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Chemical Components of Essential Oils
By admin | May 25, 2008
Essential oils are the volatile liquids that are distilled from plants (including their respective parts such as seeds, bark, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruit, etc.) They are highly concentrated and far more potent than dried herbs. One of the factors that determine the purity of an oil is its chemical constituents.
These constituents can be affected by a vast number of variables including: the part(s) of the plant from which the oil was produced, soil condition, fertilizer (organic or chemical), geographical region, climate, altitude, harvest season and methods, and distillation process.
For example: common thyme, or thyme vulgaris, produces several different chemotypes (biochemical specifics or simple species) depending on the condition of its growth, climate, and altitude. One will produce high l evels of thymol depending on the time of year it is distilled.
If distilled during mid- summer or late fall, there can be higher levels of carvacrol which can cause the oil to be more caustic or irritating to the skin. Low pressure and low tempurature are also keys to maintaining the purity, the ultimate fragrance, and the therapeutic value of the oil.
High pressures and temperatures seem to cause a harshness to the oil. Even the oil pH and the electropositive and electronegative balance are greatly affected.
The heterogenetic benefits of an oil depend greatly on its chemical constituents; and not only on the existence of specific constituents, but also their amounts in proportion to the other constituents that are present in the same oil. Some individual essential oils may have anywhere from 200 to 800 different chemical constituents.
However, of the possible 800 different constituents, only about 200 of those so far have been identified. Although not everything is known about all of the different constituents, most of them can be grouped into a few distinct families, each with some dominant characteristics.
Essential oils are rich tapestries of numerous chemical components, some of which, even in small quantities, contribute important therapeutic benefits. Cypress, for example, requires 24 hours of distillation at 245 degrees Farenheit and 5 pounds of pressure to extract all of its active ingredients.
If distillation is shortened by only 2 hours, 18-20 of the oil’s chemical constituents will be missing. To cut costs, some processors increase pressure and heat and cut distillation times dramatically.
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PLEASE NOTE: The information in this article is based solely on the use of 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils due to their high quality and tested purity. The use of a brand of uncertain quality and/or purity will provide you with potentially dangerous, if not lethal, results.
The statements about these oils have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These oils are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Tags
Aromatherapy, Basic Facts About Essential Oils, Essential Oils, Introduction to Essential Oils
Topics: Aromatherapy, Basic Facts About Essential Oils, Essential Oils, Introduction to Essential Oils |
