The Transylvanian Society of Dracula held the third World Dracula Congress in the medieval town of Sighisoara, Romania, last month.  The theme was fear and participants looked at aspects of the emotion in life.

Speaking of which, I was pretty fearful of our forthcoming London Randonnée. Not that I was anticipating any vampires, witches or werewolves to drop in, I just did not know what to
expect.  The response had been hearteningly supportive and I had no wish to let down anyone but, I had never visited Over-Seas House. The brochure had looked encouraging, but then estate agents’ details can seem most impressive until you discover that you are under the main flight path into Heathrow.  Poor Jan took the brunt of my concern.  What’s more I had never met Jacqui Le Sueur. True, we had spoken several times upon the telephone but would she really be able to disseminate knowledge about fourteen vegetable and essential oils in just a couple of hours?

By the time we were a couple of miles down M40, I was wondering whether I should not have invested in a Korean “aromatherapy business suit”.  These supposedly reduce stress by emitting the aromas of peppermint and lavender. Too late now: I tugged nervously at my “Tales of India” tie, especially selected for the day in the Hall of India & Pakistan.

Alighting at the Club, my fears were soon allayed. Apart from a slight fustiness, which seems to pervade all great institutions, and extensive building works which prevented any parking, the brochure was true to its word.  We motored around the corner to park in the nearest NCP, which was surprisingly quite deserted: I would find out later why.  Tucked in a corner of this subterranean cavern, I distinguished beneath its cover the outline of one of the world’s most important cars - a Ferrari 250 GTO: the day was really looking up!

Entering the Hall of India & Pakistan I espied whom I took to be the Banqueting Manager, who was feverishly rearranging the layout of the place.  About to enquire whether it would be possible to have a cup of coffee, a sixth sense stopped me mid-sentence.  Good Lord! It’s Jacqui! Her sheer purposefulness left me with no qualms whatsoever about her ability to romp through a couple of hours about the more unusual oils. My sixth sense, however, did not save me a little later when, spotting a stylishly fashionable short haircut, I erroneously assumed that the attractive young lady was a gentleman! My most sincere apologies, and long-lasting embarrassment. As Justin is forever telling me, I shouldn’t be let out!

Jacqui got the day off to a cracking start, covering an amazing amount of ground in the time. Judging from the numerous e-mails that I have since received, there is little doubt that there are now many who are prepared to “think outside the box” and use Quinoa, Centella, Argan, Tamanu, Marula, Neem, Blackcurrant Seed, Sea Buckthorn, May Chang, Black Spruce, Plai, Nagarmotha and Buddah Wood with increased confidence. 

Joanna Hoare was, as usual, absolutely radiant, and most amusing to boot.  Her deep love of perfume shone strongly through, and her treasure trove of fine fragrances was an aromatic revelation. When did I last have the opportunity to savour the extremely delicate, almost raspberry-like, sweet-floral scent of Orris? 

As she meandered fragrantly through her finely illustrated dissertation, my mind drifted back to the time when fragrant ladies were de rigueur. Romance was still alive, and chivalry maintained. It was a wonderful time: flowers, chocolates and perfume for the lady of the moment.  The choice of perfume could make or break an aspiring relationship, and it was to the likes of Joanna that I would turn for advice.   

In fact I used to find the ladies in the perfume department of Harrods rather intimidating, and sometimes quite hostile. Does madam prefer a floral, oriental, or chypre note?  I hadn’t a clue. Have you known her long? No, I met her on the Tube this morning.  Is madam blonde or brunette?  I could answer that. Would sir like to try this....Spray!....or this....Spray!....or perhaps even this....Spray! Clutching my tiny, finely-crafted parcel, I would emerge from the store smelling like a fragrant skunk.  Without the chance to change my clothes before meeting after work the young lady in question, I had an awful lot of explaining to do!            

Many, I know, had to come to listen to Victoria Plum speak about “working with addiction”. She did not disappoint.  A dedicated therapist and educator, Victoria’s intuitive approach has been acclaimed by many. Dealing primarily with the “highs” and “lows”of alcoholism, she enumerated succinctly the effects of heavy drinking and alcohol related illnesses.

