Having written the January Newsletter well before the festive season, it is only now that I can reflect upon that most pleasant break.  Although Jan and I popped into the office for a couple of hours  most days, to clear the answering machine, it was absolute bliss not to have to rush across in the dank and gloom to open up the office first thing in the morning.  After the first couple of days, the dogs had obviously got the message  and remained soundly asleep well beyond their normal rising time of 6.17a.m.  I,  however, was totally unable to change my mental alarm clock and was padding around the house as normal at 6a.m.!  Therefore, I was interested to read in the latest edition of Nature about how the mental alarm clock works (at least for some!).  Researchers at the University of Lubeck monitored 15  volunteers over three nights in an experiment that involved waking some of them up earlier than they expected.  The results showed that the expectation that sleep will come to an end at a certain time induces a marked increase in the  concentration of the hormone adrenocorticotropin in the blood an hour before waking.  Their findings indicate that anticipation, which is generally considered to be a unique characteristic of the regulation of conscious action, pervades sleep.

A Plethora of  Periodicals
Prior to retiring for the holiday I had stuffed my briefcase full of unread periodicals.  Forgetting for a moment my staple diet of  motor magazines, I was staggered not only by the number but also the diversity  of the publications that tumbled out.  HerbNews (the official  publication of The British Herb Trade Association); BetterBusiness (the business on giving your business the edge); Proof! (what works  in alternative medicine); University of Oxford Botanic Garden News (Autumn and Winter editions); Aromatherapy World (The Journal of the International Society of Professional Aromatherapists); Scentsitivity (The Quarterly Journal of the National Association for  Holistic Aromatherapy); The Garden (Journal of the Royal Horticultural  Society); Natural Products News (for those in the natural healthcare movement); Positive Health (the definitive magazine in Complementary  Medicine?); Guild News (The Journal of the Guild of Professional  Beauty Therapists);Manufacturing Chemist (the leading journal for the fine chemical industry); Aromatherapy Today (The Australian Aromatherapy Journal); Perfumer & Flavorist (for those seriously interested in flavours and fragrances); The International  Journal of Aromatherapy (a "must" for all with an interest in aromatherapy,  the use of natural, aromatic plant oils in the pursuit of health and well being); The Journal of Essential Oil Research (a scientific journal  devoted entirely to all facets of pure and applied studies on essential oils or plant volatiles); Aromatic Thymes (Explorations in Aromatherapy); and Planta Medica (Natural Products and Medicinal Plant Research).  There are others, but I had obviously read them!  Do I need them all?  I think so, if  only for writing this!

Aromatherapy "Top Ten"
For  example, I am often asked what are the Top Ten favourite aromatherapy oils.  Aromatic Thymes suggests, based on a recent survey on the  Internet, Lavender (87.5%), Sandalwood (51%), Peppermint (48.9%), Eucalyptus  (47.7%), Rosemary (45.5%), Tea Tree (46.6%), Rose Geranium (40.9%), Rose (38.6%), Clary Sage (37.5%) and Bergamot (35.2%).  I would probably not disagree  with this, but I was a little surprised to see Helichrysum slip in at number 23  (11.4%).  It is unfortunate that no botanical names are given.  This apart, I would always read Aromatic Thymes for Kurt Schnaubelt's California Comments.  To my mind Kurt, who is scientific director of the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy, writes more sense than most.

A much improved  magazine
Having recently obtained all the back issues of Aromatherapy Today, the brain-child of John Kerr and Salvatore  Battaglia , I would rate it a much improved magazine.  In the current  edition, John has written an informative piece on Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in which he points out that in 1990 a test and standards were  developed to measure the optical rotation of linalyl acetate in Lavender.  The optical rotation of a component is like a fingerprint and is particularly  effective in determining if a component is from a botanical or synthetic source.  It has been common practice to adulterate lavender with linalyl acetate  either from another botanical source or, more commonly, from a synthetic source.  I feel that this is a point which could have been made by Kolinka  Zinovieff in her article for Positive Health, entitled Aromatherapy does not work!  The Need for Quality in Essential Oils. 

Component  Determination
Instead, she suggests, for example, Clinical grade lavender oil should have approximately 35-50% linalyl acetate  (depending on type).  The only way the supplier can be certain of this is to  analyse the oils through a method such as Gas Liquid Chromatography....Chemical  analysis using GLC means the purity of the oil can be assessed, and the presence  of any foreign ingredients can be spotted - for example, artificial fertilizers  or pesticides - in oils claimed to have been grown organically.  I wonder?

