Brief introduction
80 % of global medical protocol is non allopathic like Ayurveda, traditional medicines of China, Homeopathy, unani and other folk lore medicine. Even with allopathy over 50 % is from natural resources mostly botanicals and in cancer treatments they go over 90 %. Essential oils are considered “essence” of where from its produced and that is essentially from botanical world.
The problems with allopathic protocols
The standard operational tool of system is controlling bacterial/viral/fungal load and managing inflammation and protocol is antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs and there is massive problem there. Bacteria’s have already turned drug resistant and “super bug” is now common word and new antibiotic is nowhere in horizon that leaves practitioners with no choice but over dosing. And it is established that over dosing in human body is very harmful. So, trying alternate solutions is great choice.
Mechanism of action of bioactive components of essential oils
The mode of action of essential oils varies. The mode of action depends upon chemical composition and molecular structure of the components of essential oil.
ANTIBACTERIAL ACTION
An important feature of essential oils is their hydrophobicity, which allows them to partition into lipids of the cell membrane of bacteria disrupting the structure thus making it more permeable resulting in leakage of ions and cellular molecules which cases greater loss of cell contents leading to cell death for instance trans-cinnamaldehyde can inhibit the growth of E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium and other bacteria’s. It has been reported that essential oils containing primarily aldehydes and phenols for example cinnamaldehyde, citral, carvacrol, eugenol and thymol are characterized by maximum antibacterial activity followed by essential oils consisting of terpene- alcohols.
ANTIFUNGAL ACTION
Antifungal actions resemble in mode of action as those described for bacteria. In the case of yeast, it has been reported that the potential of Hydrogen (pH) gradient across the cytoplasm membrane and blockage of energy production in the cells results in disruption of fungal membranes leading to death. Antifungal effects were caused by a combination of essential oils of clove and Rosmarinus officinalis against C. albicans. Trans-anthole, a major component of Anise essential oil, demonstrated anti-fungal activity against the filamentous fungus, Mucor mucedo. The essential oil obtained from citrus containing active component limonene has been reported to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus Niger by causing deleterious morphological alterations that is loss of cytoplasm fungal hyphae and budding of hyphal tip. Also, tea tree essential oil containing components has been reported to alter permeability as well as membrane fluidity of Candida albicans.
ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY
The essential oil of saltolinia showed antiviral activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2 by preventing cell to cell virus spread in infected cells. The oil directly inactivated virus particles thus preventing adsorption of virion to host cells. Iso-borneol, a common monoterpene alcohol, showed dual virucidal activity against HSV-1, specifically inhibited glycosylation of viral polypeptides. The antiviral activity of the essential oil is principally due to direct virucidal effects (by denaturing viral structural proteins or glycoproteins). Proposed mechanisms suggest that essential oils intrude with the virus envelope by inhibiting specific processes in the viral replication cycle or by masking viral factors, which are necessary for adsorption or entry into host cells, therefore precluding cell-to-cell virus prolixity. The essential oils obtained from oregano and clove have been reported to show remarkable antiviral exertion against a number of non-enveloped DNA and RNA viruses including adenovirus type-3, coxsackievirus B-1 and polio virus. Several constituents of essential oils like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and triterpenes have been reported to show strong antiviral activity against rhinovirus and herpes virus. The essential oil components of pogostemoncablin have been found active against H2N2 influenza-A virus.
ANTICANCER ACTIVITY
The broad therapeutic prospective has gained a lot of attention throughout the world in recent times for their implicit capacity in relation to combating cancer. According to Wu et al. diallyl sulphide, diallyl disulfide composites actuated in the host cells (rats) the enzymes which play an important part in the detoxification process of hepatic phase-1 (decomposition of chemical bonds that link carcinogenic toxins to each other) and phase-2 (bonds to toxins released detoxifying enzymes similar as glutathione S- transferase). Further myristicin an allyl benzene composites found in the essential oil of nutmeg activates glutathione S- transferase in mice cells which minimize carcinogenesis induced by benzo a pyrene in the lungs of mice. Moreover, it has been recently concluded that myristicin persuades apoptosis in neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH) in humans. Geraniol has been reported to decrease the resistance of: cancer cells (TC 118) to 5-fluorouracil, an anticancer agent. Further, geraniol enhances the inhibitory effect of tumor growth 5-fluorouracil. Moreover, the essential oil of balsam fir which contains alpha-humulene depicts high anticancer properties in several cell lines and low toxicity to healthy cells. In addition to this limonene, an active component of citrus essential oil has been reported to show anticancer activity at the level of stomach cancer and liver cancer. Chamomile essential oil containing an active component alpha-bisabolol sesquiterpene alcohol has been reported to show antigliomale activity.
The mood /stress and pain caused by that
The term stress was first extended from physics in the 1920s, mainly to describe an external force that can cause an object to deform. It was developed by the physiologist Walter Cannon in 1926 to characterize negative effects on the ability to maintain a constant internal physiological state (homeostasis). The so-called internal constant is the optimal range required to maintain the body’s operation; the term stressor refers to the factors that generate a stress response, which may be internal or external. Stressors can generally be divided into two categories: physiological and psychosocial stressors. Physiological stressors refer to factors that directly challenge the body’s constants, such as hunger, cold, or illness, while the latter refers to people’s cognitive judgments that external factors may be harmful to themselves. Some stressors may initially come from physical discomfort and turn into psychological stress, for example, emotional fear relating to understanding of disease, fear of the disease worsening, or excessive worry about the cause. Sexual stressors can lead to physical discomfort, such as stomach pain caused by excessive tension. Stress, which implies tension, refers to a state in which individuals often feel oppressed. Stress refers to a certain reaction of an individual when faced with a stressful event and the resulting comprehensive psychosomatic state.
With the rapid changes and development of society, the activities of human beings have changed. In a busy life, people are faced with various pressures every day. When the pressure cannot be relieved and the load is excessive, this can affect physical and mental. In last two decades over hundreds of studies have concluded essential oil can help in lessoning stress. Lavender essential oil being most researched around in stress management in surgeries to cancer care. Since the essential oil by inhalation breaks the blood brain barrier (which regular medicines cannot) hence is very quick response and with some oils having multiple active ingredients like (analgesic—that reduces pain. Lot of us will not know Aspirin tablet was made from a tree bark initially), anti-inflammatory properties (all issues cause inflammation) and has great capacity to modulate mood by different oils. All of us know the effect of fragrance on our mood. In fact, that itself is big subject.
Essential oils on central nervous system:
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that depression is the single largest contributor to global disability (7.5%) whereas anxiety is ranked sixth in the same category (WHO, 2017). It has been shown that depression is the major contributor to suicide, which accounted for 1.5% of all deaths worldwide in 2015, placing it into the top 20 leading causes of death (WHO, 2017). Anxiety disorders are comprised of generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, separation anxiety disorder and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015). The majority of conditions are treated with both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The most frequently recommended first-line medication are both, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, since they have shown a good benefit/risk balance (Thibaut, 2017). However, these treatments are associated with significant side effects which, in some patients, can lead to a suboptimal therapeutic outcome.
Numerous studies suggest that only some of the major compounds of the EOs contribute significantly to their anxiolytic and antidepressant effects including linalool, limonene, and pinene. Hence, EOs with high content of these compounds are expected to have anxiolytic and antidepressant properties (Han, Gibson, Eggett, & Parker, 2017). For at least a decade now, EOs have been gaining popularity as complementary medicines to alleviate depression and anxiety, not only because of their proven pharmacological effects but also to avoid the side effects produced by the chronic use of synthetic anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs. On the one hand, chronic use of anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines (BDZs) induces lethargy, drowsiness, dizziness, vertigo, tolerance, and sedation (Rombolà et al., 2017). Furthermore, BDZs have also been involved with falls and exacerbation of cognitive decline in older adults (Alvarenga, Giacomin, de Loyola Filho, Uchoa, & Firmo, 2014). On the other hand, synthetic antidepressant drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can produce weight gain, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, headache, sedation, constipation, and tachycardia (Santarsieri & Schwartz, 2015). For these reasons, there is an increasing demand and interest of alternative medicines to treat depression and anxiety with reduced or no side effects. Additionally, psychostimulant EOs have been shown to interact with ascending neurotransmitter systems that are involved in the alert waking state. It has been shown that induction of the alert waking state along with concomitant activation of the forebrain depends upon a range of ascending neurotransmitter systems including the serotonergic, cholinergic, noradrenergic, and histaminergic (Rombolá et al., 2009).
