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April is the cruellest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land.
T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
As I open the door, the wintry blast almost sweeps me off my feet.
Outside hail is falling from the cumulonimbus clouds like stair-rods, hell-bent on flattening the first blooms of Spring. It is all rather depressing, but I recollect that thirty-six years ago, almost to the day, Jan and I married in mid-April with snow upon the ground. As though on cue, the hail stops abruptly to give way to feathery ice crystals.
Wrapping warmly against the unseasonable chill, I trudge through the swirling flakes to checkout my wildlife pond.
After years of trying, I have at last attracted a goodly selection of frogs and toads to my man-made, aquatic habitat, who have rewarded my efforts with generous amounts of spawn. In the past I have relied upon donated spawn, but it has never produced the yield of tadpoles for which I hoped. Therefore, somewhat like a broody hen, I am keen to ensure that all is well beneath the blistered surface of the pool.
Coincidentally, local natural spawning hot spots have been devoid of visitors for a couple of years, which means that keenly anticipated frog and toad patrols have been suspended.
Such patrols used to be quite a social event hereabouts at spawning time, as a myriad of frogs and toads made the treacherous journey across the road from the water meadows to their tryst in a nearby, dingy ditch.
Clad in fluorescent jackets, and armed with torches and buckets, the most unlikely people would stalk the verges, jumping suddenly from the shadows to rescue amorous amphibians from beneath the wheels of oncoming motors.
It took some courage but, overnight, even the meekest soul would become more officious than the most predatory traffic warden. The competition was quite intense and young and old alike would pounce upon any straggling ‘hopper’ to improve their bucket count. Of course I could not tell how the frogs and toads themselves felt about such goings-on, but those drivers delayed by the night-time pageant left little to the imagination. However, as the queue of traffic tailed ever further backwards, the Chief Patroller [aptly from the French patrouiller ‘paddle in mud’] would not be moved until every lovelorn ‘croaker’ was accounted for.
Perhaps I’ll invite him round!
Oil of Resurrection Bush revealed.
I had been eagerly awaiting the analysis of Chris Tippett’s essential oil of Resurrection Bush (Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw.).
At last, it arrived the other day.
To be honest, I am not entirely surprised to discover that its chemical composition is not unlike that of previously reported oils of Zimbabwean origin. It contains
trans-pinocarveol (11.76%), pinocarvone (10.65%) and b-selinene (11.47%), amongst others, but what does have me puzzled is the high level of Germacrene D (10.32%), which has not been detected before in oils of Resurrection Bush
from Zimbabwe. Could this be a geographical variation, or something else?
Knowing that previous analyses were of oils distilled from herb material collected in the area of Domboshawa, I asked Chris from where his material had come.
The herb material for my sample was gathered from rocky
granite outcrops at Marondera, which is 70km east of Harare. Domboshawa is 20km north east of Harare, in similar granite outcrop country.
The harvest date was mid January during the summer rains when the herb was in full leaf, which may or may not be a contributing factor to the presence of germacrene D in my oil.
I think that he may have a point, but it
requires further research. Meanwhile, I have asked him if he has a litre or so of oil to spare so that we can test its therapeutic potential, if any. Could be interesting!
Suggestions for sinuses.
Too often I
am asked, did you ever get an answer to that question about X?
Invariably the answer is Yes, but in my rush each month I forget to include it in the Newsletter. Last month, Sara Perry, who is four months pregnant, asked if any had suggestions to relieve her terrible sinus problems.
Acupuncturist Siew Allen kindly suggested that it may be a good idea to try acupuncture by someone who understands about pregnancy and its treatment. Usually acupuncture of
LI 11 on both sides of the nostrils is effective. Failing this, a little massage on the cheeks, about ½ inch away from each nostril, may provide some relief.
It occurred to Shirley Everson that Sara should try
Thermo Auricular Therapy (Hopi Ear Candles), as Shirley has found this treatment to be very beneficial in treating all things related to the ear, nose, and throat.
Rachel Moses proposes exactly what we used to do for
endlessly drippy, stuffy sinuses in the old days - Rinse your nose with a body temperature salt water solution to help cleanse the sinuses and remove mucus from them. Rachel has also found acupuncture very helpful in
taking down the swollen feeling in her own sinuses.
She suggests that when using essential oils to help drain mucus and reduce pressure in the sinuses, it is worth consulting the sinus and lymph drainage chart to
massage/tap the face. See <http://www.distanthealer.co.uk/sinus_chart.htm>.
Fly repellents swatted!
I must admit that I would have missed this item had I not been leafing through Equestrian Business Monthly (I
am also surprised what I read!).
During the summer months one of the major sales for any equine outlet is fly repellents.
The choice is vast, but many include citronella (Cymbopogon nardus L.), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), and lavender (Lavandula spp.) because so many prefer to use only natural products on their horses. However, this must now stop.
Every ingredient used in insecticides goes through a review by the European Union, which involves submitting a dossier of evidence proving its safety, which then may, or may not, be approved for use.
Unfortunately citronella has failed to get approval, along with other well loved ingredients. From August 31, 2006, citronella, eucalyptus and lavender can no longer be used in fly repellents.
It had been thought
that Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel), another favourite for natural fly control, might be included in the discontinued group but, fortunately, it has been granted a temporary reprieve, and will undergo a review this
month. Still, you should be aware that the only Tea Tree currently approved for use is Australian Tea Tree. Therefore, make sure that the product makes clear the source of the oil.
Nevertheless, as far as I know,
these restrictions only apply to products sold and marketed as fly repellents and, therefore, other applications containing these oils, such as detanglers and shampoos, are unaffected. However, they must make no claim
whatsoever that they have fly repellent qualities.
Wherefrom Mandarin Flower oil?
I would love to find any info you may have about Mandarin Flower oil. I am hoping to produce small quantities of it in
Australia. Would you be interested in some? You bet I would!
We stocked it once, but since I looked first at Mandarin Flower Oil in 1998 my subsequent analyses of so-called flower oils have failed to corroborate
my initial findings. Furthermore, there is virtually nothing in the literature about the flower oil. Australian Edward Weiss, in his book Essential Oil Crops, suggests that distilling the flowers yields an oil whose
main constituents are myrcene, limonene and beta-ocimene.
However, when I analysed Mandarin “flower” oil from the Greek Island of Crete the main components were sabinene (42.48%) and linalool (19.16%), with myrcene
(3.08%), limonene (5.27%) and beta-ocimene (4.67%), amongst others. The high levels of sabinene and linalool would suggest to me that the oil was probably in fact Sweet Orange Petitgrain Oil.
To further confuse the
issue, “flower” oils which I have analysed from Egypt have contained high levels of methyl-N-methylanthranilate (45-55%) and gamma-terpinene (20%+). These components, at these levels, would suggest that the oils were
actually Mandarin Petitgrain.
Therefore I doubt that I have ever analysed a genuine flower oil, but the dark, olive-green oil of Mandarin Petitgrain does have an intensely sweet, rich, deep-fruity, grape-like, floral
odour, which may warrant the misnomer “flower” oil.
Petitgrain oils are obtained by steam distillation of the leaves, buds and small branches of the different citrus species. Most of the components in citrus
petitgrain oils are the same as those present in the volatile fraction of the correspondent peel oil.
However, there are many differences between the two types of oils. These are mainly due to the higher content of oxygenated compounds, if compared to the hydrocarbons content.
The information on industrially
processed mandarin petitgrain oils is scant, but confirms my own findings: methyl-N-methylanthranilate makes up more than 50% of a good oil. Citrus deliciosa Ten. is the material source.
Mandarin petitgrain oil is used
in small quantities as a modifier in various citrus flavours, grape flavours, and occasionally in gooseberry, apple, etc. For perfumes, the oil is equally interesting, e.g., in fougeres. It lends excellent body and
undertone to neroli bases.
In pine fragrances, it produces a most attractive effect of natural forest sweetness. Unfortunately, the oil is not available in very large quantities but, even if it was, I doubt that we would have a large demand for it. The flower oil, on the other hand, could have considerable appeal as a cheaper alternative to neroli.
