Rosemary Oil: A new guide to the most invigorating rememdy

Rosemary Oil: A new guide to the most invigorating rememdy Julia Lawless Rosemary has been cultivated since ancient times, once playing a central role in many traditional rites and ceremonies. It has been valued for its medical, culinary and cosmetic properties for thousands of years.This traditional ‘cure all’ folk remedy is also one of the most popular essential oils. Rosemary oil is principally used to invigorate and stimulate the body, and provides a good counterbalance to calming oils, such as lavender. In this new guide, Julia Lawless explains why the oil is so versatile and how to use it therapeutically.Employed for a variety of purposes from liver tonic to the treatment of muscular aches and pains, rosemary is beneficial for many other common health conditions including:• Rheumatism• Arthritis• Headaches• Sinusitis• Low blood pressure• Hair loss• Dandruff Copyright (#ulink_33bbbab8-21d3-5e96-a3a8-5ec4a7726d06) Thorsons An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 77–85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB First published by Thorsons 1996 © Julia Lawless 1996 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Julia Lawless asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e–book on–screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse–engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e–books. HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication. Source ISBN 9780722533499 Ebook Edition © AUGUST 2014 ISBN: 9780008108434 Version: 2014-08-26 Dedication (#ulink_604e1ace-0e18-528f-b3b9-5979ee63b2fb) To Judy Contents Cover (#u1a978be8-f8cb-5d39-a53b-553351dfd932) Title Page (#u43a3228a-6df6-5c80-8fc5-5416d88b9691) Copyright (#ulink_ecb53d83-dea7-5772-ba37-c770d6813ebb) Dedication (#ulink_313ba073-0ec7-5924-ab2b-b3a641aedf23) Rosemary Oil – An Introduction (#ulink_e45545c7-72d8-542e-aec8-b1a2793dc508) Part I: A Medical and Historical Background 1 The Herb of Remembrance (#ulink_288ea6f9-31d4-5570-a414-dcfc4f832974) 2 A Traditional ‘Cure All’ Folk Remedy (#ulink_b5c57510-737d-5c0b-a33c-16bcb31bec4c) 3 Rosemary Oil: Chemical Analysis and Clinical Research (#ulink_d83b4653-7f2b-5125-986e-1dd53e9a0370) 4 Cultivation, Production and Quality Control (#litres_trial_promo) 5 A Summary of the Properties and Applications of Rosemary Oil (#litres_trial_promo) 6 Methods of Use, Safety Data and Storage Precautions (#litres_trial_promo) Part II: A–Z of Health and Beauty Applications: (#litres_trial_promo) amenorrhoea (absent/irregular periods); (#litres_trial_promo)arteriosclerosis; (#litres_trial_promo)arthritis; (#litres_trial_promo)asthma; (#litres_trial_promo)boil (furuncle)/abscess; (#litres_trial_promo)bronchitis; (#litres_trial_promo)bursitis; (#litres_trial_promo)carbuncles; (#litres_trial_promo)cellulite; (#litres_trial_promo)chilblains; (#litres_trial_promo)colds; (#litres_trial_promo)colitis; (#litres_trial_promo)constipation; (#litres_trial_promo)coughs; (#litres_trial_promo)dandruff; (#litres_trial_promo)debility (nervous); (#litres_trial_promo)depression; (#litres_trial_promo)disinfectant; (#litres_trial_promo)dysmenorrhoea (period pain); (#litres_trial_promo)dyspepsia (indigestion) and flatulence; (#litres_trial_promo)faintness/dizziness; (#litres_trial_promo)fever; (#litres_trial_promo)flu; (#litres_trial_promo)gout; (#litres_trial_promo)hair care; (#litres_trial_promo)hangover; (#litres_trial_promo)headaches; (#litres_trial_promo)immune system (to strengthen); (#litres_trial_promo)insect repellent; (#litres_trial_promo)jetlag; (#litres_trial_promo)laryngitis; (#litres_trial_promo)liver problems/congestion; (#litres_trial_promo)low blood-pressure (hypotension); (#litres_trial_promo)lumbago; (#litres_trial_promo)migraine; (#litres_trial_promo)mouth and gum infections; (#litres_trial_promo)muscular aches and pains; (#litres_trial_promo)neuralgia; (#litres_trial_promo)oedema (fluid retention); (#litres_trial_promo)palpitations (tachycardia); (#litres_trial_promo)perfume; (#litres_trial_promo)perspiration (excessive); (#litres_trial_promo)pets/animal care; (#litres_trial_promo)rheumatism; (#litres_trial_promo)sciatica; (#litres_trial_promo)sinusitis; (#litres_trial_promo)skin care; (#litres_trial_promo)sore throat; (#litres_trial_promo)sprains; (#litres_trial_promo)stress; (#litres_trial_promo)varicose veins; (#litres_trial_promo)whooping cough (#litres_trial_promo) Keep Reading (#litres_trial_promo) Appendix A: Recipes Using Rosemary (#litres_trial_promo) Appendix B: The Constituents of Rosemary Oil (#litres_trial_promo) Bibliography and Further Reading (#litres_trial_promo) References (#litres_trial_promo) Useful Addresses (#litres_trial_promo) Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo) Other