As useful as analysis by GC is, it must be understood that when the analyst proceeds to identify the peaks on the familiar GC trace, an example of which she uses to illustrate her article, he  does so solely on the basis of their retention time. This approach has  significant limitations since GC alone provides no structural information about  the detected component.  Positive identification is best made using a Mass  Spectrometer.  Historically, mass spectrometers were only really capable of analysing pure compounds and this was, for many years, a major drawback until  the interfacing of GC systems was introduced in the 1960s.  This interfacing allowed components in the vapour phase to enter the mass spectrometer and be analysed.

Further, the determination of pesticide  residues in plants is a subject of increasing importance, especially for medicinal plants and derived products.  For example, the European Pharmacopoeia monograph on peppermint (International Standard 856 - Oil of peppermint, France,  Italy, United Kingdom and USA, ISO (1981) being the product obtained by steam  distillation of extremities of the herb Mentha x piperita L. var. piperascens) includes a general test for pesticide residues.  The test  can be found under the item "Methods in Pharmacognosy".

The upper limits are indicated and information and guidance are given with reference to the extraction,  purification and qualitative and quantitative analyses of a family of compounds  that includes pesticides, growth regulators, defoliants, desiccants, and  substances that are applied to crops in order to prevent deterioration during  storage and transport.  The analysis is finally carried out on a GC.  For the  location or assignment of the peaks, the relative retention times are calculated  based on carbophenothion.

Conflict and Confusion?
It serves little purpose to lambast yet again an industry, which has striven long and hard to clean up its act, by writing articles which, at best, only reflect the lack of knowledge of the writer.  Still, whilst most of us are preoccupied  with whether we shall still be in business if the European legislators have  their way, yet another purveyor of undoubtedly irreproachable essential oil products puts the boot in.  This time it is Michael Alexander, in his article On Adulteration for the American Quarterly Scentsitivity.  Unlike Ms. Zinovieff, who would have us use only oils from organically grown plants, Mr. Alexander advises  us that perhaps only 10% of the three hundred essential oils available at any  one time on the worldwide market, or thirty species, may be grown organically.....The preponderance of companies promoting organic or wildcrafted oils is so prevalent that it is a cliche, and not to be taken seriously, unless you believe in fairy tales too!  People who want to believe such are only  fooling themselves.  I do not know about you, but I am totally confused!   However, I do like the quotations with which Michael prefaces his points and would commend to you Benedict Spinoza's He who would distinguish the true from  the false must have an adequate idea of what is true and false and Hippocrates' There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.  Nevertheless, when all is said and done, both writers agree on one thing: the need to test.

Analytical Intelligence
We endeavour to test the majority of oils which we purchase, using the GC/MS  analysis services of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) at Runcorn.  In fact, because we do so much testing, we have formed a separate, independent, company Analytical Intelligence to cater for the analytical needs of  others.  However, as I am fast-learning, the analysis is only the beginning.  I  then spend hours comparing it with the published literature; hence the need for Perfumer & Flavorist and The Journal of Essential Oil Research .  Although my amateur sleuthing is not a patch on that of the professional  analysts, I am beginning to detect the odd nuances. Therefore I was a little surprised to see, when reading his article, that John Kerr quoted the range for  linalyl acetate in Lavender to be 46.71-53.80%, as I rarely see it much in  excess of 40%.  True, John does qualify his statement by mentioning that the  major components can differ significantly and that this example represents an  average taken from several samples of Lavandula angustifolia Mill.  from plantation stock in south-eastern France.  This was my clue!  Referring to Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of Lavandula Oils by Mans Boelens, I quickly found what I think is the source of John's reference.  It is interesting that he should have chosen this particular reference (J. Touche et al., Rivista Ital. EPPOS, Vol. 58, 314-319 (1981); Maillettes et Lavandes fines francaises) as others (F.I. Jean et al., Rivista Ital. EPPOS (Numero Speciale), 504-510 (1991); Extraction au four micro-ondes des diverses plantes cultivees et spontanitees) quote lower percentages (27.3% and 34.6%) which are more in accord with my own findings.  Boelens makes the point that the tendency  in variation is dictated by the percentage of E/Z-ocimenes, i.e., the higher the ocimenes the lower the linalyl acetate, and vice versa.  These monoterpenes, in  addition to having antiseptic and bactericidal properties, may also be analgesic, expectorant and stimulating. 

No change at The I.J.A.
Although we advertise on the back cover, I had not received  the last two editions of The International Journal of Aromatherapy and therefore, when I did obtain a copy, I was particularly interested to see if  there had been any change since it was obtained by Harcourt Brace and Company Limited.  Thankfully not!  The only change that I could spot is that Tony Balacs is now spelling his name with a z instead of a c! With Robert Tisserand still firmly in the Editor's seat, he pledges  to keep the pattern the same.

