. Antiviral and Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils
.by Dominique Baudoux
During the 1960s, Dr Jean Valnet gave rise to the rebirth of aromatherapy, which split up into several schools, allowing thousands of doctors to get familiar with an anti-infectious technique not acknowledged by medical schools.
About the Author
Dominique Baudoux has had a wide experience over many years in many aspects of the use of natural essential oils. He was for three years the Director of the Centre Européen de Recherche en Energie (CEDRE), which federates a multitude of training courses in alternative healing techniques such as phytotherapy, aromatherapy, homeopathy, reflexology, nutrition and kinesiology. He is the author of several books, currently the co-director of the UPMB, a professional group of 400 Belgian pharmacists, and is the president of Natural Aromatherapy Research and Development (NARD) which publishes the newsletter Aroma News for aromatherapy professionals. In 1991 he acquired the prestigious French aromatherapy laboratory and company Pranarom™.
Laurus nobilis, commonly called laurel or bay (sweet or true). Its essential oil is very complete and perfectly balanced and has effective antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Eugenia carophyllus. This tree can produce three very different kinds of essential oil, depending on the part which is distilled: dried flower bud (clove, tendril or leaf).
Eager to meet their colleagues’ demands, pharmacists and some biology labs that practised aromatograms joined with practitioners, creating a unique medical-pharmaceutical dynamic. Encouraged by hundreds of thousands of patients, a wide-ranging movement was born.
France has been at the forefront of aromatherapy practice in general, and the anti-infectious use of essential oils in particular. Pharmacists eagerly display the term ‘Aromatherapie’ on their storefront, which would have been inconceivable in English-speaking countries, where the term ‘Aromatherapy’ had completely different connotations.
Anti-Infectious Properties
Antibacterial
This is the most widely studied area of essential oils; this property is the only one that is really well-known and used regularly. In fact, many people associate ‘aromatherapy’ with ‘anti-infectious therapy’.
The capacity of essential oils to neutralize germs is now irrefutable. Experimental studies were undertaken in France by Chamberland as early as 1887.5 In I888, Cadeac and Meunier published the results of their own research (Annales de l’Institut Pasteur).3 Many in-vitro confirmations were performed by pharmacists and doctors; results were conclusive. In his book, Antiseptiques Essentiels, published in 1938, René-Maurice Gattefosse described the already considerable advancement of the research.
Soon, though, the blazing success of the fledgling antibiotherapy eclipsed these discoveries, proven though they were.
Here and there, isolated groups and researchers remained ‘loyal’ to essential oils and made sure previous works were not forgotten.
During the 1960s, Dr Jean Valnet gave rise to the rebirth of aromatherapy, which split up into several schools, allowing thousands of doctors to get familiar with an anti-infectious technique not acknowledged by medical schools. Eager to meet their colleagues’ demands, pharmacists and some biology labs that practised aromatograms joined with practitioners, creating a unique medical-pharmaceutical dynamic. Encouraged by hundreds of thousands of patients, a wide-ranging movement was born.
France has been at the forefront of aromatherapy practice in general, and the anti-infectious use of essential oils in particular. Pharmacists eagerly display the term ‘Aromatherapie’ on their storefront, which would have been inconceivable in English-speaking countries, where the term ‘Aromatherapy’ had completely different connotations.
Thanks to the aromatogram, aromatherapy has the means to fully exploit the anti-infectious properties of essential oils based on serious criteria.
Knowledge of the antibacterial components of essential oils is of prime importance. For example, in the essential oil of Satureja montana, carvacrol is the active molecule; paracymene, usually present in this essential oil, does not possess anti-infectious properties.
It is an obvious necessity for the practitioner to have a clear, orderly idea of the most active molecules.
Molecules with the highest anti-bacterial coefficient are: carvacrol, thymol and eugenol; all three are phenols. Australol and gaiacol are also part of this group, but essential oils that contain them are not as active on this front.
Not a phenol (but related, with a benzenic core), cinnamic aldehyde has an anti-infectious activity comparable to phenols.
Thanks to these four molecules, any aromatherapy-savvy practitioner will be able to master most common infections.
Alcohols with ten carbon atoms (or monoterpenols) come immediately after: geraniol, linalool, thujanol and myrcenol, terpineol, menthol and piperitol are the most well-known. Reliable, broad-spectrum molecules, they are useful in numerous cases of bacterial infections.
Aldehydes are also somewhat antibacterial; the most widely used are neral and geranial (citrals), citronnellal and cuminal.
