M40. Midnight.  Only a few days shy of the longest day, the evening air is still quite balmy. We are on our way back from John’s, Justin’s godfather, 60th birthday bash.  A rather splendid do, held in the Chelsea Physic Garden located behind a high brick wall in London’s Royal Hospital Road, it proved quite a nostalgic evening.

I was seated next to a lady chef, who was a dead ringer for Nigella Lawson (and she knew it!). It turned out that we had last met when she was five and a bridesmaid at John’s wedding.  I had been his best man, as he had been mine a couple of years earlier. In those far-off days we had shared an absolute passion for motor sport, but wives and children soon put paid to that.  John went on to a most distinguished career in banking, and I drifted off around the world.  Therefore many whom I met this evening I had not seen for more than thirty years. Good Lord! That can’t really be Binky Smithers I thought, as I spied a fellow who looked old enough to be my father. The years can be exceedingly cruel to some, but a lifetime’s consumption of vintage port can have hardly helped!

John was sharing the evening with his daughter Clare, my god-daughter, who was celebrating her 30th.  One smart young lady, Clare is already a doctor and a surgeon and is currently doing research at one of the London hospitals.  Thus there was a more than liberal sprinkling of the medical glitterati in our midst. And what do you do?  Should I lie, and pretend that I’m an astronaut? On second thoughts, I don’t know that much about outer space: probably better to be honest. I supply essential oils to aromatherapists.  Splendid!  Use them myself!

I can honestly say that, without exception, these young medical professionals could not have been more supportive of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. All of which probably explains why Chelsea Physic Garden had been selected as the venue.

The garden was founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries, who chose a riverside spot in which to explore the medicinal properties of new plants arriving from Europe and the New World. The land was originally leased from Charles Cheyne, who owned the Manor of Chelsea, which was later bought by Sir Hans Sloane, a leading physician and former student at the garden.  He, it was, who gave the garden to the Apothecaries in 1722, in perpetuity, for a peppercorn rent.

From its earliest days, the garden has been an important horticultural centre. The first cedars of Lebanon (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) that came into Britain arrived here: four were imported by the first gardener, John Watts, in 1683. Although the last Chelsea cedar died in 1904, its progeny lives on elsewhere in Britain and America.  

Due to lack of Government funding, the current curator of the garden, Rosie Atkins, who follows in the footsteps of some great botanists and horticulturists, wants to forge closer ties with colleges, academic institutions, scientists and pharmaceutical companies.  Those before her were scientific men who were looking at what plants could do for us and how we should be protecting them: the garden was at the centre of horticultural debate.  Rosie wants to get the debates going again.  I wish her all good fortune.
The case considered.
Following A case to consider in last month’s Newsletter, many have requested me to enumerate the considerations of others.  As my mailbag overflowed with suggestions, I shall mention only a couple of ideas until I hear further from Diane Oldridge, but sincere thanks to all those who took the trouble to offer support and advice.

Maureen Beard wonders if the allergen could be perfume-based because the client, like most women, is probably dabbing or spraying this behind her ears, throat, base of neck, as well as her wrists where some may be removed as she washes her hands, dishes, etc.  Or, failing that, she may be using a hair product - dye, shampoo or conditioner - which has not been fully rinsed away.

Yvonne McNiven, a manipulative therapist and aromatherapist, hypothesizes that the most likely cause of the problem is that Diane’s client has sustained an injury to her neck as a result of the mentioned climbing accident: the common site for skin reactions/allergies is damage to the first to fourth cervical vertebrae. Most people can recover but sometimes, so Yvonne advises, ligamentous damage or a fixation to rotate a joint can leave either weakness or malpositioning which could in some circumstances compress and irritate a nerve root.  The use of a face cradle, and the fact that the client is lying prone when receiving massage, could affect the nerves supplying the skin areas of the head and neck.  This, she suspects, is why the client is all right in the bath, because she is lying supine and the nerve is not being compressed.

Rhiannon Môn Jones suggests that Diane might wish to pursue a scientific approach to determine the cause of the problem.  Professional bodies, such as the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, are always keen to promote careful research by therapists, and Diane may wish eventually to publish an account of this case in one of the relevant journals. Nevertheless it should be borne in mind that if Diane’s client has developed some sort of allergic sensitivity to any of the substances used in her treatments, the severity of reaction can increase over time and therefore the client’s full consent, and her doctor’s approval, should be obtained. 