As usual it is packed full of good and interesting information, with weighty contributions from my friends Victoria Plum - Working with Alcoholism - and Chris McMahon continuing his journey through India.  I found Victoria's article particularly fruitful, as  we receive numerous enquiries about the use of aromatherapy for the treatment of alcoholism. Victoria observes that while aromatherapy will not stop an  alcoholic from drinking, what it can do is help alleviate some of the physical problems caused by drink abuse.  It can be equally useful in aiding  reduction in emotional stress, so helping to contribute to a diminution of the  desire to drink.

Tea Tree: Good and Bad News
Two  snippets which caught my eye in The I.J.A. are about Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel).  First, Dr. Lyall Williams confirms that by blending tea tree with lemon-scented tea tree (Leptospermum petersonii Bailey), the antimicrobial properties of M. alternifolia are greatly enhanced.  Lemon-scented tea tree is rich in aldehydes, well  known for their antimicrobial properties, and by combining them with the terpinen-4-ol found in M. alternifolia it is possible to come up with an  enhanced antimicrobial product.

The second is a cautionary account of tea  tree by Jenny d'Urben.  A long-time devotee of the oil, she did not  hesitate to use it for the treatment of her 20-year-old daughter's mouth ulcer. Using just one drop on a cotton bud, she treated the ulcer before meals to numb the pain and it cleared up quickly.  Another ulcer developed, twice the size of  the original.  This one did not clear so quickly and she detected that the  surrounding area was quite swollen.  She stopped using the tea tree for a  while.  Next time her daughter had an ulcer, she again tried tea tree.  Within ten minutes her mouth, tongue and lips blew up to about four times their normal  size.  She was in considerable pain and unable to speak or eat properly until  the reaction subsided.  This took about three days and was completely better after about a week.  It is worth noting that her daughter is severely disabled  with CFS/ME, as a result of a flu vaccine she had when she was 13, and her  reaction could have been due to her condition.  She is hypersensitive and has a  low tolerance to many foods, especially wheat.  Still, I think Jenny quite correct to warn others of the possibilities that tea tree can cause an allergic  reaction, particularly on people who know they are sensitive to various  products.

Buddah Oil Update
I was  delighted to receive an E-mail from Lui Doimo, an essential oil researcher at the Australian Tea Tree Oil Research Institute, regarding my recent piece on Buddah Oil (Eremophila mitchelli Benth.).  Come to  think of it, Lui is just the chap to ask about Jenny's problem!  Lui advises me  that Buddah Oil is not commercially available as far as he knows.  Most of the  resource is sold as wood chips for manufacture into buddah sticks by the  Indonesians.  The story for the other sandalwoods is not much clearer.  Santalum spicatum, although it has been sold commercially from Western  Australia for many years, is pre-sold as billets and distilled outside Australia.  Ah well.  Back to the drawing board! 

Cellulite?
A herbal product said to help in the treatment of that most loathed of conditions - cellulite - has caused "stampedes" in Australia and is expected to do the same in the United Kingdom. With red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), which is often an ingredient in unconventional anti-cancer formulas including Hoxsey Formula, and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) among its ingredients, the product is said to be under consideration by Boots.  The Italian manufacturer  expects a U.K. launch by March.  Fine, but how many women - victims of what Anita Roddick unforgettably called "sad cow disease" - have been driven to the bleak hells of rocket salad and fizzy water by the fear of cellulite? asks Richard Girling in a recent edition of The Sunday Times Magazine.  There is one overwhelmingly important fact to understand about cellulite: there is no such thing.  It was the invention of a French cosmetics company that wanted to sell a cream to get rid of it - a  flash of marketing genius that has nourished the diet industry ever since.  The plain fact is, says Professor Tom Sanders of London University, that women's thighs are naturally prone to fat deposits just below the skin.  It is ordinary body fat, just like any other.  Skin is attached to muscle by a network of collagen fibrils, rather like a string vest.  When fat is deposited, it fills up the gaps, leading to a dimpled appearance, which becomes exaggerated as the skin loses its elasticity with age.  That's all?  That's all.

Fibromyalgia & Aromatherapy
Oh, before I forget!  For those who have asked me about essential oils for fibromyalgia, there is an informative article on the subject  in the latest edition of Aromatherapy Today.  By Jane Buckle , it has a list of good, bibliographical references.  According to P.E. Baldry (Acupuncture Trigger Points & Muscoskeletal Pain,  Churchill Livingstone, 1993), the pain felt in fibromyalgia is thought to  be due to some as yet unidentified noxious substance in their circulation giving rise to neural hyperactivity at tender points and trigger points.   Further, I was staggered to learn that there are between three and six million  Americans affected by fibromyalgia between the ages of 26 and 35, most of whom are women (Goldenburg, D., Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain Syndrome.  Current Opinion in Rheumatology Vol. 5, pp.  199-208, 1993).  Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and  rubefacient oils seem to be the key but, as Jane cautions, remember to let your  clients smell the mixture before you apply it - they will have to live with it!