Books By (#litres_trial_promo) About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo) Rosemary Oil: An Introduction (#ulink_25eefa27-3e22-57af-9dc4-24cf25392d8d) Rosemarie, the chiefest beauties of Gardens and not to be wanted in the Kitchen. B. Googe, Four Books of Husbandry (1577) Rosemary has been called the ‘Prince’ of aromatic herbs – and it is not difficult to understand why! This handsome evergreen shrub with narrow, dark green leaves and small blue or mauve flowers has been cultivated since ancient times and is still a familiar sight in many gardens today. The flowers and ‘needles’ are endowed with the most delightful, refreshing scent, and rosemary has always been valued as one of the most important culinary herbs, having a strong, distinctive flavour. It has also been highly esteemed for its medicinal and cosmetic properties for thousands of years, and once played a central role in many traditional rites and ceremonies. Rosemary belongs to the large botanical family Labiatae (Lamiaceae) along with lavender and many of the other common aromatic herbs, including marjoram, sage, thyme and mint. The native habitat of the wild rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is Asia Minor and southern Europe; like lavender, it thrives in the Mediterranean region. It can still be found growing in profusion along the Mediterranean coastline, on the Balkan Peninsula, throughout Spain and Portugal and, to a lesser extent, in Turkey, Egypt and the Lebanon. It is one of the few shrubs that can survive the rigorous climate of the Sahara desert, although it is more at home growing in proximity to water. Indeed, its name is derived from the Latin ros (dew) and marinus (sea), meaning ‘Dew of the Sea’. Rosemary has probably been cultivated in Great Britain for over 600 years, having been introduced by the Romans. Some sources say that it then went out of cultivation until the fourteenth century, when it was re-introduced by Queen Philippa, wife of King Edward III. Today it can be found growing in gardens throughout the world, even as far north as Canada, Scandinavia and Russia. In more northerly climes, however, it rarely grows taller than 1.2 m (4 ft) high, whereas in its natural habitat Rosmarinus officinalis can reach 1.8 m (6 ft) or more in height. It is also slightly frost-tender and needs the protection of a cold frame or the shelter of a south- or west-facing wall to survive a cold winter. Neither will rosemary tolerate water-logged conditions, and is best grown in well-drained limey soil or in a pot containing lots of broken crockery to ensure good drainage. Rosemary is a favourite with gardeners and is often grown purely as a decorative plant both for its scent and for its fine stature. Gertrude Jekyll writes in her book House and Garden ‘… ever-blessed rosemary all over the garden, so that at every few steps the passer-by can run his hand over the blue-flowered branchlets and smell the warm resinous incense in his palm.’ Sir Thomas More let it run all over his garden walls because, he wrote, ‘My bees love it.’ Other men have apparently been more cautious about letting it grow too freely! There is an old folk belief that says ‘where rosemary flourishes, the woman rules’: There is a vulgar belief in Gloucestershire and other counties, that Rosemary will not grow well unless where the mistress is ‘master’; and so touchy are some of the lords of creation upon this point, that we have more than once had reason to suspect them of injuring a growing rosemary in order to destroy this evidence of their want of authority. There are now many different cultivars or species available to the gardener, each with differing flower and leaf colours. The flowers can be bright blue, purplish-blue, pink, white, pale mauve or a soft, powdery blue. The needle-like leaves can vary from a dull, dark green to a variegated silver or golden form. However, the green-leaved common rosemary (R. officinalis var. officinalis) is the only type used medicinally and is the variety usually employed for the production of essential oil. It is also generally the type used for cooking. Other well-known cultivars, some of which are occasionally used for essential oil production, include: Rosmarinus officinalis var. albus: the white-flowered variety, quite rare R. officinalis var. argenteus: a rare silver-leaved variegated form R. officinalis var. aureus: a half-hardy, golden-leaved variegated form R. officinalis ‘Benenden Blue’ (sometimes known as ‘Blue Lagoon’: green-leaved with bright blue flowers R. officinalis var. fastigiatus ‘Miss Jessup’s Upright’: an erect, compact shrub often grown as a hedge R. officinalis var. roseus: a form with rosy-pink flowers R. officinalis var. lavandulaceus (procumbens): a tender, low-growing species sometimes used for the production of an essential oil R. officinalis ‘Severn Sea’: a decorative species with brilliant blue flowers R. officinalis var. angustifolia (tenuifolius): a pine-scented species occasionally used for the production of an essential oil. PART I (#ulink_915ce3c4-bc2f-55ab-a945-8e70bee6ea73) CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_f6732a38-9fc3-55eb-af7a-d17bd6792225) The Herb of Remembrance (#ulink_f6732a38-9fc3-55eb-af7a-d17bd6792225) There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray you love, remember … Hamlet, IV.v In Ophelia’s well-known parting words to Hamlet, rosemary is associated with enduring love and faithfulness, even beyond the grave. In the so-called ‘language of flowers’ which was popular in Europe during the Middle Ages, rosemary stood for ‘remembrance’ and, in Shakespeare’s time, the symbolic significance of many flowers and herbs was still common knowledge. Yet rosemary has been linked with the rituals of both marriage and death since antiquity, through the common theme of ‘remembrance’ or ‘undying devotion’. Grow it for two ends, it matters not at all Be’t for my bridall or my buriall … Robert Herrick, Book of Rosemary Rosemary’s associations with funeral rites go back to the time of the ancient Egyptians: traces of the dried herb have been found in First Dynasty tombs (circa 2000 BC). The archaeologist Prospero Alpini found sprigs of rosemary within the wrappings of a mummy in Cairo, which suggests it was used as part of the embalming process. This also gives an indication of rosemary’s preservative properties and why it became such an important culinary herb, especially in those times when food needed to be stored without the luxury of refrigeration. For you there’s rosemary and rue; these keep Seeming and savour all winter long: Grace and remembrance be to you both The Winter’s Tale, Act IV.iii As an evergreen plant which retained its fragrance for longer than most other herbs once picked and dried, and since it could be used to preserve other foods, rosemary became a fitting emblem for loyalty and steadfastness. It was often used as a Christmas decoration or given as a New Year’s gift, together with an orange stuck with cloves, as a sign of regeneration. Such qualities also helped to give rosemary the reputation for preserving youth and promoting longevity: ‘Make thee a box of the wood and smell it and it shall preserve thy youth…’ The ancient Romans employed the herb in their bath houses for maintaining a glowing complexion and toning the muscles, while for the Greeks the scent of rosemary was thought to stimulate the intellect and keep the mind alert. Greek students would consequently wear a wreath of rosemary in their hair when taking examinations, to improve their memory. The ancient Greeks also used rosemary in the form of incense at religious ceremonies, especially during funerals, when prepared incense was not available. Later it became traditional to place a wreath of rosemary on the grave of a loved one, to show that the dead would not be forgotten. Within the Christian tradition, these wreathes subsequently became a sign of Christ’s faithful promise of resurrection, and until quite recently it was customary in Wales to strew sprigs of rosemary onto the coffin of a deceased loved one before it was covered with earth. Sir Thomas More wrote: ‘It is the herb sacred to remembrance, and, therefore to friendship; whence a sprig of it hath a dumb language that maketh it the chosen emblem of our funeral wakes and in our burial grounds.’ As a symbol of remembrance, rosemary was just as popular at weddings as at funerals. In Europe during the Middle Ages, the herb was used as a marriage decoration, and was traditionally included in the bride’s bouquet or worn in her crown as a sign of fidelity. Anne of Cleves wore rosemary in her coronet at her marriage to Henry VIII, and all her wedding chests were said to have been made from rosemary wood. Another custom of that time demanded that during the ceremony each member of the bridal party should hold a sprig of rosemary in her right hand as testimony that the bride was still a virgin. Even as late as the nineteenth century it was common for women to include a few sprigs of rosemary in their wedding posy. The bride was led to church between two sweet boys with bridelaces and Rosemary tied to their silken sleeves. After the marriage, the bed linen was scented with dried rosemary, and the bride who gave her husband a sprig to hold on their wedding night would ensure that he remained faithful. Another way of preventing the groom from straying from the marriage bed was to place three rosemary leaves in the Bible at the passage from ‘The Song