Archive for January, 2011

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Pimento Oil | Uses of Pimento Essential Oil

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Pimento tree originally belongs to South America and the Caribbean Islands. It is a tall evergreen tree, scientifically referred to as Pimento Diocia as well as Pimento Officinalis. Popularly, pimento is also known as allspice because the aroma of the pimento seed is the blend of many spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove, pepper, juniper berries, and so on. Pimento essential oil is extracted through the process of steam distillation of the pimento leaves and fruits. Pimento essential oil has a very pleasant and spicy but strong aroma. It is yellowish brown in color with a thin consistency. Besides some others, the main chemical constituents of pimento essential oil are eugenol, phellandrene, cineol, and menthyl eugenol.

Pimento oil is not used widely in aromatherapy; however, for its certain wonderful medicinal properties, this oil does find therapeutic uses for curing certain diseases. Some of the common medicinal and therapeutic uses of pimento essential oil are as follows.

  • One of the most common uses of pimento oil is its use as a local anesthesia. It can induce numbness in the muscles when applied locally. In case of some internal muscles injury, small quantity of pimento oil diluted with carrier oil is applied on the affected area to bring instant relief from the pain.
  • Pimento oil is also a great stress reliever. For this, one or two drops of pimento essential oil are added in boiling hot water and vapors are administered through inhalation for a few seconds only. It is believed that the oil can immediately reduce stress levels and help people suffering from depression and anxiety.
  • The most popular property of pimento oil is its anti-oxidant property. It is therefore widely used as an anti-oxidant tonic. Use of this tonic is said to make you stay youthful for a longer time as it slows down the process of ageing, improves metabolism, and keeps your skin healthy and glowing.
  • Pimento oil also helps in keeping your liver and spleen healthy as a general health tonic.
  • Pimento oil is also used for curing the disorders of the digestive system such as indigestion, acidity, and flatulence. It also helps in clearing parasites and worms from your stomach and intestines.
  • Pimento essential oil also has the ability to improve poor blood circulation.

Despite having all these medicinal properties, you must know that this oil is very strong and can cause irritation on the skin. You should use this oil only under strict medical supervision.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Aromatherapy Oils | No Comments »

Pennyroyal Essential Oil | Pennyroyal Oil Uses

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Pennyroyal is a perennial herb native to Europe. It belongs to the mint family of plants. Botanically, it is referred to as Mentha Pulegium. The pennyroyal plant grows wild in moist and marshy soil. It is, therefore, found in abundance on the banks of ponds and rivers. It grows up to a height of nearly 50 cm. Its leaves are oval in shape with a mint-like fragrance. Pennyroyal is very poisonous plant due to the chemicals it contains such as pulegone, menthone, and neomenthone.

Pennyroyal essential oil is obtained through the process of steam distillation of the fresh leaves of the pennyroyal plant. It has a mixed mint-like and earthy aroma. Before getting to know the medicinal benefits of the pennyroyal oil, you should know that pennyroyal oil is highly toxic and poisonous and should be used only under the supervision of a qualified and expert medical practitioner. Of course, you must be wondering why use this oil when it is already known to be so dangerous? The fact is that in some of the medicines (especially, homoeopathic medicines), poisonous contents of certain plants are used to cure some particular diseases and ailments. Some of the therapeutic and other pennyroyal oil uses are as follows.

  • Pennyroyal oil is known to have excellent anti-hysteric properties. Sometimes, under the influence of a hysteria attack, the affected person may put his or her life in danger. Pennyroyal essential oil has a calming effect on the nerves; therefore, it finds wide use in controlling hysteria attacks in the patients who frequently have such convulsions and attacks.
  • Pennyroyal essential oil being highly toxic in nature has excellent antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It is therefore administered in mild doses for the treatment of certain bacterial and other infections. In tiny amounts, it is also applied on the wounds in order to kill the bacteria and germs present in the wounds.
  • Pennyroyal oil is also used for curing ailments of the respiratory system. Since this oil is highly toxic, it attacks the bacteria and germs that cause mucous deposits in your lungs, thereby loosening the phlegm and helping in coughing it out. In this manner, it finds great use as a decongestant.
  • Owing to its toxic nature, pennyroyal oil finds wide use in the manufacture of insecticides as well.