The term ‘alcoholism’may be used to denote dependence on alcohol, which is of the barbiturate-alcohol type and usually involves tolerance to other sedatives and anaesthetics.  Following prolonged periods of excessive alcohol consumption, a drop in blood-alcohol concentration may precipitate a withdrawal syndrome characterised by tremor, agitation, feelings of dread, nausea, vomiting and sweating; hallucinations, seizures, and delirium tremens may also develop.

A fetal alcohol syndrome has been identified in which infants born to some alcoholic mothers have characteristic features and abnormalities.  There have been some reports of the syndrome and other adverse effects on the fetus being associated with moderate alcohol intake in pregnancy; it is generally suggested that alcohol is best avoided during pregnancy.

The general management of the alcohol withdrawal symptom was discussed in some detail.  In most cases symptoms of alcohol withdrawal do not require treatment and disappear within a few days but more severe cases may require managed withdrawal from alcohol to avoid complications. It is essential that in all cases of alcohol withdrawal syndrome hypoglycaemia, dehydration, electrolyte disturbances (in particular magnesium), and vitamin deficiencies be corrected. Once the initial acute withdrawal of alcohol is achieved treatment may be required to maintain long-term abstinence. Aromatherapy should probably only be used as an adjunct to psychotherapy and supportive care.

Victoria outlined several essential oils which could perhaps be used to support the major organs of detoxification and purification. However she stressed the need for ‘fine tuning’, which should take into account the individual client’s ‘area of weakness’. This could be  immunological, gynaecological, specific aromatic likes and dislikes, or their own expression of their psyche. She commented that these clents are often extremely sensitive to the subtle effects of essential oils and, therefore, it is often better to start with only a 1% dilution and work with a single oil, or two oil blend, until certain of their responses.

A wonderful day....The talks were really most inspiring....I thoroughly enjoyed such a variety of information and presentation....It was a very good mix of speakers and topics....I thought the venue was good....I enjoyed the lunch regardless of some of the feedback!....some have kindly commented.

Although I screwed up a little on the catering front (not enough vegetarian dishes), for which I humbly apologise, it was an excellent day. Even the £64 parking charge hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm, and I am encouraged to arrange other randonnées elsewhere. Watch this space!
A case to consider.
I wondered if you could possibly shed any light on a continuing problem I am encountering with a client who, despite every effort, continues to have moderate allergic reaction after every massage treatment using carrier oils and some essential oils, emailed Diane Oldridge.

The client is a 30-year-old female who has Therapeutic/Remedial massage every 7-10 days, following a climbing accident a year ago.  Although she is responding well to the treatment and exercise advice, the source of her allergic reaction is not apparent.  However it is known that she is allergic to lignocaine, which causes stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and she suffers mild hayfever.

During her fourth treatment the client reported developing very swollen lips and eyelid after the previous treatment, and then promptly developed a raised ‘nettle-sting-like’ rash behind her ears and down her neck. This was after forty minutes of massage with sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus L.), benzoin (Styrax benzoin Dryander), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill. ?) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All.).  She was advised to shower immediately and take one of her Piriton tablets.

At the time benzoin was suspected [which would have been my first thought], although she had had no reaction to a bath blend containing the same oils until sandalwood (Santalum album L.) was substituted for benzoin [this does baffle me]. However a further reaction occurred after using sweet almond and calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), but without any essential oils.  At this point a nut allergy was suspected [I would think the same], and the client informed.  The bath blend was exchanged for one using grapeseed (Vitis vinifera L.) instead of almond.

In the following treatment grapeseed oil with arnica (Arnica montana L.) was used, but again the client experienced the rash, itching and a swollen eyelid and part of her upper lip.  
  
Contamination from the bed or couch or face cover was considered.  On the next treatment new towels were used, the couch and accessories had been cleaned and the face cradle and couch cover had been washed prior to treating the client.  New face cradle and covers were ordered, and to be kept strictly separate.  Grapeseed with calendula was used but again, after forty minutes of treatment, the client experienced tingling lips and eyelid, both of which swelled up.

