Mea culpa! Several contacted me to enquire why I had not written more about Tamanu and Meadowfoam in last month’s Newsletter. In truth, I had forgotten completely to mention that they were two of the more unusual carrier oils to be featured by Lotte Rose in her study day on Unusual Essential Oils & Carriers on 13th March and, therefore, thought that there was little more that I could add. Unfortunately, by the time you read this that day will have passed. What a screw-up! Still, Lotte will be holding another day on the subject on Sunday, 27th July, and so be sure not to miss it! Of all the study day subjects requested, unusual essential oils and carriers always tops the list.

The problem with being semi-retired is that I have become too easily distracted. The other day, betwixt a little light ironing and some casual dusting, my eye was suddenly caught by a sizeable covey of red-leg partridges in an adjoining field, voraciously devouring the freshly sown seed. Hastily putting the iron aside, I grabbed my binoculars. Thirty minutes later, I returned to find an alarmingly large burn hole in a favourite shirt!

Knuckling down to work-related tasks is also proving more difficult. I had committed to write a short piece about Spike Lavender, but the day dawned bright and clear and so, on impulse, I headed off to Newport in South Wales to visit the Ninja Tuning Factory, as you do! My word, Newport has changed from the days when, on my way home from Cardiff, I used to wait for hours in the bus station for my ride to Brecon. Bijou terraced houses and chic apartments now stand where drab, smut-besmirched, humble dwellings once occupied the land. I rather like it, but am a little sad all the same.             

A few days later, although the deadline for my article was drawing perilously close, I opted yet again for engine rather than essential or vegetable oil and joined a group of friends and their wives on a tour of the Morgan car factory in Malvern. Some may recollect that Sir John Harvey-Jones as ‘The Troubleshooter’ was most critical when he reviewed Britain’s oldest existing motor manufacturer, giving them not an earthly of survival. Needless to say, Sir John has gone...but Morgan continues!

Malvern is another town in which I spent many days of my youth, but I cannot recollect a single traffic jam in this once-tranquil market town sixty years ago. And yet, en route from the Morgan factory the other day, it took me fully twenty minutes to travel 200 metres. True, there are far more cars on the road today, but that wasn’t the problem. It was holes, and yet more holes, that impeded my progress. What is it about Britain and digging holes? I read the other day that it is likely someone somewhere is digging a hole every 200 yards across this sceptred isle. Is it that they have forgotten where they have buried something, or is it simply something to do? Whatever, my attention to these pockmarks on our landscape is obviously making me forget more important matters. Justin’s house rabbit, a fast-growing German lop with the likely name of SuperBun, has just dug up Jan’s prize banana plant and eaten it. That means I shall be for the high jump when she returns. Ah! Spike Lavender............I had almost forgotten!
Spike under scrutiny.
The term lavender is considered to come from the Latin lavando, part of the verb lavare to bathe, the Romans having used many plants to perfume their baths. However, the Greeks and Romans also referred to lavender as nard, from the Latin Nardus Italica, after Naarda, a city in Syria near the Euphrates, which some believe is the Spikenard mentioned in the Bible. This was the beginning of much confusion as to which plant was being referred to in classical and medieval literature, but it is likely that Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia Medik) was known to Pliny in 76AD as Pseudonardus.

The confusion in the early literature was most unfortunately continued by Carl Linnaeus  (1707-1778) who in 1753 provided the first binomial name, Lavandula spica. Contrary to previous and subsequent authors he included in his single species what are now recognised to be two species, the common or English lavender, now known as Lavandula angustifolia, and Spike lavender, now known as Lavandula latifolia.

M.L. Green investigated the application of the name L. spica in 1932, noting that the name was now ambiguous [Botanical names of lavender and spike. Bull. Misc. Inform., Kew 6: 295-297], but it was almost another seventy years before anything was done about it. In 2001, Applequist proposed the rejection of the name L. spica so as to retain the current and widely used name L. angustifolia [Applequist, W.L. Proposal to reject the name Lavandula spica.  Taxon 50(4): 1213-1214]. Nevertheless, the name L. spica is still used particularly in the herb trade and applied to both species although most often to mean L. latifolia. To avoid confusion the name L. spica should not be used at all.

For those not interested in botanical nomenclature, it is perhaps worth noting its common names in various languages - spike lavender, broad-leaved lavender, common broad-leaved lavender, common lavender (English); Aspic or Lavande Aspic (French); Espignol (Spanish); Engelese laventel (Afrikaans); and Alfazema brava (Portuguese). 

