Preface
Page: iii-iv (2)
Author: Pradeep Kumar Shukla, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav, Deepti Chopra, Shikha Agnihotry, Pragati Misra and Jyoti Singh
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010002
Aromatherapy Evolution and Blending Basics of Essential Oils
Page: 1-30 (30)
Author: Shikha Agnihotry*, Deepti Chopra, Jyoti Singh, Sandeep Negi, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav, Jaya Upadhyay and Gagan Sharma
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010005
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The history of aromatherapy begins over 3500 years BC. Aromatics were at
the time for religious purposes, perfume, and medicine. Then, in 1910, René-Maurice
Gattefossé, a chemical engineer from Lyon, discovered the therapeutic properties of
pure lavender after an explosion in his laboratory, which left him with major burns. He
treated them with lavender essential oil. Won over by that “miracle”, he founded the
French Society of Aromatic Products and published around twenty works that are still
considered references today. These works would give aromatherapy its reputation and
its very name, as it was Gattefossé who coined the term “aromatherapy”, in 1935. He
conducted many rewarding personal and scientific experiments on essential oils. Other
scientists, such as Charles Chamberland, a biologist and assistant to Louis Pasteur, had
already examined their spectacular antimicrobial action. In the 5th century BCE,
Hippocrates was already treating patients with aromatic vapours. Aromatherapy is a
branch of phytotherapy that uses the volatile active ingredients of aromatic plants.
These are plants that have the ability to synthesize an essence. This science focusses on
the use of essential oils for therapeutic, curative, or preventive purposes. For the most
part, the essential oils are extracted by steam distillation of parts of the plant (such as
leaves, flowers, or bark). Only the essences of citrus pericarp (such as orange or
mandarin zest) tend to be obtained via mechanical cold pressing. In 1929, Sévelinge, a
pharmacist from Lyon, demonstrated the antibacterial efficacy of certain essential oils.
Then, in the 1950s, a military physician used them to treat injured soldiers in Indochina. In 1975, Pierre Franchomme, a pharmacologist and aromatologist, brought about
decisive progress by proposing that the concept of “chemotype”, the “plant’s true
chemical ID card”, should be taken into account, listing the key aromatic compounds
characterizing each plant and how they affect its properties. Today, aromatherapy is
more frequently the focus of scientific studies. It is recognized as a fully-fledged
branch of medicine. Over 17,000 articles on aromatherapy have appeared in an
international high-level scientific publications.
Plant as Potential Resources for Efficacious Essential Oils: Underpinning Aromatherapy Evolution
Page: 31-63 (33)
Author: Pragati Misra*, Ghanshyam Pandey, Shambhavi Pandey, Atul Singh, Arun K. Chaurasia, Eugenia P. Lal, Shikha Agnihotry, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav and Pradeep Kumar Shukla
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010006
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The basis of healthcare has been medicinal plants from the dawn of
humanity. For over 4000 years, people have carefully documented and passed down
through generations the various ways in which these have been utilized. The Indian
Vedic literature, which dates to roughly 2000 BC, contains a list of around 700 compounds. Cinnamon, spikenard, ginger, myrrh, coriander, and sandalwood are a few of
these. Since ancient times, aromatic plant parts and oils have been used for their
therapeutic and culinary characteristics, as well as to produce incense, perfumes,
cosmetics, and for incense sticks. Ritual use was widespread in early cultures, where it
served both sacred and therapeutic objectives that were intricately intertwined. Since
prehistoric times, plant essential oils have been utilized in foods, aromatherapy,
perfumes, cosmetics, spices, and alimentation. They have also been applied in other
medical procedures and phytotherapy. In the current era of pharmaceutical science,
interest in herbal medicines has grown relative to conventional or synthetic treatments
because they are more affordable, more widely accepted, compatible with human
physiology, and have fewer adverse effects. The medicinal properties and applications
of an expanding number of emerging essential oils have been researched and
documented by pharmacists. The interest in analysing their bioactivity has progressed
owing to their widespread use, particularly the recently investigated antibacterial,
antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiabetic effects. The traditional Indian or Ayurvedic
system of medicine, as well as other ecumenical customary systems, would be
transformed if plant predicated knowledge were to be incorporated. The uses of
numerous plants for therapeutic, medical, aesthetic, psychological, olfactory, massage,
aromatherapy, and other associated issues are examined in this chapter.