of Solomon’ that reads ‘Let him always kiss her with the kisses of his mouth’ and then put the Bible under his pillow. According to another old folk saying, which would seem more useful before marriage than afterwards, if a man doesn’t like the smell of rosemary he will be no good in bed! It holds a special position among herbs from the symbolism attached to it. Not only was it used at weddings but also at funerals, for decking churches and banqueting halls at festivals, as incense in religious ceremonies, and in magical spells. Rosemary can also be regarded as one of the ‘sacred’ herbs, which over the centuries have gathered many legends and folk beliefs around them. The early Greeks and Romans considered rosemary a magical plant, and the Roman poet Horace composed odes to its supernatural properties. In Europe during the pre-Christian era, rosemary was carried as a protection against evil and was used in ceremonies involving purification or an exorcism of some kind. It is still a favourite herb among gypsies, who hang a bunch of rosemary by the door as a protective charm where a child is sleeping. It also acts as a charm against nightmares! As one fourteenth-century manuscript says: The leves layde under the head whannea man slepes, it doth away evell spirites and suffereth not to dreame fowle dremes ne to be afeade. But he must be out of deedly synne for it is an holy tree. Lavender and Rosemary is as woman to man and Whote Roose to Reede. It is an holy tree and with ffolke that been just and Rightfull gladlye it groweth and thryveth. The Spaniards call it ‘Romero’ – the ‘Pilgrim’s Flower’ – and in Spain and Italy it has long been considered a safeguard against witches and evil influences, especially on long journeys. Its connection with the sea, as demonstrated by its old folk names ‘Compass Plant’, ‘Polar Plant’ and ‘Compass-weed’, also hint at its protective and preservative attributes. The diagram on the background of a compass showing all directions in relation to North (originally magnetic north but, later, polar north) is still called the ‘mariner’s rose’. The ‘needle’, pointing north, again indicates ‘constancy’ or ‘loyalty’. The familiar scent of the herb growing along the Mediterranean coastline must have once welcomed sailors returning home, for the rosemary flowers were ‘credibly reported to give their scent above thirty leagues off at sea, upon the coast of Spain’. Primitive beliefs regarding the herb’s protective qualities are no doubt based largely on its excellent antiseptic and prophylactic powers, which is why it was also used as a preventative in times of plague during the Middle Ages and was later burned in French hospitals to inhibit the spread of disease. According to French folklore, the scent of burning rosemary also renewed one’s energy and helped to stimulate the mind. Indeed, it is a well-known fact that certain scents can enliven the mental faculties or act as a trigger to evoke long-forgotten memories. In the popular folk song ‘Scarborough Fair’, four of the most aromatic herbs, including rosemary, are mentioned again and again in the refrain in recollection of a past lover: Where are you going? To Scarborough Fair. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, Remember me to a bonny lass there, For once she was a true lover of mine. There are also several Christian legends associated specifically with this herb. According to one story, the rosemary bush will grow no higher than 2 m (6 ft) tall, so as not to exceed the height of Christ, and will only grow in breadth after 33 years (Christ’s age at the time of his crucifixion). In another legend, the flowers of the rosemary were originally said to be white, but were changed to blue when the Virgin Mary threw her cloak over the silvery bush while resting during her journey into Egypt. Tansy, thyme, sweet cicely, Saffron, balm, and rosemary, That since the virgin threw her cloak, Across it – so say cottage folk – Has changed its flowers from white to blue… It is interesting to note that the mass of legends and folklore which has gathered around rosemary over the centuries tends to reflect the same basic elements which are inherent in the therapeutic action of the herb itself – as a protection against disease; as a preservative; and as a cephalic and nerve tonic for sharpening the mind and intellect. CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_63192802-126f-5c2f-8c6a-37ed136f4fa7) A Traditional ‘Cure All’ Folk Remedy (#ulink_63192802-126f-5c2f-8c6a-37ed136f4fa7) Speaking of the powers of rosemary, it overtoppeth all the flowers in the garden, boasting man’s rule. It helpeth the brain, strengtheneth the memorie, and is very medicinable for the head. Another property of the rosemary is, it affects