Incidentally, the confusion in the application of the name L. spica led to several other names in the literature for what we now call Lavandula angustifolia. In 1786 Dominique Chaix (1730-1799) published the name Lavandula officinalis, the epithet referring to its medicinal use, and this name was thought to be the earliest published for this taxon and was widely cited but an earlier name had been overlooked, as in 1768 Philip Miller (1691-1771) had published the name Lavandula angustifolia, and this clearly has priority. Another name used much, published in 1805 by Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle (1778-1841), is Lavandula vera, the epithet meaning ‘the true lavender’, but this name is now superfluous. Hopefully, this will answer a frequently asked question: they are all one and the same!
The Abbess Hildegard (1098-1179) of Bingen, near the Rhine in what is now Germany, was the first person in the Middle Ages to clearly distinguish between the lavande aspic sauvage (Spike lavender) and lavande de jardin (True lavender). She recommended it for palsy, in a powder with other ingredients; for head lice; to clear the eyes when smelt; to curb bad spirits and for pulmonary congestion in wine or honey; and in a bath after a walk to ensure a restful night’s sleep. Nicholas Culpeper (1616-54), however, warned against the use of the chemical oil drawn from spike lavender, called ‘Oil of Spike’, as being so fierce and piercing that it is cautiously to be used. Of course, in Culpeper’s day, the art of distilling essential oils was still being perfected and so they were known as chemical oils.

Spike lavender may lack the popularity of True lavender, but it is nonetheless important to the lavender industry. The plant and its oil have a very strong camphoraceous smell which, whilst of only minor commercial value today, was once of great importance in cheap perfumery and for scenting soaps. It was also used in the manufacture of certain types of fine varnishes and lacquers, with oil of turpentine, and used by painters on porcelain. Mrs. Grieve, in A Modern Herbal (1937), comments “the oil is used in veterinary practice in considerable quantities, as a prophylactic in cases of incipient paralysis”. The annual production of Spike oil in France was about 25 tonnes at the time, which compared quite favourably with the 40 tonnes of oil per annum being produced in Spain during the same period. She notes that this Spanish oil was being sold largely to England as True lavender, but it was not genuine lavender oil at all, but an oil practically free of esters, having the general character of Spike lavender oil.

I bet it was Spike oil as, in my experience, little has changed! For reference purposes, more than 300 components have been identified in Spike lavender oil but the main ones are linalool (19-48%), 1,8-cineole (21-42%) and camphor (5-17%). Thank goodness for modern GC/MS analysis.

Whilst the floral display may not match that of other lavender species it is still a charming plant worthy of cultivation, and is the parent of many hybrid crosses such as Lavandin, the most widely cultivated lavender for oil production.

The plant forms a woody, low domed shrub from which the long typically one-branched flower stalks emerge, which together with the three flower spikes resemble a trident. The oblanceolate leaves are rather broad in comparison to other species, hence the epithet latifolia meaning broad-leaved. They bear a characteristic grey-green felt-like indumentum of short highly branched hairs. It also flowers fairly late, usually from mid July to August, with the violet-blue flowers opening sporadically up the flower spike.
Although not as hardy as its close relative L. angustifolia, it survives many winters in north temperate areas but thrives best in mild climates, as it needs a sunny, sheltered position and very free draining soil to do well. Therefore, cultivation is mainly in Spain, parts of France, and Australia, but it is only on a small scale because, although it can yield three times the amount of oil as L. angustifolia, the oil is considered of lesser quality because of its strong aroma, which resembles a mixture of the oils of lavender and rosemary.

All the same, topically applied, the oil can relieve severe burns, acne, insect stings, fungal infections, muscle pain, neuralgia, headache and rheumatic pain, amongst other things, and it is said to be admirably good to promote hair growth, which I may be needing soon! I would also try it for head lice. Tested at low dose non-toxic, non-irritant, and non-sensitizing, it is however very stimulating in large doses and should be avoided during pregnancy.
  
A tribute to Tim Denny.
It was with considerable sadness that I learnt today of the death of good friend Tim Denny on February 24th, aged 87 years. Tim was the author of Field Distillation for Herbaceous Oils, and was the world’s leading authority on the subject.

He and his wife Joan always visited us on their occasional trips to UK from their home in Tasmania, and I would try to arrange for him a tour of a local lavender farm during their stay. Invariably, he would tell growers exactly where they were going wrong! After all, at one time, his own farm was producing 20% of the total world output of lavender oil. He could be very witty, and was a great raconteur. Some years ago, when staying in New Zealand, he kept me and others enraptured with his tales into the early hours of the morning. However, he was also an extremely modest man and few knew of his outstanding bravery during World War II.

At a time when Flt. Lt. Michelle Goodman has become the first woman to receive a DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), the citation presented at the ceremony at Buckingham Palace when Tim received the first of his two DFCs from King George VI is a fitting reminder of the considerable sacrifices made by our young servicemen, both past and present.

One night in April, 1942, Pilot Officers Molesworth and Denny were the pilot and observer respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Eindhoven aerodrome. On the outward journey, the air gunner reported that his guns would not fire. Nevertheless, despite the danger of interception by enemy fighters, Pilot Officer Molesworth flew on to his allotted target, which he bombed from 2,000 feet.

On the return journey his aircraft was attacked by an enemy fighter and sustained much damage. The instrument panel was shot away, the wireless was rendered unserviceable and the hydraulics put out of action, while a large hole was torn in the floor of the cockpit and the aircraft was riddled with holes.

Nevertheless, Pilot Officer Molesworth, ably assisted by Pilot Officer Denny, who gave a running commentary on the attacker’s movements, finally shook off the attacker and headed for this country. Immediately following the action, Pilot Officer Denny, despite the holes in the floor of  the aircraft, climbed through the bomb well to make contact with the air gunner.

Pilot Officer Molesworth flew the damaged aircraft back to this country, but shortly after crossing the coast at 700 feet the starboard engine failed. Displaying great skill, however, he force-landed in the darkness with the undercarriage retracted.

On impact, the aircraft caught fire, but with complete disregard for danger Pilot Officer Denny entered the rear cockpit and rescued the trapped air gunner.

Tim was only 21 years-of-age at the time.

Godspeed, old friend.

Another pseudo saffron.
Your article on “Poor Man’s Saffron” [Newsletter 192] prompted me to write this note. In the Middle East poor man’s saffron is safflower which is widely cultivated for dying carpet wool and other handmade crafts and for colouring food. It is safe and effective, advises Dr. J. Hashemi. The flowers are tube-shaped and look like saffron when dried. They are mixed with saffron to cheat customers. I have seen many examples in India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Cyprus, etc. An expert and sharp eye can spot the fraud, as saffron stamens look distinctly different but, if you buy powdered saffron safflower will definitely have been mixed with it.

Years ago, when travelling these countries, I was often duped by the offer of cheap powdered saffron, thinking that I was getting a bargain. Recently, when in Kashmir where saffron grows widely, I quickly learned that there is no such thing as cheap saffron, powdered or otherwise.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an annual herb growing to 90cm with long spiny leaves and groups of orange-yellow flowers arising from the leaf axils - hence its English name, which is a shortened form of saffron flower. Thought to be native to Iran and parts of India, and possibly Africa, this herb is also found in North America and the Far East. It grows on wasteground and is gathered in summer. Related to the lettuce, sunflower, artichoke, daisy and chicory, it is sometimes called American saffron and, because of its use as an adulterant in true saffron, Bastard saffron. It is a very old plant and has always been highly regarded - safflower seeds have been discovered in Egyptian tombs up to 3,000 years old.

Safflower contains two colouring matters, the pigments safflomin (yellow) and carthamine (red), the latter being most valued. It was chiefly used for dying silk, affording various shades of rose and scarlet. Mixed with finely-powdered talc, it is used today in the making of rouge and other make-up in Algeria. The oil, cold expressed from the seeds, was much used in India for burning in lamps and for culinary purposes.

In 19th century North American herbal medicine, safflower was used to induce sweating, to promote the onset of a menstrual period and as a treatment for measles. In Chinese herbal medicine, the flowers are given to stimulate menstruation and to relieve abdominal pain, and are also used to cleanse and heal wounds and sores.

Thomas Bartram, in his Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, suggests that the oil can aid the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases such as arteriosclerosis, arthritis and coronary thrombosis, and that both the seeds and the oil are benficial to diabetes or those suffering with angina or circulatory problems. The oil is also considered helpful in cases of bronchial asthma and nephrosis. Of course, this all refers to internal use, but the flowers or seeds must not be ingested during pregnancy (the purified seed oil is considered safe). Topically, the oil is useful for treating eczema and rough skin and, most importantly, is a safe alternative fixed oil to use where there is any history of nut allergy as it is one of the few common and cheap vegetable oils with either infrequent or no reports of allergy.

The pale yellow oil has a fatty acid profile similar to that of sunflower, but its keeping properties are poor and it is unstable at high temperatures and, therefore, not good for cooking. However, it is a useful food supplement.

Help for Indian Sandalwood?
Recently I was invited to attend the Sandalwood Conference 2008 in Kununurra, Western Australia, in May but, unfortunately, I shall be in France buying lavender oil.

Whilst we and others in aromatherapy may have abandoned the supply of oil from the world’s most expensive tropical hardwood, characterized by ongoing demand, diminishing supply and increasing prices, many of the world’s leading perfume houses still use Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album L.) in their top perfumes, such as Chanel No.5, Christian Dior’s Fahrenheit, Dune and Dolce Vita, Yves St. Laurent’s Opium and Paris, Calvin Klein’s One and Eternity, and Guerlain’s Samsara.