Rhiannon helpfully provided a possible research methodology, which encompasses effect of bedding only, effect of couch only, effect of massage/manipulation only (no oils at all to be used), effect of carrier oils on skin (no massage), effect of massage with carrier oil only, and effect of the individual essential oils and macerated/cold pressed plant oils.
A copy of Rhiannon’s full text is available upon request.

I have since heard from Diane that the bath blend contained sandalwood and not benzoin, and the client experienced no adverse reaction. Also the client did not sustain a neck injury but, due to the nature of the fall and the way the climbing ropes behaved, did suffer a hyperflexion injury which included a distraction fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebra and a wedge fracture of the first lumbar vertebra.

Diane has promised to keep us posted.

A surprising answer!
Without really thinking, I put Guaiacwood (Bulnesia sarmienti Lorentz ex Griseb) on special offer last month.  Barely had the newsletter hit the doormat when the phones began to ring: What do you use it for?  Somewhat flustered, I muttered something about arthritis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Several items caught my eye when browsing the June newsletter, and one prompts me to write - your plea for assistance on A mouthful of menace, e-mailed Peter O’Rourke.

In the course of dealing with sufferers from systemic Candida and Alzheimer’s disease, both of which share the problem of poisonous metals in the body, my research for an agent to remove some of these toxins led me to Guaiacum (Guaiacum  officinale L.): Guaiacwood.  Thomas Bartram, in his wonderful Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, states that “Mercurial poisoning is ever present in the modern world: Guaiacum is a natural antidote for this metal for the many conditions it causes......”.

As the presence of mercury amalgam fillings causes the production of methyl mercury in the intestines, making the candidiasis harder to treat, I suggest the use of guaiacwood to my clients.  Apparently, it encourages the toxins to attach themselves to sulphur in the body, which assists their expulsion from the body.

It is probably as well to point out that Guaiacwood oil is different from guaiac resin or guaiac gum products, to which I think that Mr. Bartram refers. The latter are obtained from the wood of Guaiacum officinale and G. sanctum L. This guaiac contains guaiaretic acid, dehydroguaiaretic acid, guaiacin, isoguaiacin, a-guaiaconic acid (lignans), furoguaiacin and its monomethyl ether, furoguaiacidin, tetrahydrofuroguaiacin-A and tetrahydrofuroguaiacin-B (furanolignans), furoguaiaoxidin (enedione lignan) [King, F.E. and Wilson, J.G. The chemistry of extractives from hardwoods. Part XXXVI.  The lignans of Guaiacum officinale L. J. Chem. Soc. 1964; 4011-24].

The resin is stated to possess antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, mild laxative, and diaphoretic properties.  Traditionally, it has been used for subacute rheumatism, prophylaxis against gout, and specifically for chronic rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis.  However I  am unable to find any scientific evidence to support its use as an antirheumatic or anti-inflammatory agent.  In fact it is recommended that the resin is avoided by individuals with hypersensitive, allergic, or acute inflammatory conditions.

Guaiacwood oil on the other hand, which is obtained by steam distillation of the comminuted wood and sawdust of B. sarmienti and smells a little like tea roses, contains 42-72% guaiol, bulnesol, d-bulnesene (d-guaiene), b-bulnesene, a-guaiene, b-patchoulene, and guaioxide.

Nevertheless, guaiac resin has been approved for food use as an equivalent of guaiacwood oil or products derived from B. sarmienti and, presumably, vice versa.  Therefore, for these purposes, we can possibly assume that their actions are similar.

Peter suggests that the addition of guaiacwood oil to a facial or body massage blend may prove beneficial for someone experiencing mercury, or some other heavy metal poisoning.
A single drop administered sublingually at night may also assist.  Peter reports that he has personally experienced no ill effects from using guaiacwood oil in this way, although the taste is foul!

A helpful hint from down under.
Further to your note in your newsletter of November 1997 re. Khella. The case referred to was actually a client of Jenny Freewalker’s - a colleague of mine.  And it was Jenny’s “inspiration”, not mine. Perhaps the published article was not clear enough, e-mailed Helen Guthrie the other day.

November 1997! Almost six years ago!  What on earth did I write?  No wonder people keep asking me to publish a well-indexed version of my past newsletters, I could do with it myself!

However, to save you a trip to the loft or potting shed to sift through past issues, I note that I quoted from an article by Helen - Close Encounters of the Essential Kind - published in the Aromatherapy Quarterly. At that time Helen was President of the New Zealand Register of Holistic Aromatherapists, and was particularly interested in mental/emotional disturbances and their treatment with aromatherapy.