Bookstall Sales!
As our extremely hard-working representatives of the Aromatherapy Trade Council lock horns with the Medicines Control Agency over the proposed amendments to Regulation 2 of The Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations, etc.) Regulations, 1994, which threaten to give the MCA draconian and unchallengeable powers to categorise borderline products as medicines and, as a  result, could adversely affect the current availability of essential oils and  aromatherapy products, the first edition of Aromatherapy & Natural Health, with free bottle of diluted lavender oil, hits the news-stands!   Either the publishers are aware of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (surely a fundamental freedom has been the ability of anyone in the United Kingdom to utilise whatever health care regime they choose) or they are eschewing the admonition of the 1st Duke of Wellington:  Publish and be damned!. The "Iron Duke" would probably have sorted out the MCA and EU in an afternoon!  Unfortunately, tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in  illis, the times are changed and we with them.

Manuka & Kanuka: Proven  relaxants?
I do wish that people would stop experimenting on animals  but, as I have told many of my critics, I cannot avoid reading the results of such experiments and reporting on them.  Although Manuka(Leptospermum scoparium Forster & Forster) and Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides J. Thompson) have been used as folk medicines for treating diarrhoea, colds and inflammation, their phamacological action has not been investigated.  Therefore researchers  Lis-Balchin, M. and Hart, S.L. set out to study their mode of action on the  field-stimulated isolated guineapig ileum which I understand, in humans at  least, is the lower three-fifths of the small intestine (sounds ghastly!).  Both  oils induced a spasmolytic effect but Kanuka produced an initial contraction.  The spasmolytic action of both oils was the result of a  post-synaptic (the point of communication between two neurons; it is where the axon of one neuron comes into close proximity to the cell body of another  neuron) mechanism, as shown by their ability to inhibit contractions induced by acetylcholine and histamine.  There is some evidence that Manuka acts through cAMP (adenosine monophosphate) whereas the mode of action of Kanuka is as yet undetermined.  The researchers conclude that the results  indicate that the use of these oils as relaxants in aromatherapy might be valid, although their mode of action is not identical (Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (1998) 50 (7) 809-811 [En, 4 ref.] School of Applied Science, South Bank University, Borough Road, London SE1 0AA). I am sure  that you all knew this already, but that's science for you!

Father Involvement?
Almost twenty-six years ago, when Justin was on the verge of entering the world,  it was suggested that I might wish to join Jan at Relaxation Classes.  After much discussion with my peers, I decided that it was not  really for me.  Although several of my male friends chose to be vitally involved with the births of their children, a fact which I greatly admired, I have always been unduly squeamish.  Therefore when friend and customer, Linda Kimber,  asked me to review her video, Childbirth Massage Techniques, I was  hesitant. Why a man of almost three score years, who has assisted the delivery  of numerous animals, should feel like this about pregnancy and human childbirth I just do not know.  Perhaps someone will tell me?  However I relented and set aside an hour to watch this absolutely fascinating, for me, practical guide to childbirth massage techniques.

Linda worked as a Community Midwife at the John Radcliffe Women's Centre, Oxford, for seventeen years.  A practising  therapeutic masseuse, aromatherapist and reflexologist, she is also an aromatherapy tutor for the Oxford School of Massage.  While working as a  community midwife, Linda conducted a survey, comprising fifty couples, using  massage during childbirth.  As a result of this survey, specific massage techniques were developed by Linda in response to the mother's needs (The Practising Midwife, April, 1998).  These helped the women to cope with their contractions by combining the massage with controlled breathing.  It also brought together couples and helped them take control of the birth of their child.

Relaxed and informative, I was particularly  impressed by the obvious fulfilment that the greater sense of involvement gave  partners.  Apart from providing intimate assurance for the mother, it also  relieves the burden of the midwife.  I had never appreciated fully what hard  work massage, over a sustained period of time, must be.  Given my time again, would I try it?  Having watched this video, I think that I might!  As Mr. F.M.L. Charnock, Consultant Obstetrician at the John Radcliffe, says...This excellent video shows massage techniques which are very well worth pregnant  couples seeing, discussing and learning.  Their advantages are beautifully  explained and shown.  I agree!

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