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Each plant from which essential oil is derived belongs to one of a number of botanical families. These origins are easy to forget once the oils have been put into little glass bottles. Just as plants show family characteristics in their physical appearance, essential oils show family characteristics in their therapeutic effects, which can be helpful when selecting oils for any particular condition. For would-be therapists, knowledge of the families helps to give a system of, and a pattern for, learning.
Not all plants produce essential oils and of those which do, not all contain a sufficient quantity to justify extraction, either by distillation or solvent extraction. There are well over 200 plants from which essential oils are taken and although most may present possibilities to the perfume industry (also for the study of smell – osmology), not all are popular, free enough from toxicity or necessary for the practice of aromatherapy.
The yield of essential oil from each plant varies not only from year to year in the same country (because of climatic changes), but also from country to country, depending on the growing conditions, so the yields given can only be approximate and are given after the plant name. Those quoted in this chapter have been taken from Guenther (The Essential Oils) and The H & R Book of Perfume; a 1 per cent yield means that 100 kilos of plant yields approximately 1 litre of essential oil.
There are 21 families which yield the oils used in aromatherapy. Sixteen families yield the most well-known oils; some, like Santalaceae, having hardly any plants in their repertoire and others, like Lamiaceae, having an enormous number.
Unfortunately, botanical names are changed from time to time (which adds to the difficulty of learning them!) Where this is happening, or has happened, all names will be given. Where the common name is almost the same as the Latin name, the former will not be shown.
All plants to be referred to in chapter 5 are entered there under their common name, and this is also the case in all charts, to make them more easily referred to until Latin names become the norm in the UK (see Table 3, for easy reference).
General properties and effects characteristic to the plant family will be indicated; any special property or effect of note for any particular oil is given in addition to these family traits. Further properties and effects of each oil can be found in the various charts and lists in chapters chapter 3, chapter 6 and chapter 14.
Cautions are given on the results of toxicity tests on ingestion by animals, plus the assumption that oils may be wrongly used; these cautions do not necessarily apply to the methods of use (and dilutions used) employed by trained aromatherapists.
Abietaceae (or Pinaceae)
The name Abietaceae is becoming more familiar, though Pinaceae is frequently used. Whichever name is employed, this family, together with the Cupressaceae, belongs to the conifer class.
This is quite a large family, though not many essential oils from its members are in common use.
Family Properties and Effects Essential oils obtained from the Abietaceae family are highly antiseptic and effective on respiratory disorders involving catarrh.
Cedrus atlantica – wood (cedarwood) 3–5%
See chapter 5 for details on C. atlantica and other plants bearing the common name of cedarwood.
Special Properties and Effects A healing and regenerative oil, Cedrus atlantica is a good lymph tonic and is indicated for cellulite. It is useful in cases of oily skin and scalp and has all the family properties too.
Caution Although the bulk of the oil is composed of terpenes and alcohols, it should be treated with respect, containing as it does around 20 per cent of the ketone atlantone. There seems to be some conflict as to whether or not it is an abortive oil, two authors of well-researched books saying it is and two authors of safety data manuals not mentioning it with respect to toxicity. I suggest it is left alone at the commencement of pregnancy until the baby begins to move (see chapter 5 and chapter 11).
Pinus sylvestris – needles (pine) 0.1–0.5%
This is the species recommended by Valnet; other species of pine are in chapter 5.
Special Properties and Effects Of the pines, Pinus sylvestris has the most comprehensive list of health attributes and is the strongest air antiseptic. It is vaporized in the burns units of some hospitals and has been found to help prevent infection after severe burns. It is an effective expectorant16 and its antiseptic action is beneficial for almost all respiratory disorders.
Annonaceae
This family contains only one species – Cananga odorata, with two varieties, of which ylang ylang is one.
Cananga odorata forma genuina – flowers (ylang ylang) 1.5–2.5% Alang-ilang in the Philippines implies something fluttering or trembling in a breeze17 and in Malayan, means ‘flower of flowers’. Although harvested throughout the year, the best time to collect the fully developed deep yellow flowers is around
