Aroma Therapy: An Art of Healing

Abstract

Aroma therapy is one of the most ancient healing arts & traces its origin to 4500BC, when Egyptians used aromatic substances in medicines. The term Aromatherapy was coined by Prof. Gatte`Fosse, a French cosmetic chemist. Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of plants to enhance psychological and physical well-being. The inhaled aroma from "essential" oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing. Aromatherapy activates areas in nose called olfactory receptors, which send messages through nervous system to brain. The oils may activate certain areas of brain, like limbic system, which plays a role in controlling emotions. They could also have an impact on your hypothalamus, which may respond to the oil by creating a good feeling in brain. Its use ranges from pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function to treat asthma, insomnia, fatigue, depression, inflammation, alopecia, cancer, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, menstrual disorders, menopausal syndromes, etc. According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, the most popular essential oils include fennel, geranium, lavender, lemongrass etc.

Exploring essential oils as prospective therapy against the ravaging Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

“…This later property is due to the lipophilic character of volatile compounds and their small size. The action of essential oils begins by entering the human body via three possible different ways including direct absorption through inhalation, ingestion or diffusion through the skin tissue [17][18][19][20]. [7].…”

Aromatic profiling of Murraya koenigii leaves by Thermal Desorption Gas chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (TD-GC-MS)

“…In recent decades, there has been increasing interest in the use of plant volatile material by the food, fragrance and cosmetic industries [ 2 ]. The plant volatiles are also used as alternative medicine in the form of aroma-therapy because they alter an individual's mood, behavior, cognitive function, and health; thus, they have applications in the pharmaceutical industry as well [ 3 ].…”

Effect of Lavender Oil on Anxiety Level in a Group of Egyptian Children

“…It is broadly believed that the medicinal use of aromas play a role in alleviating the emotional states in human. The inhalation of different odors in aromatherapy has been related to relaxation, alertness, attention, performance and healing (6) .…”