As I recall, the client had liver cancer and was to receive chemotherapy.  However her immunology count was very low, only 0.4%, so treatment was cancelled.  Jenny Freewalker was inspired to make up a blend of Khella oil (Ammi visnaga Lam.) in a base oil of Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium Forster & Forster).  The client sniffed the bottle only when moved to do so.  Four days later, her immunology count was back up to 5, so the chemotherapy could take place. The client continued to sniff the blend when she felt the need, which lessened progressively.

Anyway...writes Helen now...I am working with a good friend who is receiving chemotherapy following a mastectomy. She is much into alternative care of herself in addition to allopathic medicine, but not too keen to apply essential oils to wounds, etc.  A short while ago, I gave her a bottle containing two drops of Khella to use for sniffing when she felt like it, as it has such excellent “energy clearing” properties.  She loved the aroma of it.

Last week, she was due for chemo treatment number 3, but was told the night before that her pre-treatment blood counts were too low - but please still come, we will retake them prior to the appointment in case they have changed. Mary rang me, to warn me that the hour’s trip to the hospital might be in vain. Remembering Jenny’s client’s experience, I asked Mary if she would be willing to see if, indeed, the Khella might make a difference.

Over the evening, she sniffed the bottle perhaps 5 or 6 times. We went to the hospital the next day, and she had further checks on her blood counts done. The staff were gob-smacked at the rise over 24 hours, and Mary was able to have her treatment on schedule! 

For the technicians, the counts were: Hb 132 went to 130; WCC 3.4 went to 4.6; Neutrophils 1.3 went to 2.2; and Platelets 345 went to 354.

Dare I suggest that if any other of your readers find themselves in similar positions and are able to “test” the oil in similar circumstances, we could be on to a break-through?

Dealing with doggy dermatitis.
I was surprised to learn that that the word “allergy” was coined only in 1906, by the Viennese paediatrician Baron Clemens von Pirquet.  Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a harmless substance as if it were harmful. Chemicals in insect bites (as in flea saliva), certain foods, drugs, plants, dust mites, plant pollens, fungal spores, even the skin we shed (human dander) can set off an allergic reaction in your dog. A variety of canine disorders, including dermatitis, eczema, colitis, hay fever, coughing, asthma, diarrhoea, and vomiting, can all have allergic origins.

Pathogens, like viruses, normally stimulate the immune system to produce protective antibodies.  Allergens such as dust mite droppings, flea saliva, or human dander, when inhaled, swallowed, or in contact with the body, provoke the immune system, mistakenly, to produce an antibody called IgE (immunoglobin E).  In an allergic dog, IgE binds to receptor sites on specialized immune cells called mast cells, which reside in the skin and the lining of the stomach, lungs, and upper airways. These cells are like primed mines, filled with chemicals waiting to explode.  IgE makes mast cells release their chemicals, spreading inflammatory substances such as histamine and prostaglandins.  The reaction takes about eight minutes.

Just as allergy runs in human families, there is a predisposition in some dog breeds, such as Akitas and Shar Peis. Several breeds with predominantly white coats, such as West Highland Terriers, Bull Terriers and English Setters are predisposed to produce excessive IgE and have a higher incidence of skin allergies. I remember well that my bulldog Rudge, a brindle/white, was constantly  affected with atopic dermatitis.  He had a thing about raw potatoes which he would steal furtively when my back was turned, and these proved to be the cause of his discomfort!

Frequent shampooing is normally recommended for skin allergies.  A Terrier’s rough coat, for example, is ideal for capturing mould spores and pollen. Vets also increasingly recommend high-dose essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements.  The EFAs are known to act at the cellular level, diminishing the intensity of mast-cell explosions.

Omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs have antiinflammatory properties in dogs affected by atopic dermatitis.  In particular, products containing a low omega-3/omega-6 ratio (1:5) or high concentrations of biotransformed fatty acids (gammalinolenic acid, stearidonic, etc.) seem to be more effective. Blackcurrant seed oil (Ribes nigrum L.) has these features and in a recent study its efficacy was evaluated in dogs with atopic dermatitis [Noli, C.; Scarampella, F. Efficacy of blackcurrant seed oil in canine atopic dermatitis: a double blind placebo controlled study. Veterinaria (Cremona) (2002), 16(3), 55-60].

Thirty-one atopic dogs, not improving after 8 weeks of elimination diet, under rigorous flea control, and not treated with other antiinflammatory or antipruritic drugs were randomly assigned to four groups.

The animals in the first group (n=7) were administered a placebo (sugar syrup), those in the second group (n=10) the active ingredient following indications by the producer (50mg/kg BID), those in the third (n=7) and fourth (n=7) the active ingredient at two and three fold the normal dose, respectively.  All animals were treated for thirty days.