Essential Oil Biochemistry
Page: 64-94 (31)
Author: Manoj Kumar Tripathi, Rahul M. Srivastava, Muzaffar Hasan*, Chirag Maheshwari and Rajpal S. Jadam
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010007
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Essential oils which are complex blends of volatile compounds particularly
present in a copious amount in aromatic plants, and are mainly composed of terpenes
biochemically generated through the mevalonate pathway. In natural conditions,
essential oils play a significant role in the defense mechanism of plants as antibacterial,
antiviral, antifungal, insecticides and protect from herbivores by reducing their taste for
such plants. Because of their chemical constituents, essential oil holds various
biological activities such as antioxidants, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, etc. which
finds important applications in food, cosmetic, agriculture, industrial, and medical
fields. This chapter covers the chemical constituents and chemistry of essential oils on
the one hand and their biological activities on the other hand.
Essential Oils’ Biosynthesis and their Application
Page: 95-123 (29)
Author: Sandeep Negi*, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav and Lakshmi Bala
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010008
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Abstract
Essential oils are natural plant products that have a wide range of
applications in various fields like medicine, flavors, fragrance, etc. Their wide range of
uses benefits people by exhibiting a variety of diverse properties like anti-allergic, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, insect repellent, anticancer, anti-oxidant, and
many more. They are also crucial to plants in terms of function. They are aromatic and
are present in plants inside specialized cells or glands. Their biosynthesis occurs in the
leaves and is present inside them until flowering. After the flowering of the plant, these
oils get transferred to the flowers. These essential oils can be extracted using a variety
of techniques, including solvent applications, steam distillation, and more. The quality
and amount of essential oils in plants are affected by a variety of circumstances. These
factors include the development stage of plants, the effect of UV radiation, the effect of
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, the effect of light quality, the effect of salt stress, and
the effect of fertilizers.
Essential Oils Toxicity and Conflicts
Page: 124-167 (44)
Author: Archana Shukla*, Angel Kushwaha, Suman Sanju, Priyanka Spring, Ashwani Kumar, Pragati Misra and Pradeep Kumar Shukla
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010009
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
The importance of medicinal plants in enhancing people's lives all around
the world is undeniable. The primary metabolites of therapeutic plants are essential
oils, which are widely used in a variety of businesses since their biological qualities
were first identified in mythology. The biological effects of essential oils include
insecticidal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. These distinctive
qualities raise their attraction and favourability in several international businesses.
They are crucial as scent providers in the cosmetics business and have been employed
as food preservatives in the food sector. Surprisingly, some components of essential
oils are used in medicine since research has shown that some plant-based essential oils
may be able to prevent, delay, or even reverse the growth of cancerous cells, the current
focus is on investigating aromatherapy's potential in terms of Essential Oils biological
qualities. This chapter's goal is to present a short and in-depth examination of Essential
Oils’ cytotoxicity, activity, therapeutic and pharmacological potential, and common
misunderstandings regarding these issues.
Human Organs System and Essential Oils (EOs)
Page: 168-206 (39)
Author: Sandeep Negi*, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav and Lakshmi Bala
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010010
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Some patients prefer complementary and alternative medicine treatments
because they are under the impression that these methods are safer than conventional
medication because of their “natural” origins. EOs can be used in a bath, during a
massage, as a spray, a paste, a gel, or via inhalation. People think that these oils get into
the skin through the upper dermis. There are different ideas about how aromatherapy
could help people. The components of EOs are essential for the treatment and
prevention of cancer; the processes responsible for EOs' antimutagenic capabilities are
numerous. These EOs boost immunity, improve blood circulation, protect from
respiratory and skin diseases, and improve digestion. These are also helpful in relieving
pain in joints and muscular regions. Their importance in boosting brain functioning
helps in the treatment of various neurological problems. They have a significant impact
on resolving human reproductive issues. They play a significant role in modern
medicine and are increasingly used to treat a wide range of illnesses. Their value as a
natural remedy of last resort is universally acknowledged. Their increasing application
to the treatment of human health issues has paved the path for natural aromatherapy to
find widespread acceptance among the general public.