Pennyroyal essential oil should never be used during pregnancy as it could lead to a miscarriage or a spontaneous abortion.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Aromatherapy Oils | No Comments »

Yuzu Essential Oil | Yuzu Fruit or Citrus Junos

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Yuzu is a small tree native to China and Japan; it also grows wild throughout Korea and Tibet. In botany, yuzu is referred to as citrus junos. Yuzu fruit is a citrus fruit with a golden yellow colored peel. The yuzu fruit is very popular among the people owing to its taste. The peel of the yuzu fruit has a very refreshing sweet and citrus fragrance. Yuzu essential oil is obtained by the process of steam distillation or through the solvent method from the yuzu fruit peels. The color of yuzu essential oil is greenish orange, with a fresh and rejuvenating citrus aroma that closely resembles with that of a grapefruit. Yuzu fruit juice as well as yuzu essential oil are very popular in Japan for its taste and medicinal values. Some great uses of yuzu essential oil are as follows:

  • In most Asian countries, such as Japan, China, and Korea, yuzu oil has been used in traditional medicine for last hundred years. The most common use has been in a hot bath. By adding a few drops of this oil to a hot bath and soaking in it, it is believed that you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated. This oil has the wonderful property of relieving stress and strain. In today’s modern world, yuzu essential oil is widely used for the treatment of emotional stress, fatigues, and fits as it has the great soothing and calming effect on the nerves.
  • Owing to its antispasmodic properties, yuzu essential oil is greatly used for relieving muscular and joint pains as well. It has the ability to relieve even chronic rheumatic pains. For this, a regular massage with diluted yuzu oil should be taken by an expert aroma therapist.
  • Yuzu essential oil also has a great effect on the circulatory system. It is therefore greatly used by many aroma therapists for curing the disorders of the circulatory system. It improves the poor blood circulation as well as helps in removing toxins from the body.
  • For its sweet and fresh fragrance, yuzu essential oil finds great use in flavoring several food recipes. It greatly enhances the taste of sweet dishes and desserts owing to its refreshing flavor.
  • For its very pleasant and sweet fragrance, yuzu oil is also widely used in perfumery industry for making several room freshener formulations and other cosmetic products.

Although there are no known side effects of yuzu oil, it is always better to consult a physician before using it so as to avoid any unfortunate accidents or reactions.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Aromatherapy Oils | No Comments »

Yarrow Essential Oil | Achillea Millefolium

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Yarrow is a perennial herbal plant. Originally, it was native to Europe and Northwestern Asia. However, today, it is grown in many African countries as well as the United States of America. Scientifically, yarrow hurb is referred to as achillea millefolium. For ages, yarrow herb has been used to cure several ailments. In the modern world, the essential oil of achillea millefolium is popularly used in aromatherapy for the treatment of a number of diseases. Yarrow essential oil is extracted through the process of steam distillation of the herb. The essential oil is deep blue in color, with a fresh, herbaceous and woody but strong aroma. The consistency of the oil is medium. Achillea millefolium oil contains certain organic compounds that contribute to its unique medicinal properties. Some of the health benefits of yarrow essential oil are as follows:

  • Yarrow oil is very beneficial for keeping your digestive system healthy. It does so by maintaining proper secretion of digestive juices and balancing the metabolic activity in the stomach. It is therefore greatly used as a general tonic for maintaining the health of your liver, intestines, and digestive system.
  • Yarrow oil also has healing properties. It has the wonderful ability of stopping bleeding immediately in case of an injury. It has also the wonderful ability to stop internal bleeding that may be caused by an external shock or due to some internal hemorrhage.
  • Yarrow oil is an excellent expectorant as well. If you are suffering from cough, chest and nasal congestion, or sinusitis, inhaling the vapors of yarrow essential oil through steam, especially at night before going to sleep, can be very beneficial. For this, pour four to five drops of yarrow oil in a mug of steaming hot water and slowly inhale the vapors for about 10 minutes.
  • In aromatherapy, yarrow essential oil is very popular as antispasmodic oil. Many aroma therapists use this oil for relieving all kinds of muscular as well as rheumatic pains.
  • Yarrow oil also has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system; it is believed that a massage with this oil can greatly improve poor blood circulation.

These are some of the most popular medicinal benefits of yarrow essential oil. However, while there are no known side effects of this oil, it should not be used in the case of epilepsy or by pregnant women, owing to its strong nature. Also, it is always advisable to consult a doctor or an aroma therapist before using any oil for treatment of any disorder.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Aromatherapy Oils | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »