Freshly returned from Paris, which I am still unsure whether I really like, I find myself headed under the Channel again this weekend. Much as I enjoy France, it does now seem awfully close and easy to get to. Instead of pouring over maps and plotting a delightful scenic route, with ample stops to sample French cuisine, I now jump on the train at the local station; tube it from Paddington to Waterloo and board Eurostar.  Three hours later I am at the Gare du Nord.  Somehow the romance of crossing la Manche seems to have gone: I suppose that’s progress.

Speaking of progress, I am just reviewing our first batch of new Safety Data Sheets. I now know that I was quite correct to have them compiled by a dedicated and diligent individual.  What a task!  The acronymology (a word that I have just coined) alone is enough to baffle most: INCI, EINECS, CAS, FEMA, GRAS, INN, RIFM, IFRA, CHIP and COSHH. Still let us deal only with regulation 6 of Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994 (CHIP 2) on this occasion.
Duty of Care.
The Health and Safety Commission’s Approved Code of Practice points out that it is important to note that there is a difference between hazard (i.e. the inherent properties of a chemical) and risk (i.e. the probability of the hazardous properties of the chemical causing harm to people or the environment). Safety data sheets provide information about the hazards of certain chemicals, not the risks.

However, transfer of information between manufacturers, importers, distributors or other suppliers of substances and preparations and their customers about the hazards of their chemical products is essential for the safe use of such products.  Safety data sheets, together with labels on containers of chemical products, are often the most important sources of information for users undertaking an assessment of risk as required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH); but the information on its own cannot constitute a suitable and sufficient assessment by the employer under COSHH.
 
In general, the safety data sheets required by regulation 6 of CHIP 2 are in addition to the information requirements of sections 6(4)(c) and (d) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, 1974 (HSWA).  For dangerous substances and preparations, however, compliance with regulation 6 of CHIP 2 will normally also satisfy the relevant requirements of section 6 of HSWA.

Why, you might think, am I writing all this gobbledegook?  Well, it could involve you! Where there is a chain of supply, the requirements of regulation 6 apply at each stage of the supply chain.  The initial responsibility for drawing up the safety data sheet falls on the manufacturer or importer, who should anticipate, so far as is reasonably practicable, the uses to which the substance or preparation may be put. Importers or distributors who repackage or relabel a product should also prepare a safety data sheet, drawing on and adding to the information provided by their suppliers as necessary.  Others in a supply chain should check the adequacy of the information in the safety data sheet received before passing it on to their customers.

In all cases, suppliers of a substance or a preparation which requires a safety data sheet have the responsibility for its contents, even though they may not have prepared the safety data sheet themselves.  Thus, where an intermediate supplier proposes to pass on a safety data sheet prepared by their own supplier, checks should be made to validate the accuracy of the safety data sheet. Thus, in addition to the obvious scrutiny of the safety data sheet for mandatory headings, a check would normally include consideration of the competence of the supplier to compile a safety data sheet; a task which would require appropriate knowledge and experience.  Now you know why I entrusted the task to one more competent than I!

Finally, where a chemical is supplied to the general public in a shop or other retail outlet, or by way of free sample, prize or mail order, safety data sheets need only be provided when:
   (a)  the substance or preparation is classified as dangerous for supply,
         according to the CHIP 2 Regulations; and
   (b)  the purchaser intends to use the chemical at work; and
   (c)  the purchaser asks for a safety data sheet.
In these circumstances, the supplier may not be able to determine whether the purchaser intends the product to be used at work.  In these cases the safety data sheet need not be provided (unless it is asked for) if sufficient information is made available in other ways.  For packaged products the information should usually be provided on the package itself.

More to worry about?
I have just visited the Aromatherapy Trade Council web site: www.a-t-c.org.uk where there is an interesting article by their indefatigable Administrator, Sylvia Baker, in which she draws our attention to the R65 Aspiration Hazard.  She points out that the fundamental requirement of the CHIP regulations is for us to decide whether chemicals are hazardous. If they are, we have to decide what kinds of hazard (the category of danger) the chemical has (classification) and describe the hazard by allocating a risk phrase, hazard symbol and safety phrase.

Although our attention is focused upon the R65 risk phrase, she reminds us that there is a whole range of categories of danger into which some essential oils may fall, with their respective symbol letters, indications of danger (risk phrase) and symbol. Specifically, the R65 risk phrase sets out the criteria for classifying and labelling chemicals which could cause lung damage if swallowed (the aspiration hazard) because of their low viscosity [I have mentioned this in a previous Newsletter]. If chemicals meet certain criteria within the R65 risk category, they are classified as Harmful: may cause lung damage if swallowed and are required to display the appropriate danger symbol on labels as well as new texts for safety phrases.  For example, one of the criteria of R65 is based upon liquid substances and preparations containing aliphatic alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons in a total concentration equal to or greater than 10% [As I pointed out back in January 1999, this would include many aromatherapy favourites such as Bergamot (55%), Cypress (70%), Lavender (15%), Tea Tree (50%), etc., etc.]

Whilst there is still some doubt whether the CHIP regulations do apply in fact to essential oils and aromatherapy products, the R65 phrase has been required to be incorporated on the label of any product to which it applies since 31st May 1998.  Sylvia concludes that any essential oils with more than 10% hydrocarbons and which meet the other criteria set out should be labelled with the R65 risk phrase Harmful: may cause lung damage if swallowed and assigned the corresponding indication of danger symbol “Xn”. A new text is also required for essential oils classified as harmful with R65: If swallowed, do not induce vomiting; seek medical advice immediately and show this container or label. This wording is obligatory for such essential oils if sold to, or likely to be used by the general public, and is recommended for those used in industry. Ah well: back to the drawing board!

Up, up and away!
Meanwhile, according to Kate Bevan in the Financial Times, long-distance air travellers seem to have no such worries with oils at work: it is simply a question of choice. Should you go for the aromatherapy massage, a Swedish massage, a Thai, a Balinese, a deep-tissue or even an Ayurvedic massage?  Clare Johnson, a senior therapist with Virgin Atlantic, suggests the novice should opt for an aromatherapy massage but she would select a Shiatsu massage for herself because it’s very uplifting, based on the pressure points and meridian lines. Apparently a good rule of thumb is to choose the speciality of the country you are in, in order to get the full benefit of local traditions. 

At the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, the therapist uses a mixture of oils such as cypress and menthol to refresh the weary traveller, and traditional Thai massage to undo muscular knots caused by long flights.  If this sounds a little painful, why not pop into the Elemis Day Spa in the Cathay Pacific lounge at Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong? This month they are offering a pre-flight aromatherapy massage, as well as hair and beauty treatments and manicure and pedicure.  In London, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers get the same kind of pampering in  the airline’s Clubhouses at Gatwick and Heathrow. My word, things have changed. Thirty years ago we would climb aboard some slow-flying device, decant 24 hours later, do a day’s work, and then have to decide what was safe to eat, and all without the aid of an “equaliser” massage, which concentrates on the pressure points; or the “headstart” treatment, a soothing massage!      

Labdanum Lauded.
Of all the GC/MS analyses that I have had the opportunity to review the one which still lingers in the mind as an outstanding example of the analyst’s art is that of Labdanum, or Cistus (Cistus ladanifer L.), done by Dr. Jean-Marc Soulier. Variously reported to contain at least 170 compounds, including a- and b-pinenes, camphene, sabinene, myrcene, limonene, a-phellandrene, a- and b-terpinenes, p-cymene, 1,8-cineole, borneol, nerol, linalool, geraniol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, trans-2-hexen-1-ol, terpinen-4-ol, eugenol, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone, fenchone, a-thujone, isomenthone, acetophenone, ledol, diacetyl, benzaldehyde, cis- and trans-citral, bornyl acetate, geranyl acetate, and fatty acids, Jean-Marc attempted to identify most and meticulously hand-wrote the descriptions alongside the relevant peaks. Brilliant!

Ernest Guenther (The Essential Oils, Vol. VI) wrote that one of the most unforgettable scents is that of labdanum, whose sweet, warm, balsamic odour permeates sunny patches in the pine forests that cover some of the islands in the Mediterranean or stretch along the rocky coasts of that beautiful, blue sea.  The classical Greeks and Romans must have been familiar with labdanum, for Ladanos is described by Dioscorides, Herodotus and Pliny. The Spanish name Jara for gum of labdanum shows its Moorish origin, and indicates that the Spanish Moors made use of the drug. Also, material previously identified as myrrh in the Bible (Genesis 37:25) is now realized to be correctly translated as labdanum (A.O. Tucker, 1986, Econ. Bot., 40(4), 425).

Perhaps better known to British gardeners as rockrose, this perennial shrub grows wild, and in large stands, in sunny, warm, and well-sheltered places in the Mediterranean. Small, white flowers appear in June, but they are very short-lived.  The leaves possess glandular hairs consisting of two or three cells, which contain a very viscous gum-balsam; this exudes during the hot months and covers the leaves as well as the upper parts of the twigs and branches with a sticky mass, agreeable, balsamic, and ambergris-like in odour. The ambergris note appears to become stronger as the gum ages; it is much less pronounced in freshly prepared gum.

Labdanum is the oleoresin obtained by boiling the plant material in water; the top and bottom layers containing the oleoresin are then separated from the water later and combined.  The oil is obtained from labdanum gum by distillation.  The yield of oil depends upon the origin, quality and age of the gum; it is small and ranges from about 1% to 2%. A somewhat viscous liquid of golden-yellow colour, it possesses a powerful, balsamic, very lasting odour, in dilution reminiscent of ambergris.



a-Pinene has generally been reported to be the major component (P.G. Gulz, 1974, Int. Congr. Essent. Oils (Pap.,) 6, 125), though a study of the oil found that no single component predominated (R. Konigs and P.G. Gulz, 1974, Z. Pflanzenphysiol., 72, 237).  It has also been reported that the yield of oil and its composition vary considerably with cultivation conditions, seasons, growth stages, and other factors. Field-grown plants yielded twice the amount of essential oil as greenhouse plants, with alcohol content lower in the autumn than in the spring (56% versus 70%), while hydrocarbons and carbonyls content (e.g., pinene, camphene, and bornyl acetate) was highest in the autumn (P.G. Gulz., ibid.). Comprehensive reviews of the chemistry have been published (B.M. Lawrence, 1990, Perfum. Flav., 15(2), 75).

N.N. Chirkina and A.V. Patudin reported (Biol. Nauki, (1971), 14, 100; through Chem. Abstr., (1972), 76, 95138g) that the essential oil and resin have antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and other microbes, with b-pinene, eugenol, eucalyptol, and benzaldehyde being the most active components. Both the oil and the absolute have been reported to be nonirritating, nonsensitizing, and nonphototoxic (D.L.J. Opdyke, Food Cosmet. Toxicol., (1976), 14, 335).

The Aromatherapy Practitioner Manual considers that it might be useful for the treatment of inflamed and irritated skin, and even gangrenous or diabetic wounds.  There is also some suggestion that it could possibly provide support in Multiple Sclerosis and assist through massage in spinal degeneration.  Salvatore Battaglia mentions in The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy  that, when added to a massage oil, it is known to increase lymph drainage.  He suggests that for swollen lymph nodes in the neck, apply warm cistus compresses and for abdominal disorders caused by cold, cystitis or painful menstrual cramps, a sitz bath with equal parts of cistus and marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) is helpful.