India supplies over 90% of the world’s Indian sandalwood but its supplies are uncertain and ravaged by illegal harvesting and smuggling. Given sandalwood’s importance to the perfume industry and its current plight, the Sandalwood Conference 2008 could provide much needed information and hope for the future of the industry. The conference aims to examine the growing of Santalum album in plantations in Western Australia. Market reports and sustainable development will be considered, and indigenous involvement and regional development discussed. Growers and stakeholders in the industry, and government, will have trade stands.

Of course, it’s very early days in such a venture but, the Australians, once on a roll, have an uncanny knack of bringing home the oil. Think Tea Tree, Australian Sandalwood, etc., etc.! 

Bell’s palsy.
I know that I wrote about this not so long ago but, prompted by a brief note brought home from the office the other day, I have no hesitation in repeating myself.

37-year-old client with Bell’s Palsy. Started last year. Had no treatment from doctors.  Doctors told her that the paralysis would move to her throat and choke her, but they have no treatment for her. Any ideas?

Can this really be true?
 
Bell’s palsy is unilateral or bilateral pain and paralysis of the muscles of facial expression, due to a lesion of the seventh cranial nerve. It results in distortion of the face and is often accompanied by pain and lachrymation.

Formerly considered of unknown origin, it is now thought to be caused by Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV) [Murakami, S. et al. Bell palsy and herpes simplex virus: identification of viral DNA in endoneurial fluid and muscle. Ann. Intern Med. 1996; 124: 27-30] but since not everyone exposed to HSV develops clinical infection, it appears that the host defence mechanisms are paramount in protecting against HSV infection. The cell-mediated immune system is undoubtedly the major factor in determining the outcome of herpes exposure: resistance, latent infection, or clinical disease. Enhancement of the host’s immunological status is key to the control of herpes infection.

This probably explains why, untreated, over 80% of all patients recover completely or almost so, while in a smaller number facial weakness persists; complete failure of motor recovery is very rare. My sister who contracted Bell’s many years ago still has some facial weakness, but others I know have recovered completely and quickly.

Prednisone is reported to dramatically relieve the pain of Bell’s palsy [Adour, K.K. Current concepts in neurology: diagnosis and management of facial paralysis. N. Engl. J. Med. 1982; 307: 348-51]. A drug, prednisone is a biologically inert corticosteroid which is converted to prednisolone in the liver. It has the same chemical relationship to prednisolone as cortisone has to hydrocortisone.

In the UK the predominantly glucocorticoid corticosteroid prednisolone has historically been preferred, on the grounds that it does not require conversion to the active substance, but in practice this is rarely significant, and in some countries such as the USA, prednisone is the drug of choice for many of the conditions in which routine systemic corticosteroid therapy is indicated.

However, the benefits of corticosteroids for Bell’s palsy have never been established by a large controlled trial, although a systemic review of four smaller studies suggested an increased rate of complete recovery with corticosteroid treatment [Williamson, I.G. Whelan, T.R. The clinical problem of Bell’s palsy: is treatment with steroids effective? Br. J. Gen. Pract. 1996; 46: 743-7].

Nevertheless, I cannot believe that no form of treatment has been suggested for this lady and I seriously doubt that the paralysis would move to her throat and choke her, or am I missing something? Whatever, be enhancement of the host’s immunological status key to the control of herpes infection, could aromatherapy help?

If aromatherapy elicits the “feel-good” factor, then it may enhance the immune system. Some oils may impact immune function at the cellular level, but no studies have measured the effect of aromatherapy on immunoglobulins in human blood or saliva as far as I know. However, it has been suggested by some authors that the following oils may help the immune function: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry), Niaouli (Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake), Thyme CT. thymol (Thymus vulgaris L.), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), Lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm.f.), Blue Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.), Bergamot (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia Risso & Poit.) and Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.). 

Alternatively, how about a teaspoonful or two of what must be the world’s most expensive honey, at £42 for a 120g jar?! Life Mel, available at Harrods, has a list of purported health benefits as long as your arm - the scientists who created it claim the nutritional advantages associated with honey are maximised because the bees that produce Life Mel gather pollen from herbs such as Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim.), echinacea (?Echinacea angustifolia DC) and Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa DC) that boost the immune system. They say that two teaspoonfuls of Life Mel a day, on an empty stomach, sucked slowly, will supply a shot of antioxidants that leave you better able to fight illness and disease. At that price, it better do something!

Finally.....
What on earth inspired French luxury cake company Laduree to launch a beauty range? It seems that this purveyor of tasty treats thought it no bad idea to create a whole range of cosmetics based around almonds - the key ingredient in its macaroons! What’s more the lids of the bottles of almond bath milk and almond oil are exact replicas of a macaroon. Stylish!      





charles@essentiallyoils.com

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