the heart. Let this rosemarinus, this flower of men, ensigne of your wisdom, love and loyaltie, be carried not only in your hands, but in your hearts and heads. Rosemary is one of the native ‘cure all’ remedies which can be found among the traditional folk customs of many countries, especially those of the Mediterranean region. It has an ancient medical history, although the earliest record of its use specifically for therapeutic purposes can be traced to Greek and Roman times. The ancient Greeks burned sprigs of rosemary as an incense on their shrines – so it became known as the ‘Incense Bush’. The great classical writers Dioscorides and Theophrastus recommended it specifically for stomach and liver problems. Galen too prescribed it for liver disorders, particularly jaundice, while Hippocrates, the ‘Father of Medicine’, said that the herb (R. officinalis var. officinalis) was best cooked with vegetables to overcome liver and spleen complaints. The Romans used infusions of rosemary for weakness of the heart, poor circulation, anaemia and nervous exhaustion. It was also employed to clean wounds and recommended for coughs and chest complaints. It was the Romans who most probably introduced rosemary to Britain, as they did in other parts of their Empire, although this was not recorded at the time. It is, however, mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Leech Book of Bald (circa AD 1000) as a protection against evil spirits and as a remedy for toothache. In the thirteenth-century Myddfai manuscripts it is recommended as a charm against nightmares and ‘all mental anxiety’ when placed under the pillow. This tends to suggest that the herb was already in use before the fourteenth century, when the Countess of Hainault sent rosemary plants to England for her daughter Philippa, Queen of Edward III (1327–77), together with a manuscript extolling its virtues: ‘Rosemary … it mighteth the boones and causeth goode and gladeth and lighteth alle men that use it.’ Throughout Europe during this period, rosemary twigs were used extensively as a fumigant in sick rooms, hospitals and as a preventative against the plague. An old French name for the herb was Incensier, because it was sometimes burned as incense in church. In a thirteenth-century French treatise, Arnauld de Villeneuve also describes how the essential oil could be distilled and used as a remedy. Indeed, over the next few centuries rosemary was one of the most valuable medicines at the disposal of the apothecary, and was prepared in a variety of ways. The leaves and flowers were used fresh or dried, often mixed with wine (in the form of a tincture) or prepared as an infusion by boiling them in water. Aromatic oils, ointments and liniments were commonly applied for external treatment. Rosemary was also the vital ingredient in the famous ‘Queen of Hungary Water’, a lotion which is said to have completely rejuvenated and revitalized the paralysed limbs of that ageing sovereign. A formula dated 1235, which is thought to be in the handwriting of Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, is still preserved in Vienna. It was prepared by putting one and a half pounds of fresh rosemary tops, in full flower [some versions include myrtle and lavender] into one gallon of spirits of wine … this was allowed to stand for four days and then distilled. Hungary water was also considered very efficacious against gout in the hands and feet, being rubbed into them vigorously. As a rejuvenating elixir for cosmetic purposes, rosemary was also renowned as a fine tonic for the hair and scalp. It was used to eliminate dandruff, stimulate hair growth, prevent baldness and generally enhance the colour of dark hair. The doctors of Myddfai, in addition, counselled the use of rosemary for retaining a youthful complexion: A fine thing it is to boil in water the leaves and flowers and to use the mixture as a face wash. Do not wipe the face afterwards, but let it dry naturally. The truth is that by regularly washing their faces in this way the wise will keep their youth until the day they die. From the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, the numerous medicinal and cosmetic applications of rosemary were duly recorded at length in the new European herbels. Banckes’ Herbal of 1525 gave an authoritative list of complaints which might be treated with the herb: ‘Take the flowers thereof and boyle them in fare water and drinke that water, for it is much worthe against all manner of evils in the body …’ Half a century later, Nicholas Culpeper (1616–54) recommended a decoction of the herb in wine for all ‘cold diseases of the head and brain’, such as giddiness, lethargy and weak memory; an infusion of the herb in oil for rheumatism and for refining