Canine Conditions.
I have a black labrador dog whom I rescued when he was 10-12 weeks old....He has a very bad skin allergy and is allergic to all grasses, dust mites and human skin....He is constantly losing his hair....I am at the end of my tether e-mailed Petula Matthews. My own miniature dachshund had a similar problem, probably started by carpet mites, but we seem to have arrested the condition by using a Borage-based (Borago officinalis L.) shampoo. Had this not done the trick I would have sent a hair sample to the equine aromatherapist Caroline Ingraham for testing.  Based on such a test, Caroline is able to recommend essential oils which may help. From personal experience, I know that they often work.           

Meanwhile, York Nutritional Laboratories, better known for their human food allergy tests, are about to launch TLC Pet Allergy Testing, focusing, initially on dogs with food problems.  It appears that, like humans, food intolerance can cause dogs to suffer from skin irritations, diarrhoea, upset stomachs, loss of appetite, weight problems, hyperactivity, low stamina and energy levels, moody and aggressive behaviour, arthritis and a dull coat. A small blood sample will identify whether your pet reacts to any of the 15 most commonly eaten foods in a dog’s diet.  For more information call TLC on 0800 169 1958 or consult their website at www.animal-allergy.com 

Overseas Opportunity?
Pam Mears thoughtfully e-mailed from the idyllic island of Andros in the Southern Aegean, where she had just exchanged contracts for her new home. Surrounded by wild-growing Melissa she wondered if I knew of anyone who might wish to distil it there: I might have an idea, or two!

Cow Comfort!
Pam also drew my attention to an article which appeared recently in The Telegraph, the only English newspaper that they can get there during the winter [I could live with that!].  Farmers are using aromatherapy on their cows to soothe away the stresses and strains of producing the nation’s milk.

Increasing numbers of producers believe that there is nothing like a soothing massage of the udder with sweet-scented oils to offset the rigours inflicted by modern milking machines. Now the scent of lavender, eucalyptus, geranium and rose wafts around farmyards. Will life, I wonder, ever be the same again without the familiar smell of muck?!

The oils also combat mastitis, the painful and expensive inflammation of the udder which costs Britain’s dairy farms tens of millions of pounds a year in lost milk yields, vets’bills and drugs. Farmers spend about £11 million per annum on antibiotics alone to fight mastitis.

Norman Bell, a Yorkshire farmer with 85 cows, has been using aromatherapy for the past six months: It works for us. We start massaging a cow’s udder at the first sign of mastitis and the oil clears it up. The cows enjoy it.

Pharmacokinetics.
I am currently receiving a monthly injection of Zoladex, a drug which acts on the pituitary gland to stop the production of oestrogen in the body....This drug is successfully treating my breast cancer....The consultants are happy for me to continue to use essential oils but I am still apprehensive and would appreciate any information which would confirm the safe use of the oils or otherwise, e-mailed another. This mode of communication is really catching on: keep them coming!

I understand that ZOLADEX is a proprietary preparation of Goserelin Acetate which is an analogue of gonadorelin with similar properties. It is used for the suppression of gonadal sex hormone production in the treatment of malignant neoplasms of the prostate, in advanced breast cancer in pre- and peri-menopausal women, and in the management of endometriosis and uterine fibroids.  Injected subcutaneously into the anterior abdominal wall it provides effective suppression of oestradiol or testosterone for 28 days.

Goserelin is almost completely absorbed following subcutaneous injection, and has a serum elimination half-life of 2-4 hours, which may be increased in patients with impaired renal function.  More than 90% of a dose is excreted in urine, as unchanged drug and metabolites.

Because they are lipid-soluble, essential oils gain easy access to the brain.  When they are transported by the bloodstream they travel readily to the adrenal glands and kidneys.  The rate of elimination of a drug from the body is proportional to the concentration of that drug in the bloodstream.  In most instances the biological half-life, rather than the elimination rate, is documented. The half-life is the time taken for the drug concentration in the blood to decrease to one-half of its initial value. It is dependent on both the volume of distribution of the drug and the rate at which that drug is eliminated from the body.  Drugs and essential oils are excreted via the kidneys, lungs and skin.