On day 0 and 30 the investigators evaluated pruritis, erythema and cutaneous lesions following a numerical scale, and the general gravity following a visual analogical scale.
Of all animals treated with the active ingredient (n=24), 17 (70.8%) showed a good or excellent response (decrease of pre-treatment values between 51 and 100%). Animals treated with the active ingredient at a normal dose showed an improvement in all parameters evaluated, if compared to the dogs in the placebo group.  Animals treated with double or triple dose did not show higher improvements if compared to those treated with the normal dose.

This study suggests that blackcurrant seed oil may indeed be helpful in the symptomatic treatment of canine atopic dermatitis.

Analysis and allergies.
Analysis proves nothing, posted one aromatherapist at The Spirit of Aromatherapy chat room.  I think I’m right in saying that a ‘GC’ cannot tell whether the particular chemical it is peaking for is naturally-occurring in the plant or whether it’s been isolated or added by crafty Pierre at the wholesalers.  Let alone the fact that who decides which peak is which? Either way, it’s guess work as it can only be based on “expected peaks” for that particular oil.  I am personally not interested in seeing an analysis.

Why then do I spend several tens of thousands of pounds per year to meet the demands of aromatherapists for GC/MS analyses?

I would have thought because, with widespread and ever-increasing concern over regulatory interest and possible adulteration, the need for reliable and searching essential oil analysis has never been greater. Anyhow, what is GC/MS all about? 

The essential oils industry is very familiar with GC (Gas Chromatography). It is a technique where a minute quantity of the oil to be analysed is ‘washed’along a fine pipe (or ‘column’) in a stream of inert gas, usually Helium.

During this journey the components become separated from each other and, as they emerge from the end of the column, they are detected by being burnt in a ‘Flame Ionisation Detector’ (FID).  The burning, or ionisation, process generates an electrical signal that is proportional to the quantity of material burnt. The electrical signal is amplified and sent to a recording device such as a ‘pen chart recorder’ or, more commonly, a data handling system PC.

The components detected are shown as a series of ‘peaks’ on the familiar GC trace. Since the level of signal is dependent on the quantity of sample, the area of each peak is proportional to the amount of component present and the measurements are presented in the manner of ‘quantity versus time’.

However, as useful as analysis by GC is, it MUST be understood that when the analyst proceeds to identify these peaks, he or she does so solely on the basis of their ‘retention time’ - how long it took to wash down the column.  This approach has significant limitations since GC alone provides NO STRUCTURAL INFORMATION about the detected component. Positive identification is best made using an instrument called a Mass Spectrometer.

Mass Spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical technique used to identify a vast range of organic compounds; to quantify known and unknown masterials; and to elucidate the structural and chemical properties of molecules. This can be accomplished with extremely small quantities of material, often less than a picogram, and at very low concentrations in chemically complex mixtures (one part in a trillion).

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 1960’s.  This interfacing allowed components in the vapour phase, and already separated as described above, to enter the mass spectrometer and be analysed.

The component molecules entering the mass spectrometer are NOT burned but are broken into fragments.  This is achieved by bombarding them with electrons, a process called ‘electron ionisation’ (EI).  This breaking-up process also generates an electrical signal that can be detected and processed as previously described.  The major difference is that the FID detector ionises the analyte by burning, the process of which DESTROYS any of the molecule’s structural information, whereas the EI process allows the ionised molecule to ‘fall apart’ in a controlled manner, governed by the physical properties of the molecule.

This results in the molecule retaining its structural identity and the ‘mass spectrum’ represents the structure of the molecule.  The analyst may, either by expert interpretation or by comparing these fragments with an extensive library of mass spectra, DIRECTLY IDENTIFY the peak by its mass spectrum.

In many situations it may be important to distinguish between ‘enantiomers’ of optically active compounds, for example d- and l- limonene.  Enantiomers have identical physical properties and it is not possible to separate them by conventional chromatography. The introduction of GC columns that possess ‘chiral’ activity now enables the separation of optical isomers and, when coupled to a mass spectrometer, the ultimate accurate identification of the enantiomers. The introduction of chiral GC has greatly improved the power of the GC/MS system in the detection of SUBTLE ADULTERATION of natural oils by synthesised compounds.

That all said, does it really have any relevance for the professional aromatherapist?  I believe that it does.

Because of their frequent use, allergy to essential oils is becoming increasingly recognised. Monthly I read reports of multiple allergies to essential oils in professional aromatherapists.
Most recently two cases are reported by the Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry.

