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Understanding the science of aromatherapy

(except Bergamot) contain a high amount of a terpene called dextro-limonene and these actually quench the irritating effects of an oil that is high in aldehyde (such as bergamot or lemongrass) rendering it safe to use.

There are also dipentene, pinene, camphene and sylvestrene. Note the last three letters of the compound (ene) and you can tell it is a terpene. Remember "one" for a ketone and now ene for a terpene.


Now I will give you a list of oils that contain a medium to large amount of terpenes:

Black Pepper Medium amounts of limonene and pinene
Moroccan Chamomile, medium amounts of pinene
Roman Chamomile, medium amounts of pinene
Eucalyptus, medium amounts of pinene
Fennel, medium amounts of limonene
Frankincense, medium amounts of limonene and pinene
Grapefruit, large amounts of limonene
Hyssop, medium amounts of pinene
Juniper, large amounts of pinene and medium amounts of sabinene
Lemon, large amounts of limonene
Sweet Marjoram, medium amounts of sabinene
Neroli, medium amounts of limonene and pinene
Nutmeg, medium amounts of pinene and sabinene
Sweet Orange, large amounts of limonene
Pine, medium amounts of limonene and large amounts of pinene
Rosemary, medium amounts of pinene

ALDEHYDES

Aldehydes fall in properties somewhere between Alcohols and Ketones. A few aldehydes tend to be skin sensitizes and cause a skin reaction such as a rash when two like Aldehydes meet in a mixture.

Aldehydes are anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, tonic, hypotensive, calming to the nervous system and temperature reducing. Please note it is important to store oils with Aldehydes properly as an poorly kept oil or one kept for too long can form unwanted acids, making the oil useless for therapeutic purposes.

Please note you can tell an aldehyde by the ending "al" or it will contain the word aldehyde in its name: ex, cinnamic Aldehyde.

Oils containing large or medium amounts of Aldehydes are:
Bergamot, large amounts of citral
Lemon grass, large amounts of citral
Melissa (true), medium amounts of citral and geranial

ALCOHOLS
Alcohols are the one compound most desired when using oils for children and the elderly (and my first choice when I was working with show dogs). They are strong bactericides, antiviral, anti-infectious, warming, stimulating, good general tonics and seem to be free of any hazards including skin irritations.
You can recognize alcohols by the ending "ol" but be careful as Phenols, which can be highly irritating to mucus membranes and the skin.

Those with high or low alcohols are:
basil,


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Understanding the science of aromatherapy

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