Theoretically, essential oils could interact with orthodox drugs in several ways: by combining with a cellular receptor (and thereby competing with the drug), by combining with plasma protein, or by combining with and somehow altering the chemistry of the drug to produce a different compound with different effects (Tisserand, R. and Balacs, T. 1995: Essential Oil Safety).

As it is recognized that many malignant growths are oestrogen dependent, the use of essential oils that are either oestrogen-stimulating or oestrogen-like is contraindicated. According to P. Franchomme (L’aromatherapie exactement), the specific chemical components which are associated with oestrogen stimulation or oestrogen-like properties are sesquiterpenic alcohols such as sclareol and viridiflorol, phenyl methyl ethers such as anethole, and “certain” ketones which he does not specify.

Pharmacokinetics is a complex subject and I am not yet convinced that anyone really knows where essential oils go when they are absorbed by the body and how the body eliminates them. However I would think that any essential oils affecting pituitary secretion of gonado-tropins may alter the response to Zoladex. As I do not know which oils, if any, might act like spironolactone and levodopa which can stimulate gonadotropins or, conversely, could act like dopamine antagonists which can inhibit gonadotropin secretion, I would not use essential oils whilst undergoing treatment.    

St. John’s wort: a case in point.
In an inexplicably swift decision, the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) recently banned the over-the-counter sale of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), forcing those in Ireland who wished to take the herb to apply to a doctor.  There being no licensed St. John’s wort in Ireland several were forced to resort to getting it over the Internet or coming over to the UK and buying a year’s supply at a time. 

Originally, the Board proposed the move, believing that the actions of St. John’s wort were similar to that of an MAO inhibitor.  [Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme present in most tissue cells; its function is to act as a catalyst in the deamination of certain monoamines such as adrenaline and serotonin. An MAO inhibitor is any drug or chemical that inhibits the action of monoamine oxidase with the result that the aminines normally acted on by the enzyme accumulate in the body.  Drugs in this class are sometimes used as psychic energizers in the treatment of fairly severe depression, but under close medical supervision because of their side effects and incompatibilities with certain other drugs and foods].  If this was the case, they reasoned, taking the herb with amine-rich foods such as cheese and red wine might cause a potentially dangerous hypertensive episode.

St. John’s wort is one of the most popular over-the-counter herbs with pan-European sales in the region of £4 billion in 1998 and, back in late 1999, many organizations were puzzled by what they viewed as irrational scaremongering on the part of the IMB and, at that time, the Medical Council indicated that they had no intention of going down the same route.  It should be mentioned that one justification for the move was the concern that severely depressed people who need medical care could be more prone to self-medicate with St. John’s wort.  However, the herb has never been recommended or used by reputable herbalists to treat severe depression. All available research indicates that it is effective only for mild-to- moderate depression.

Now the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is assessing the safety of St. John’s wort following reports of possibly dangerous “interactions” with prescription drugs.  Research reported in The Lancet last month showed that St. John’s wort could reduce concentrations of an HIV protease [any protein-splitting enzyme] inhibitor, indinavir, in the blood, which may cause drug resistance and treatment failure for HIV patients. Also in the same publication came revelations that two heart transplant patients had showed acute rejection symptoms after taking St. John’s wort. Other countries across Europe are also looking carefully at St. John’s wort.

As Diane Millis, Editor of Natural Products News, writes: This is clearly no “storm in a teacup” but a significant issue whose possible impact on the health food trade at all levels could be disastrous.  Any useful herb [or essential oil?] may well have an impact on how the body responds to other substances, be they food or medicine, and thus the way ahead for opponents of herbal medicine [and aromatherapy] is clear - all they have to do is find a drug herb [essential oil] “interaction” and start making noises about public safety.  Worrying times.

Finally.
Hua jiao (Zanthoxylum piperitum D.C.) is here! Now where’s that shampoo?!



 

previous     next