Therapeutic Applications and Pharmacological Practices of Essential Oils
Page: 207-275 (69)
Author: Pragati Misra*, Suchit Ashish John, Shailesh Marker, Shikha Agnihotry, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav, Alka Sagar and Pradeep Kumar Shukla
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010011
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
When referring to a drug's active component as “Quinta essential,”
Paracelsus von Hohenheim, a Swiss physician used the word “essential oil” for the
very first time in the sixteenth century. Plant oils and extracts have been utilised for a
variety of purposes for thousands of years. Essential oils have long been used in
traditional medicine and by practitioners of alternative rejuvenation approaches.
Because of their considerable immunomodulatory and antibacterial action, they have
been used for many years to treat various ailments. Many volatile chemicals generated
by plant secondary metabolism combine to make essential oils. Components of
essential oil may be classified into two related types on a biosynthetic level. The two
primary groups are terpene or terpenoid inchoation compounds, as well as aromatic and
aliphatic components. Since the Middle Ages, essential oils have been utilized for
antibacterial, biocidal, anti-fungal, antiprotozoal, and antifeedant purposes, as well as
painkiller, calming, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and locally anesthetic therapy.
However, little is understood about how essential oils function. Plant oils and extracts'
antimicrobial characteristics have served as the foundation for a variety of enterprises,
including pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine, and herbal treatments.
Future Perspective of Aromatherapy in Skin and Cancer Therapeutics
Page: 276-295 (20)
Author: Deepti Chopra*, Saumya Shukla, Sakshi Yadav, Jyoti Singh, Divya Dubey and Mohd. Danish Kamar
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010012
PDF Price: $15
Abstract
Essential oils have a direct influence on cancer cells along with an impact at
a chemical level on the immune system. Essential oils work efficiently in getting rid of
microorganisms and other foreign bodies from the human body by augmenting white
blood cell activity. Many more small molecules change the way that the main
components of many essential oils act. Furthermore, numerous components play an
important part in various characteristics of essential oils like smell/fragrance,
concentration, colour, texture, cell diffusion, lipophilicity/hydrophilicity, and fixation
over cellular membranes and their distribution within the cell. Biologically, in the
central nervous system disorders, volatile essential oils may affect synergistically along
with the treatment drugs/chemicals. One of the important considerations is the specific
time at which the plant possesses the highest quantity of volatile essential oils along
with the chemical constituent mixture. Essential oils are a beneficial non-medicinal
alternative and they could be included in routine conventional care for some particular
health conditions when their protection and quality control issues have been calculated.
Alternative medicine involving the usage of essential oils is hopeful to decrease the
redundant effects of current medicine and if explored precisely, the therapy will benefit
both the patients and the common man.
Subject Index
Page: 296-301 (6)
Author: Pradeep Kumar Shukla, Ajeet Kumar Srivastav, Deepti Chopra, Shikha Agnihotry, Pragati Misra and Jyoti Singh
DOI: 10.2174/9789815136203124010013
Introduction
Aromatherapy is a medical practice that uses aromatic compounds or essential oils to influence mood and health. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are created from a wide variety of medicinal plants, flowers, herbs, roots, and trees that are found all over the world and have significant, well-documented benefits on enhancing physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. This book is a comprehensive reference on aromatic compounds present in essential oils and their therapeutic use. Starting from fundamentals of essential oil biosynthesis the book guides the reader through their basic biochemistry, toxicology, profiling, blending and clinical applications. The concluding chapters also present focused information about the therapeutic effects of essential oils on specific physiological systems, plant sources, skin treatment and cancer therapeutics. The combination of basic and applied knowledge will provide readers with all the necessary information for understanding how to develop preclinical formulations and standard clinical therapies with essential oils. This is an essential reference for anyone interested in aromatherapy and the science of essential oils.