Jackfruit and immune matters.
I wonder if you can help me.
When eating sugar and carbohydrates and anything sweet my body rebels. I have been told that Jackfruit tree leaves, taken as a tea, strengthen the body. How might I get some Jackfruit tree leaves? Frankly, I don’t know!
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) is probably originally from Southern India, but is now widely distributed throughout tropical Asia.
It grows like fury, putting up 15metres in three years. The huge, barrel-shaped fruits can weigh as much as 40 kilos and are eaten raw or cooked. The seeds (jack-nuts) are also edible. It provides excellent timber and, formerly, wood chips were an exclusive source of dye for Buddhist robes in S.E. Asia.
Traditionally, the Chinese consider jackfruit pulp and seeds tonic, cooling and nutritious, and to be “useful in overcoming the influence of alcohol in the system.” The seed starch is given to relieve biliousness and
the roasted seeds are said to be an aphrodisiac.
The ash of jackfruit leaves, burned with corn and coconut shells, is used alone or mixed with coconut oil to heal ulcers. The root is a remedy for skin diseases and asthma. The bark is made into poultices. Although heated leaves are placed on wounds, I can find no evidence of them being used in tea as an immune support.
The health of the immune system gland is greatly affected by a person’s nutritional status. Dietary factors which depress immune function include nutrient deficiency, excess intake of sugar, consumption of
allergic foods and high cholesterol levels in the blood. Dietary factors which enhance immune function include all essential nutrients, antioxidants, carotenes, and flavonoids.
I wasn’t quite sure what my enquirer from
South Africa meant exactly by “my body rebels”, but the ingestion of 100g portions of carbohydrate as glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, and orange juice all significantly reduce neutrophil phagocytosis, while starch has no
effect. The effects start within less than 30 minutes, last for over five hours, and typically show a 50% reduction in phagocytic activity at the peak of inhibition (usually 2 hours after ingestion).
Many herbs have
been shown to have antibacterial, antiviral, and immunostimulatory effects.Two of the most popular immunostimulant herbs are Echinacea and Astragalus, based on their ability to exert broad-spectrum effects on immune function.
They stimulate the body’s natural defence mechanisms and are in many ways the prototypes of the hundreds of plants with known antimicrobial and immunological activity. Perhaps my enquirer should try them.
Just a quick enquiry.
Do you know any oils which are good for diabetes? My books don’t seem to have anything.
True, there is little in the literature about essential oils and diabetes, probably because many may
think the subject outside the scope of aromatherapy. Nevertheless, Ulla-Maija Grace, in her book Aromatherapy for Practitioners, suggests that diabetes patients can be treated with aromatherapy safely providing cautions
are heeded. If the patient is using insulin, oils that affect the pancreatic function should not be used.
Ulla-Maija has received no reports from her clients or from any students of adverse reactions to aromatherapy
treatment. The clients themselves make sure that they check blood sugar levels after treatments, and no fluctuations have been recorded. She suggests Pine essential oil (Pinus sylvestris L.) as being antidiabetic.
Do any have other suggestions? I have read that tea made from Fenugreek can assist.
Fenugreek and diabetes.
The most widely used species of Trigonella for both medicinal and culinary purposes is Trigonella
foenum-graecum L., or Fenugreek. Fenugreek is an annual plant, extensively cultivated as a food crop in India, the Mediterranean region, North Africa and Yemen. The seeds are well known for their pungent aromatic
properties. As a spice, they are a component of many curry preparations and are often used to flavour food and stimulate appetite. In India the seeds are used as a condiment, in Egypt as a supplement to wheat and
maize flour for bread-making, and in Yemen it is one of the main constituents of the normal daily diet of the general population.
Fenugreek leaves are widely consumed in India as a leafy vegetable, and are a rich source of calcium, iron, b-carotene and other vitamins.
Fenugreek is also employed as a herbal medicine in many parts of the
world. Its leaves are used for their cooling properties and its seeds for their carminative, tonic and aphrodisiac effects.