the complexion; and that the dried leaves should be smoked in the form of tobacco for consumption or chronic coughs. Regarding the essential oil, he mentions the following warning: The chymical oil drawn from the leaves and flowers … is a sovereign help for all the diseases aforesaid, to touch the temples and nostrils with two or three drops for all the diseases of the head and brain spoken of before; as also to take one drop, two or three, as the case requires for the inward diseases; yet it must be done with discretion, for it is very quick and piercing, and therefore but a little must be taken at a time. Because of its sharp, penetrating odour, the Elizabethans used rosemary oil in place of smelling salts to revive a faint spirit. The sixteenth and early seventeenth century also saw a revival in the use of flower waters, which the Elizabethans used to scent their clothes and floors, sprinkling fragrant liquids from their ‘casting bottles’. Rosemary was also a central feature in the formal Elizabethan herb gardens, where it was often used as hedging or clipped into the shape of a bench, a bird, a cart or some other object. In England, as in other European countries, most large houses had their own ‘still room’ where herbs could be dried and where aromatic oils and fragrant waters could be prepared. Apart from her obsession with roses, France’s Empress Josephine is said to have loved the scent of rosemary. She requested Napoleon to wash in rosemary water before he entered her bedchamber, and he used it to sweeten his breath. It is recorded that Napoleon used up 162 bottles of rosemary water in the first three months of their marriage! The Colonial Americans were also aware of the cosmetic benefits of rosemary, which they introduced to the ‘New World’. They used a rosemary rinse not only to improve the shine and colour of their hair, but also to make it curl. During the eighteenth century in the United States, as in Europe, rosemary was also valued as a medicine and commonly prescribed as a stimulant, emmenagogue and anti-spasmodic, while its oil was principally employed in ointments, liniments and embrocations. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, however, both in the US and Europe, herbal medicine was already in decline as newly discovered chemical drugs took their place. Ancient folk remedies such as rosemary lost credibility in the eyes of the professionals and public alike, while the scientific approach, with its emphasis on specialization, steadily gained ground. It was only in the first few decades of the twentieth century that the potential of plant medicines began to be re-assessed seriously in the light of new scientific evidence using modern research techniques. CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_4498717b-2e37-5789-8b85-631e8058a20e) Rosemary Oil: Chemical Analysis and Clinical Research (#ulink_4498717b-2e37-5789-8b85-631e8058a20e) Forgotten and ignored for many years, aromatic essences are coming back into their own, for many researchers and for a wide section of public opinion, as the stars of medicine. Faced with a mounting toll of complications known to have been caused by aggressively synthesized chemical medications, many patients are now unwilling to be treated except by natural therapies, foremost among which plants and essences have their rightful place. The resurgence of interest in aromatherapy, medical herbalism and other natural therapies over the last few decades bears witness to the opening words of Dr Valnet’s pioneering book The Practice of Aromatherapy, first published in France in 1964. In it, he advocates the re–evaluation of plant medicines using modern research techniques and cites many clinical tests which confirm ‘the validity of traditional ideas based on practical experience’. In the past, when the chemical composition of essential oils was still a mystery, aromatic oils were used successfully to combat all types of infectious disease. Such knowledge was based on the vast accumulation of empirical evidence gathered over centuries of experimentation. In Europe during the Great Plague of 1665, for example, rosemary was burned in public places to help contain the epidemic, and was carried in special pouches or compartments inside walking sticks as protection while passing through infected areas. Recent research has shown that rosemary is in fact one of the most potent antiseptic and prophylactic agents available. As early as the 1920s, Ren? Gattefoss?, the French chemist who first coined the term ‘aromatherapie’, had noted the powerful bactericidal properties of rosemary in his own clinical research based on a detailed chemical analysis of the oil: The essences of rosemary, sage, pine and fir contain borneol and its