative effects. During the European plague of the 14th century, over eighty million people across Europe died within the span of a few years. The antiseptic and antibacterial properties of essential oils were important during this time14. Frankincense, pine and aromatic herbs were burned in the streets to cover the stench of death and purify the air. In medieval times, perfume was believed to be important in the prevention of sickness. During the 16th century bubonic plague, doctors walked the streets protected by aromatic herbs stuffs in the brims of their hats and in long open-ended canes. Such measures may have provided a means of repelling disease-carrying insects as well as a respite from the stench of sickness. Modern Aromatherapy The development of modern aromatherapy began in 1928 when French perfume chemist Rene Gattefoss burned his hand in a laboratory experiment15, and thrust his arm into the nearest cold liquid for relief. This turned out to be a tub of lavender oil. Gattefoss not only experienced relief from the pain, but also noted that the wound healed quickly with no scarring. He later published an article about the antimicrobial effects of essential oils, in which he coined the term aromatherapy. Gattefoss spent the remainder of his life studying essential oils, and discovered that they could be delivered to internal organs through the skin by way of the blood and lymphatic systems16. He also classified the effects of many essential oils on the digestive system, metabolism, nervous system, and endocrine system. In 1964, Dr. Jean Valnet published The Practice of Aromatherapy17 in which he documented case studies involving the medicinal use of herbs. Valnet treated wounded soldiers, who had severe burns and other battle injuries, with essential oils when traditional medical supplies were unavailable. The development of the practice of aromatherapy as it is known today is credited to Madame Margaret Maury, a student of Gattefoss 18. Maury studied methods for delivering essential oils through the skin during the 1950s, and developed the method of applying them with massage. She also developed the concept of tailoring prescriptions to the specific needs of patients19, which is an important part of modern aromatherapy. References A.historyofaroma@1P4 A.historyofaroma@2P6 B.historyofaroma@2P9 C.historyofaroma@1P2 C.historyofaroma@2P3 Illes, Judith. (1996). Nefertem. Retrieved June 8 2006 from . Minter, Sue. (2004). Cultural History of Plants, ed. Sir Ghillean Prance and Mark Nesbitt New York: Routledge. Valnet, Jean (1964). The Practice of Aromatherapy : A Classic Compendium of Plant Medicines and Their Healing Properties. Healing Arts Press, 1982. Vignaroli , Laura. History of Aromatherapy. Retrieved June 8 2006 from . Wells, Rona. (2003) In the Steps of the Pharaohs. The Middle East Aug/Sept Read More