It is assumed to have a stimulating effect on the digestive process. Fenugreek seeds, which are described in the Greek and Latin Pharmacopoeias, are said to have antidiabetic activity, and hypocholesterolaemic effects.
Before the advent of insulin and oral hypoglycaemic drugs the major form of treatment involved the use of plants. More than 400 plants are known to have been recommended traditionally, and recent investigations have
affirmed the potential value of some of these treatments.
Fenugreek seeds have been known for a long time for their antidiabetic action [Moissides. M. (1939) Le fenugrec autrefois et aujourd’hui. Janus 43,
123-30]. As long ago as 1948 it was observed that the consumption of coarsely ground fenugreek seeds improved severe diabetes in human subjects [Fourier, F. (1948) Plantes medicinales et venereuses de France, Paris 111,
495].
Since then, various preparations of the seeds have been shown in human and animal model studies to lower blood glucose, improve glucose and starch tolerance and have beneficial effects on serum cholesterol
and lipid profiles. The antidiabetic effects have been associated with the intestinal effects of the gum fibre (galactomannan), insulin secretagogue activity of a major amino-acid (4-hydroxyisoleucine) and unidentified
components with effects on peripheral glucose utilisation.
Hypocholesterolaemic effects have been associated mainly with reduced intestinal reabsorption of cholesterol and bile acids. This activity has been linked to the seed saponins and sapogenins (e.g., diosgenin), and also to galactomannan fibre.
Certainly it seems worth considering.
Golden Chamomile and Rosacea?
I am trying - with no luck - to source Golden Chamomile as it is reported to have very good effects on rosacea, but I think it’s from a
different genus/species to Roman, Maroc, etc. Do you stock it? e-mailed Susan Davies.
Rosacea is often mistaken for acne. Interestingly, it rarely seems to affect anyone under 30 years of age but can be most
upsetting when it occurs. Usually, the nose and cheeks are the worst affected areas, flushed red as spots and lumps cover the skin.
Treatment is similar to that for acne, except that the essential oils used tend to be different.
Whilst German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) is often suggested for rosacea, Golden Chamomile seemed an unlikely
choice, because Anthemis tinctoria L., often called Dyer’s Chamomile, is used primarily as a source of natural, yellow dye. All the same, it does contain a volatile oil, but I have never been offered any.
Still, Susan’s e-mail suggested that I look at http://www.rosacea.co.uk/blog/2005/09/topical-chrysanthellum-indicum-for.html to find out more. I learnt little, apart from the fact that the so-called ‘Golden Chamomile’ referred to is actually the flavonoid-rich Chrysanthellum indicum.
I know little about Chrysanthellum spp. except that they are members, like the chamomiles, of the family Compositae and occur in South, North and Central America, especially Mexico. Perhaps it also resembles the
chamomiles, but I do not know for sure.
As for the ‘Golden’ epithet, I would suspect that the plant is indeed yellow, or golden, as the flavones and their close relatives are often yellow (Latin flavus, yellow), and are widely distributed in nature.
Although
the high hopes for the therapeutic usefulness of flavonoids have not been fully realized, the group is not without pharmaceutical interest and remains a current area of research. It is very probable that a number of
herbal remedies, whose constituents are as yet unknown, will be shown to contain active flavonoids.
The group is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, for antithrombitic and vasoprotective
properties, for inhibition of tumour promotion and as a protective for the gastric mucosa. These effects have been attributed to the influence of flavonoids on arachidonic acid metabolism.
Whatever, the researchers
concluded that Chrysanthellum indicum extract-based cream is an effective and well-tolerated topical agent for the treatment of mild rosacea [Rigopoulos, D. et al. Randomized placebo-controlled trial of a flavonoid-rich plant
extract-based cream in the treatment of rosacea. J.. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. 2005 Sept., 19(5): 564-568].
Where do they get them from?!
Occasionally, I am genuinely surprised by the
diversity of some aromatherapists’ essential oils.
I have just got hold of some Buplevre, but I can’t find what it is used for. Nor can I!