GC/MS was used to analyse the oils in order to identify a common allergen responsible for the contact dermatitis.  In both the cases, a- and b-pinene were found to be the most common constituents in the oils and thus appeared to be key allergens. A-pinene was confirmed as an allergen on repeat patch testing with pure a-pinene in both cases. 12 controls tested were negative for the same. 

GC/MS was considered to be an extremely useful tool that could be utilized in investigating multiple allergies to essential oils [Contact Dermatitis (2002) 47(5), 288-292].  I agree!

Some suggestions for Scabies.
Looking for some help...caught scabies from my place of work...would neem or turmeric kill the infestation?

Nasty little things Sarcoptes scabiei (the itch mite). The mites burrow in the skin to lay eggs.  The newly hatched mites reach adulthood within 14 days, and they, in turn, mate on the skin, thus perpetuating the infestation.
There is research evidence that supports the use of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), but neem is not the most pleasant smelling carrier oil.  Although there are references to Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) being applied externally to snakebite (!) and skin diseases, it would not jump immediately to mind for these purposes. Therefore you might wish first to try rubbing neat Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel) or Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) into the infestation as an initial measure, to help control the itching and inflammation.  Also, purely off the top of my head, Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia Smith), sometimes called Rosalina or Lavender Tea Tree, might do the trick.

Some aromatherapy references suggest that you should rub the whole body with neat lavender oil, and then make a solution of 3 drops lavender and 3 drops of Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis L.) in 4 teaspoons of vodka, and use that daily until the symptoms improve. Good business for Smirnoff!

Alternatively you could add 5% by volume of lavender (2%), Peppermint (Mentha piperita var. officinalis Sole) (2%) and Lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) (1%) to a cream or ointment.  The cream should be applied to itching areas at least twice a day, preferably after bathing, and treatment will be more effective if essential oils are also added to the bath.  Lavender and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) are the best oils for this, and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All.) can be added for its soothing properties.

Finally, another case to consider.......
I wonder whether you or any aromatherapists out there can give me some help, asks Elizabeth Boys.

Elizabeth has a 50-year old female client who for quite a long time has had a problem with her voice. This is intermittent, i.e. sometimes she can speak clearly and on other occasions, particularly, but not solely, when she has to speak in public (this is part of her job) or when she is tired, her voice all but disappears.

Having followed several avenues with very little success, the ENT people have now diagnosed her with ‘spasmodic dysphonia’, which she understands is something to do with the basal ganglia and is fairly rare.  She has been told that there is no cure, but they have suggested treatment of botox injections to the vocal chords every 4/5 months. She is willing to try this, albeit with reluctance.  The treatment is due to start in a couple of months.

Do you or anyone else have any knowledge or any experience of this and could offer suggestions of aromatherapy, which could usefully form an adjunct to the medical treatment?

Dystonias and their management have been reviewed [Marsden, C.D., Quinn, N.P. The dystonias. Br. Med. J. 1990; 300: 139-44].  A dystonia is a syndrome of sustained muscle contractions. Typically it starts as a focal dystonia localised in one part of the body and to begin with may appear only during a specific motor act (action dystonia).  If the syndrome is progressive the dystonias may become apparent at rest and spread first to more than one part of the body (segmental dystonia) and may eventually affect most or all of the body (generalised dystonia). Progression of the dystonia seems to be related to age of onset. Dystonia beginning in childhood usually starts in the legs and progresses to become segmental or generalised.  Whereas in adults the dystonia usually starts in other parts of the body and rarely becomes generalised. 

Examples of focal dystonias are blepharospasm (affecting the eye and surrounding facial muscles), writer’s cramp (hand and arm), spasmodic torticollis (neck), spasmodic dysphonia, or dystonic dysphagia (larynx or pharynx), and leg distonias. Some dystonias are symptomatic, and may be associated with metabolic disorders such as Wilson’s disease or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome; with neurological disorders such as Huntingdon’s disease; or with other causes including head trauma, manganese or carbon disulphide toxicity, or the side-effects of antipsychotics or antiparkinsonian agents.  However, in the majority of cases the disease is idiopathic.

There are no cures for most types of dystonia. However, although the response in patients with adult onset focal dystonia is usually poor, the use of botulinum A toxin can produce relief in blepharospasm, spasmodic torticollis, and spasmodic dysphonia, and is under investigation for writer’s cramp and other occupational dystonias.

Local injections into the affected muscles produce weakness over the next week or so, thereby reducing or abolishing dystonic spasms.  The effect lasts some 2 to 4 months.

Hopefully that provides a little background. Now let’s have some suggestions........
 

previous     next