Most recently all the bedding was brand new, including the face cradle, and the couch and accessories had been cleaned before use. Grapeseed and freshly macerated (in organic olive oil) arnica were used.

After 30 minutes the client had no symptoms. The treatment finished with massage to the neck with no problems. However, minutes later the itching started and the client experienced widespread ‘nettle-rash’behind the ears, down the neck and up into the neckline.  The rash was raised, red and hot to begin with. It consisted of raised areas, some areas at least the size of a 10p piece. She reported the area feeling numb. Once the skin had stopped flaring up the areas turned white and remained raised.

Interestingly, the client has not experienced any symptoms on her torso or limbs except after one treatment when her wrists itched.

Can you offer any insight into what on earth could be causing her reactions?

Could it be Arnica, or........?
The perennial herb arnica, sometimes called Leopard’s Bane, Wolf’s Bane or Mountain Tobacco, grows to a height of about 0.6m and is native to the mountainous regions of Europe.

It contains up to 1% of a viscous volatile oil about half of which is composed of fatty acids, with palmitic, linoleic, myristic, and linolenic predominating. Aromatic constituents present include thymol and thymol derivatives. Other constituents are the coumarins scopoletin and umbelliferone, the flavonoids betuletol, eupafolin, 6-methoxy-kaempferol, hispidulin, tricin, and others, sesquiterpene lactones such as helenalin and dihydrohelenalin derivatives, and the bitter principle arnicin.

Arnica has been reported to increase the resistance of animals to bacterial infections by stimulating phagocytosis of the bacteria involved, particularly Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium [H. Buschmann, Fortschr. Veterinarmed., 20, 98 (1974)]. The sesquiterpene lactones helenalin acetate and 11,13-dihydrohelenalin have antibacterial and antifungal activities in vitro [G. Willuhn et al. Pharm. Ztg., 127, 2183 (1982)].  Numerous esters of helenalin have been shown to have antiinflammatory activity in mice and rats [I.H. Hallet et al., Planta Med., 53, 153 (1987)].

Arnica is believed to have wound-healing and stimulant properties. However it is an irritant to mucous membranes and ingestion may result in fatal gastroenteritis, muscle paralysis (voluntary and cardiac), increase or decrease in pulse rate, palpitation of the heart, shortness of breath, and may even lead to death. Helenalin is stated to be the toxic principle responsible for these effects.

In herbal use arnica is stated to possess topical counter-irritant properties, and has been used for unbroken chilblains, alopecia neurotica, and specifically for sprains and bruises.  It is used mainly in homoeopathic preparations.

Externally, arnica is poorly tolerated by some people, precipitating allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. It should only be applied to unbroken skin and withdrawn at the first sign of reaction [British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Keighley: BHMA 1983].  Sesquiterpenes, especially helenalin and its derivatives, are believed to be the sensitizers [H.D. Herrmann et al., Planta Med., 34, 299 (1978)].

The chemistry of arnica is well studied. Anti-inflammatory properties associated with sesquiterpene lactones probably justify its use in aromatherapy, although allergenic and cytotoxic properties are also associated with this class of constituents, but it can cause an allergic reaction.

Thus far I have been unable to discover anything that implicates either grapeseed or calendula but, what do you think?

Meanwhile I was interested to note Diane’s comment about lignocaine, a local anaesthetic of the amide type which acts by preventing the generation and transmission of impulses along nerve fibres and at nerve endings, because I have read of erythema and pigmentation of the upper lip in a child following local dental infiltration of lignocaine which was attributed to a type of fixed drug eruption [Curley, R.K. et al. An unusual cutaneous reaction to lignocaine. Br. Dent. J. 1987; 162: 113-114].  Is the client, I wonder, still using any anaesthetic?  

A mouthful of menace?
Do you know of any essential oils which can help reduce the exposure to the mercury effects of amalgam fillings? I am about to have all of my mercury fillings replaced and wondered if you had any knowledge on the subject.