The herb (Bupleurum fruticosum L.) itself, quaintly known commonly as
shrubby hare’s-ear, is considered liver detoxifying, antipyretic, analgesic and anti-nauseant.
Bupleurum roots have been used in China for over 2,000 years as a liver tonic.
They are traditionally believed to strengthen liver qi and to have a tonic action on the stomach and spleen. In Chinese medicine, bupleurum is used to treat “disharmony” between the spleen and liver, a condition that manifests itself in digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and indigestion.
Forty years ago, research in
Japan into the Bupleurum genus revealed that the saikosides (saikosaponins) which occur in the roots are potent medicines. They appear to protect the liver from toxicity, and strengthen liver function, even in people with immune system disorders. Following this discovery, clinical trials in the 1980s demonstrated that the root is effective when used in the treatment of hepatitis and other chronic liver functions.
Saikosaponins a, b 1-4, c, d, and f have been characterized.
Regarding their action on the liver enzymes, saikosaponins a and d are more active than b 1, b 2, and c. The former pair also have the stronger haemolytic and anti-inflammatory properties. Hashimoto et al. [Planta Med. 1985, 401] have shown that the saikosaponins enhance the activity of low doses of corticosterone with respect to the induction of liver tyrosine aminotransferase.
However, what about the essential oil?
Research on the oil began at the turn of the 20th century with studies which reported in particular the presence of a terpenic alcohol, presumed to be an isomer of
citronellol and named “bupleurol”.
However, much more recent research [Giamperi, L. et al. The Essential Oil from Bupleurum fruticosum L. of the Cyrenaica Region of Eastern Libya and the Problem of Bupleurol. J. Essent. Oil Res.,10, 369-374 (Jul/Aug 1998)] definitively confirmed that bupleurol must not be considered a naturally occurring compound but rather an artificial one, as it is an isomerization of the citronellol and thus a compound which does not exist in nature.
Unfortunately, I do not know from where, or which part of the plant, Mary Hawker’s oil was derived.
Buplevre oils can vary considerably in their chemical composition. Nevertheless, I do recollect that some years ago a Buplevre oil of unknown origin was tested against acute exudative inflammation and sub-chronic proliferative inflammation for anti-inflammatory activity. Antispasmodic activity was also tested.
The oil showed potent anti-inflammatory activity and this was attributed to a- and b-pinene. Antispasmodic activity was also detected. Therefore, it might be wise to check the origin and make-up of the oil before
you purchase.
WANTED
Volunteer Massage Therapists and Aromatherapists
The Mulberry Centre, a Registered Charity, is an independent support centre for the West London
area, situated in the grounds of the West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth.
The Centre is open to all those affected by the diagnosis of cancer - patients of all ages, their families, carers and friends.
The Centre enables individuals affected by cancer to have access to truly holistic care by providing information and support within a non-clinical welcoming environment.
Considered by Macmillan Cancer Relief to be a
Centre of Excellence, in 2003 the Centre won the GlaxoSmithKline Local Health Award and the volunteers won the Richmond Council Voluntary Services Community Award, Employee Volunteer Category 2005.
Complementary
therapies provided at the Centre include aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, shiatsu, yoga, t’ai chi chu’an, and meditation, as well as counselling and support groups.
This is most rewarding work
You get
*Specific training in working with cancer patients at induction, and on a continual basis, thus providing you with invaluable experience.
*Expenses paid for travel up to a limit of 30 miles per day.
* £50 per annum towards any professional training course relevant to your role.
You need to have
A relevant ITEC qualification, or equivalent, and at least one year’s work experience
since qualification.
If you would like to help, contact Sue Sullivan on 020 8321 6300 or
email susan.sullivan@wmuh.nhs.uk for an application pack.
Finally.....
There are a few places still available on Jane Buckle’s ‘m’ Technique course on 27th & 28th May, because a bloc-booking of 10 has requested to be instructed at their place of work.
Who am I to disagree?! Still, with research on the effects of the ‘m’ Technique on the brain, using SPECT analysis, nearing completion at the University of Pennsylvania, demand for the ‘m’ is hotting up.