esters. This is what gives them their strong antiseptic qualities and accounts for their medicinal applications. Essence of rosemary is considered a beneficial stomachic against atopic dyspepsia. The leaf infusion is stimulating and has yielded excellent results for some feverish conditions causing temporary but worrying prostration. He continues: Cazin obtained marvellous results for pernicious bouts of malaria. Brissemoret, in his ‘Essais sur les preparations galeniques’, lists it as a stimulant and tonic because of the presence of borneol, along with camphor, cineol, pinene and camphene. It is a vermifuge and an emmenagogue. Gattefoss? had not been the first to draw conclusions about the therapeutic potential of an essential oil by examining its chemical composition. A wealth of research had already been carried out during the previous 50 years by Calvello (1902), Marx (1903), Kobert (1906) and Clavel (1918), to name but a few. However, as a chemist with a specialist interest in aromatics Gattefoss? did make a substantial contribution to this field, which later proved an inspiration to Dr Valnet. Through his work as a doctor and surgeon during the Second World War, Valnet had become especially interested in the antiseptic properties of essential oils and their ability to inhibit the spread of infection. He introduced the use of natural aromatics into his clinical practice with very successful results. In 1958 Dr Valnet wrote: ‘…we learned that vapours derived from aromatic plants possess antiseptic properties which inhibit the development of certain staphylococci and coliform bacilli. These plants include (in descending order of potency) thyme, rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint, orange blossom… etc.’ To study the suppression of germs by aromatic oils with greater precision, Valnet and his colleagues formulated a laboratory technique called the ‘aromatogram’. This method, which involved testing specific oils on cultured bacteria in vitro, was used not only to ascertain the minimum effective dosage of various oils but also to find which one was best suited to treating a particular infection. One of the intriguing aspects of this programme was that patients responded to different oils even if suffering from the same infection! This is because, unlike antibiotics (which kill germs and healthy bacteria alike), essential oils support the body’s own defence system by creating a healthy environment in which the pathogens are unable to survive – according to the needs of each individual case. In 1978, Valnet and his colleagues employed the ‘aromatogram’ to carry out 268 test cases, using a variety of oils including rosemary. Several bacteria and fungi were tested, including Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Strep. faecalis and Candida albicans. Although rosemary proved to be 1.48 times more effective than antibiotics in vitro against the above organisms, it was not as successful as some oils, such as origanum, cinnamon, thyme or savory at combating both bacterial and fungicidal germs. Subsequent research carried out during the 1970s, eighties and early nineties has in fact confirmed that, although rosemary is effective against a wide range of bacteria, its fungicidal action is more variable: 1974: Opdyke – Rosemary was shown to have good antimicrobial properties in a series of tests against bacteria and fungi.6 (#litres_trial_promo) 1976: Bardeau – Several vaporized oils were tested for their capacity to destroy a range of bacteria including Proteus, Staph, aureus and Strep. pyogenes. Rosemary was found to be one of the most effective essences (together with lavender, thyme, pine, marjoram and clove), and thus was found suitable for the treatment of infections such as the common cold and bronchitis.7 (#litres_trial_promo) 1987: Deans and Richie – rosemary was tested against 25 types of bacteria, and found effective against 21 varieties.8 (#litres_trial_promo) 1984: Benjilali et al. – rosemary and eucalyptus were demonstrated to be less effective than thyme and three artemisia oils at inhibiting 39 fungi.9 (#litres_trial_promo) 1993: Biondii et al. – 22 oils, including rosemary, were tested against seven bacteria. Rosemary was not among the top oils but it was noted that ‘other studies gave conflicting results, and this was due to the compositional differences of the oils dependent on their source.’10 (#litres_trial_promo) 1994: Pandit and Shelef – Eighteen spices were screened for anti-listerial properties. Only rosemary and cloves were found to be listericidal.11 (#litres_trial_promo) Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/julia-lawless/rosemary-oil-a-new-guide-to-the-most-invigorating-rememdy/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.