I don’t, but I read that research suggests that mercury vapour from fillings may be one of the predominant underlying causes of a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from gum disease, migraine, headaches, poor memory, depression, anxiety, mental lethargy, chronic fatigue, growth, allergies such as eczema and asthma, and sensitivity reactions to foods and inhalants, to rheumatism, arthritis, backache, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders [WDDTY, April 2000].  

However, before you rush out to have all your mercury fillings replaced, you should have an experienced practitioner take a full medical and dental history, check your dental status (fillings, crowns, implants, dentures, and even amalgam tattoos or posts and pins), and carry out a test to measure each metallic filling for electrical activity, which will indicate the amount of mercury vapour released from fillings and the possible systemic effects of having a ‘battery’ in your mouth.

You might also consider a provocation urine test.  This uses the known mercury chelator 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) to leech mercury out of your system to be excreted in the urine.  Urine is taken before and after swallowing this chelator, and compared for mercury content. This test is an indicator of mercury body burden and requires careful interpretation by an experienced practitioner.    

Have a blood test - the metal-specific T-cell test (MSMT) developed at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London - which determines your immunological reactions to dental and associated metals, and measures lymphocyte response to other heavy metals. Other laboratory tests include hair analysis and a sweat test for dental metals.

Of course all this pre-supposes that, if you have a health condition, you have undergone already conventional medical investigation to exclude life-threatening and other diseases, and have not responded to treatment.

Safety in numbers?
It is impossible to imagine how humans could have reached such a dominant position in the World’s biology without the prior evolution of seeds.  Every civilisation bar one that has ever reached the position of a significant international power has done so by cultivating seeds - be it rice, maize, sorghum or wheat. The Maoris are the exception because they rose to prominence by cultivating sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

If we examine land plants around us we find that mosses and ferns do not produce seeds and gymnosperms (an important group that includes conifers, yews and cycads plus Ginkgo biloba and a bundle of botanical misfits) and flowering plants (angiosperms) do.  Since the numbers of the latter exceeds the number of the former we assume that the production of seeds is an improvement. That assumption will only be tested by time.  Mosses have survived for far longer than flowering plants and still play a vital part in life on the land. The same is true of ferns but to a lesser extent.  Why then do gymnosperms and angiosperms produce seeds?

At a very simple level they produce seeds because they have evolved a reproductive cycle that involves the fertilisation of the egg occurring on the plant, a long way from the soil or any other suitable growing medium. The fertilised egg, the zygote, starts to divide and an embryo develops.  This embryo must become a self sufficient, photosynthesising individual but this will only be possible if it can be, quite literally, brought down to earth.  Hence the need for a seed.

Once the seed had evolved a major problem evolved and it all resulted from the need of the mother plant to provide the embryo with food for its journey.  The packed lunch was up for grabs.  By its very definition it must be rich in nutrients and animals quickly realised the potential. There are countless examples of plants that endure huge levels of seed predation. In order to have at least one offspring they have to over-produce by up to several orders of magnitude. One amazing example of this come from California.

The seeds of Pinus albicaulis (white bark pine) are harvested in huge numbers by Clark’s nuthatch and this is the major food supply for this species of bird. The cones open just enough to allow the bird to steal the large, wingless seeds. Birds collect up to 100 seeds stuffed in their mouths per forage.  100 seeds equal 25% of the bird’s body weight.  The bird buries the seeds in fours and returns later in the year when it is hungry.  Believe it or not, one bird can bury 89,000 seeds per annum!

There is obviously a delicate balance between the number of seeds being eaten and the number of seeds being left to germinate. Is this just another example of the staggering intricacies of the matrix of interactions that we observe in nature or is it just another example of the staggering inefficiency of the matrix of the interactions that we observe in nature?  The answer is both. There is no biological Audit Commission. If a strategy works it survives and if there is waste that presents no fatal disadvantages then it may be tolerated [University of Oxford Botanic Garden News, 51, Spring 2003].

The origin of Amber.
Too often I am asked the botanical source of our Amber.  Honestly, I do not know.