Ketones are interesting for the treatment of mucupurulent infectious states (usually a strictly indirect action): verbenone, thujone, borneone (camphor), pinocamphone, cryptone, fenchone, menthone, piperitone and carvone.
The antibacterial action of ethers is certain, but irregular; only an aromatogram can predict their use in a specific case; estragole and anethole are this group’s most representative molecules. Oxides are mildly anti-infectious. Phtalids (such as celery seed) are strongly antibacterial. Finally, terpenes may prove interesting, but are mostly diffused into the air (atmospheric antiseptic agents). Other molecular groups have no antibacterial effects.
Of course, adequate strategies are necessary to maximize these substance.
According to Molowan, the antiseptic power of essential oils is generally proportional to their liposolubility.
Anti-Fungal
Fungal infections are a hot topic today, due to the overuse and abuse of antibiotics by most members of the medical profession; as we all know, antibiotics are first and foremost microscopic fungi.
The molecular groups with the strongest antibacterial action are also active on fungi. However, treatment must be over a longer period.
Fundamental studies have also revealed the anti-fungal activity of alcohols and sesquiterpenic lactones.
Antiviral
The mad parasites of any and all forms of life, viruses give rise to pro-teiform pathologies, some of which medical science can do nothing to cure. Classic responses to these infections are very limited, so essential oils are a godsend in treating viral problems, from the most common to the most fearsome.
Molecules from many chemical families have shown an in-vitro antiviral activity, among them monoterpenols and monoterpenals.
The cineole – monoterpenol synergy is used to treat viral pathologies of the respiratory tract (widely seen in temperate climes). This synergy can be found in many essential oils that come from trees of the Myrteceae family; these have been known forever for their interest in the treatment of pulmonary diseases.
Another couple, linalool oxide – linalool (Hissopus off. var. decumbens) is also interesting for viral pathologies of the lower respiratory tract.
Ketones, and especially rare cryptone, have shown an interesting capacity to fight naked viruses.
Aldehydes, whether used internally or in the atmosphere, are good complementary treatments for patients with viral infections. Ethers are useful in some specific clinical cases.
Generally, viruses are highly sensitive to aromatic molecules, and some severe viral pathologies may show a vast improvement following their use. A fact of the highest interest, unearthed during fundamental research and clinical experiments: normal cells of patients under aromatic treatment seem to acquire a special resistance to viral penetration
During the 1960s, Dr Jean Valnet gave rise to the rebirth of aromatherapy, which split up into several schools, allowing thousands of doctors to get familiar with an anti-infectious technique not acknowledged by medical schools.
About the Author
Dominique Baudoux has had a wide experience over many years in many aspects of the use of natural essential oils. He was for three years the Director of the Centre Européen de Recherche en Energie (CEDRE), which federates a multitude of training courses in alternative healing techniques such as phytotherapy, aromatherapy, homeopathy, reflexology, nutrition and kinesiology. He is the author of several books, currently the co-director of the UPMB, a professional group of 400 Belgian pharmacists, and is the president of Natural Aromatherapy Research and Development (NARD) which publishes the newsletter Aroma News for aromatherapy professionals. In 1991 he acquired the prestigious French aromatherapy laboratory and company Pranarom™.
Laurus nobilis, commonly called laurel or bay (sweet or true). Its essential oil is very complete and perfectly balanced and has effective antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Eugenia carophyllus. This tree can produce three very different kinds of essential oil, depending on the part which is distilled: dried flower bud (clove, tendril or leaf).
Eager to meet their colleagues’ demands, pharmacists and some biology labs that practised aromatograms joined with practitioners, creating a unique medical-pharmaceutical dynamic. Encouraged by hundreds of thousands of patients, a wide-ranging movement was born.
France has been at the forefront of aromatherapy practice in general, and the anti-infectious use of essential oils in particular. Pharmacists eagerly display the term ‘Aromatherapie’ on their storefront, which would have been inconceivable in English-speaking countries, where the term ‘Aromatherapy’ had completely different connotations.
Anti-Infectious Properties
Antibacterial
This is the most widely studied area of essential oils; this property is the only one that is really well-known and used regularly. In fact, many people associate ‘aromatherapy’ with ‘anti-infectious therapy’.
The capacity of essential oils to neutralize germs is now irrefutable. Experimental studies were undertaken in France by Chamberland as early as 1887.5 In I888, Cadeac and Meunier published the results of their own research (Annales de l’Institut Pasteur).3 Many in-vitro confirmations were performed by pharmacists and doctors; results were conclusive. In his book, Antiseptiques Essentiels, published in 1938, René-Maurice Gattefosse described the already considerable advancement of the research.