Fossilized plant resin, or amber, is notable in having exquisitely preserved organisms or parts of them. When the resins are still sticky, they can trap organisms like fly paper.  However nobody knows how long it takes resin to become amber.  The fossilization is caused by polymerization and extensive cross-linking of the resin. Some features of these trapped organisms are traceable to the Lower Cretaceous (the last period of the Mesozoic era, with evidence of the first flowering plants, the extinction of dinosaurs, and extensive deposits of chalk), approximately 130 million years ago, but resins have been produced by numerous ancestral vascular plants since the Middle Carboniferous (the fifth period in the Palaeozoic era, with evidence of the first reptiles and extensive coal-forming swamp forests), about 305 million years ago.

While modern resins can be collected directly from plants, mostly from the shoot or the above-ground portion of trees, leaving no doubt about origin, the botanical source of many ancient resins remains obscure. Ancient resins are seldom associated with taxonomically diagnostic plant organs or tissues.  Therefore, as the chemical nature of resins may vary with the plant species, the characterization of modern resins by different physicochemical techniques is used to establish the botanical origin of ancient resins.
 
Nevertheless, although a pilot study recently completed by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington concludes that solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using the carbon 13 isotope (C-13 SSNMR) is an extremely powerful tool to identify and classify resins and other plant exudates, such as gums and latexes, there is still the need to collect a set of samples from a large variety of plant families from around the world, most of them never studied before.

Thus I think that it will be quite a time before I can define the botanical source of our amber, even if it exists!  Meanwhile I shall continue to call it a perfume compound.

Midges munched.
Over the years I have written much about possible deterrents to the rapacious Highland biting midge (Culicoides impunctatus), but have never really come up with the remedy. Well, it seems that the little nipper may be about to meet its match - the Midgeater, a gas-powered insect destroyer.

The device, which smells like a cow (to a midge at least), can suck in and destroy millions of the little beasts and might be worth tens of millions to Scottish tourism, because many are discouraged from ‘hasting back’to this beautiful part of the world by the plague of midges in July and August, the worst period for bites. To put this into perspective, research suggests that parts of the Highlands host 10 million midges per acre!

The propane-powered device is the result of a combined effort by Edinburgh academics and Calor Gas. The unit can draw in midges from a range of 100 metres, where they are sucked into a disposable bag.  Smart!

The honey with a little bit extra?
Following last month’s story about Manuka Honey several have asked where they can obtain it. I would have thought at any good health food store but, if you can’t, I do have some tubes of Comvita ManukaCare 18+ sitting on my desk at the moment.             

Comvita was founded more than twenty-five years ago in the Bay of Plenty area of North Island, New Zealand. They were the first company to export tested Manuka Honey to the United Kingdom and are the world’s largest supplier of Active Manuka Honey.  Their products are controlled to pharmaceutical grade (GMP) standards.

As discussed last month, the antibacterial activity of honey is due to several factors.  In undiluted honey the high concentration of sugar alone is sufficient to kill bacteria - it ties up the small amount of water present, making it unavailable to bacteria. But if honey is diluted, e.g., by serum in a wound or by saliva if taken by mouth, this type of antibacterial action becomes less effective. In most honeys the antibacterial activity is primarily due to hydrogen peroxide.  This is generated gradually by an enzyme in honey as honey is diluted.  In this way it is possible for bacteria to be killed without the level of hydrogen peroxide being high enough to cause harm to body tissues.

There are also herbal antibacterial components which come from the nectar of particular types of plants, but generally these have only a weak activity.  However it has been discovered that honey produced from some Leptospermum spp. is unique in having a potent herbal type of antibacterial activity, this being additional to the usual hydrogen peroxide activity.

The honey being sold as “active manuka honey”is the only honey currently being marketed that is tested for its antibacterial activity and selected for sale based on its level of activity. The herbal antibacterial component, the “unique manuka factor” (UMF), is not affected by the catalase enzyme which is found in many plant and animal tissues.  The enzyme catalyses the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Therefore, according to Dr. Peter Nolan, Director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato, the potency of the antibacterial activity of other types of honey would most probably be reduced when used on an infection because of the action of catalase.  Be this the case, it would seem that active Manuka Honey does indeed have a little bit extra.   

Finally......
Nature does nothing without purpose or uselessly. [Aristotle 384-322 BC: Politics]
 

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