Soon, though, the blazing success of the fledgling antibiotherapy eclipsed these discoveries, proven though they were.
Here and there, isolated groups and researchers remained ‘loyal’ to essential oils and made sure previous works were not forgotten.
During the 1960s, Dr Jean Valnet gave rise to the rebirth of aromatherapy, which split up into several schools, allowing thousands of doctors to get familiar with an anti-infectious technique not acknowledged by medical schools. Eager to meet their colleagues’ demands, pharmacists and some biology labs that practised aromatograms joined with practitioners, creating a unique medical-pharmaceutical dynamic. Encouraged by hundreds of thousands of patients, a wide-ranging movement was born.
France has been at the forefront of aromatherapy practice in general, and the anti-infectious use of essential oils in particular. Pharmacists eagerly display the term ‘Aromatherapie’ on their storefront, which would have been inconceivable in English-speaking countries, where the term ‘Aromatherapy’ had completely different connotations.
Thanks to the aromatogram, aromatherapy has the means to fully exploit the anti-infectious properties of essential oils based on serious criteria.
Knowledge of the antibacterial components of essential oils is of prime importance. For example, in the essential oil of Satureja montana, carvacrol is the active molecule; paracymene, usually present in this essential oil, does not possess anti-infectious properties.
It is an obvious necessity for the practitioner to have a clear, orderly idea of the most active molecules.
Molecules with the highest anti-bacterial coefficient are: carvacrol, thymol and eugenol; all three are phenols. Australol and gaiacol are also part of this group, but essential oils that contain them are not as active on this front.
Not a phenol (but related, with a benzenic core), cinnamic aldehyde has an anti-infectious activity comparable to phenols.
Thanks to these four molecules, any aromatherapy-savvy practitioner will be able to master most common infections.
Alcohols with ten carbon atoms (or monoterpenols) come immediately after: geraniol, linalool, thujanol and myrcenol, terpineol, menthol and piperitol are the most well-known. Reliable, broad-spectrum molecules, they are useful in numerous cases of bacterial infections.
Aldehydes are also somewhat antibacterial; the most widely used are neral and geranial (citrals), citronnellal and cuminal.
Ketones are interesting for the treatment of mucupurulent infectious states (usually a strictly indirect action): verbenone, thujone, borneone (camphor), pinocamphone, cryptone, fenchone, menthone, piperitone and carvone.
The antibacterial action of ethers is certain, but irregular; only an aromatogram can predict their use in a specific case; estragole and anethole are this group’s most representative molecules. Oxides are mildly anti-infectious. Phtalids (such as celery seed) are strongly antibacterial. Finally, terpenes may prove interesting, but are mostly diffused into the air (atmospheric antiseptic agents). Other molecular groups have no antibacterial effects.
Of course, adequate strategies are necessary to maximize these substance.
According to Molowan, the antiseptic power of essential oils is generally proportional to their liposolubility.
Anti-Fungal
Fungal infections are a hot topic today, due to the overuse and abuse of antibiotics by most members of the medical profession; as we all know, antibiotics are first and foremost microscopic fungi.
The molecular groups with the strongest antibacterial action are also active on fungi. However, treatment must be over a longer period.
Fundamental studies have also revealed the anti-fungal activity of alcohols and sesquiterpenic lactones.
Antiviral
The mad parasites of any and all forms of life, viruses give rise to pro-teiform pathologies, some of which medical science can do nothing to cure. Classic responses to these infections are very limited, so essential oils are a godsend in treating viral problems, from the most common to the most fearsome.
Molecules from many chemical families have shown an in-vitro antiviral activity, among them monoterpenols and monoterpenals.
The cineole – monoterpenol synergy is used to treat viral pathologies of the respiratory tract (widely seen in temperate climes). This synergy can be found in many essential oils that come from trees of the Myrteceae family; these have been known forever for their interest in the treatment of pulmonary diseases.
Another couple, linalool oxide – linalool (Hissopus off. var. decumbens) is also interesting for viral pathologies of the lower respiratory tract.
Ketones, and especially rare cryptone, have shown an interesting capacity to fight naked viruses.
Aldehydes, whether used internally or in the atmosphere, are good complementary treatments for patients with viral infections. Ethers are useful in some specific clinical cases.
Generally, viruses are highly sensitive to aromatic molecules, and some severe viral pathologies may show a vast improvement following their use. A fact of the highest interest, unearthed during fundamental research and clinical experiments: normal cells of patients under aromatic treatment seem to acquire a special resistance to viral penetration