A variety of EOs have been shown to have free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties that confer neuroprotective effects which can improve cognitive function and reduce brain damage. Cognitive function in this context, refers to various mental abilities including memory, reasoning, planning, decision-making, attention span, speech, language, and judgment (Alzheimer's Association, 2016; Fisher et al., 2019). The deterioration of cholinergic neurons has been shown to lead to cognitive deficits, especially in the case of degenerative diseases. Dementia is considered a major neurocognitive disorder affecting cognitive function and therefore the performance of everyday activities. Simple everyday activities such as making a meal, shopping, paying bills, etc. can become a challenge for people suffering from dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60%–80% of cases (Alzheimer's Association, 2016). Globally, the trend of Alzheimer's prevalence is increasing together with the increase of elderly population (Niu, Álvarez-Álvarez, Guillén-Grima, & Aguinaga-Ontoso, 2017). Varying EOs have shown anticholinesterase activity, which might be advantageous for the development of drugs for AD treatment since cholinesterases have been recognized as one of its potential targets (Das & Pandima Devi, 2018).
A large body of research confirms measurable physiological effects of EOs in humans through a variety of parameters such as blood pressure (BP); heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR); alpha and beta brain waves; and corticosteroid serum levels. Additionally, a variety of behavioral perception tests have been performed in humans, which have also evidenced the psychological effects of EOs. Furthermore, similarly to conventional psychotropic drugs, EOs have shown to interact with a range of neurotransmitter circuits in several animal models including noradrenergic, serotonergic, GABAergic and DAergic systems.
Thus, knowing the rightly grown, processed and EO’s can be great idea.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs):
Major public health issues all over the world because they cause long-term pain and physical disabilities and reduce people’s ability to work. MSDs cover the problems related to the different areas of the body, i.e., the back, the neck, the shoulder, and the limbs can be affected, and even joints or tissues. The main purpose of the treatment is to relieve pain and ameliorate stiffness and other physical conditions.
Pharmacological treatments of MSDs include topical or oral analgesics (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol, tramadol, and opioids), chondroitin sulphate, glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and other drugs. Painkillers may have serious side effects, especially in the case of long-term usage. (In chronic disorders) and in the case of high doses.
Chronic pain is a pathologic painful condition lasting longer than three months, classified as a worldwide health problem that results in enormous social and economic damage (Azevedo et al., 2012).
Among the causes of chronic pain stands out fibromyalgia (FM), a type of chronic muscle pain (CMP) that is a syndrome of chronic pain present in about 5% of the world population. This syndrome is manifested through widespread musculoskeletal pain, besides sensitivity alterations. Skin hyperalgesia and momentary pain attacks are also reported by the patients (Gauffin et al., 2013).
Despite problems faced because of FM, only 30-35% of the drug therapy offers some benefit, besides the high costs and side effects, such as nausea, weight gain and tachycardia (Mist et al., 2013), bringing forth the need to search for new drugs. Recently, FM and neuropathic pain have been described as a “dysfunctional pain” with many gaps in the pharmacological treatment (Nagakura, 2015), which has created a class of "neglected pains" for specific analgesic treatment. Thus, the pharmacological treatment of chronic pain, such as FM and neuropathic pain, remains a challenge for modern medicine and brings patients, who suffer a lifetime with symptoms, a sensation of being in a bottomless pit.
Interest in the use of EOs and aromatherapy has been continuously growing during the last few decades in parallel with preclinical research. However, in spite of all this effort of preclinical research, it is necessary to establish whether there is a strong rationale for the clinical use of EOs. This issue is even more controversial in the field of pain relief since the use of aromatherapy could reduce the dose of painkillers endowed with serious side effects, particularly in under studied areas of neuropathic pain, like opioids (Morrone et al., 2017; Scuteri et al., 2020b). Alternative pain treatments could increase time in treatment before the loss of efficacy. This is relevant to fragile populations.
The essential oils with anti- rheumatics, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, relaxant, and detoxifying properties can cure these problems. Use of these essential oils would be the best in the form of creams, salves, massage oils and ointments.
And if oil blend is even combined with right understanding of signaling process of pain in nervous system.
The effect will be more than any other protocol.
Acne:
Probably the simplest thing to understand it is a bacteria which has become drug resistant and the protocol of treatment is antibiotics and the bacteria is not taking bait anymore and there is no more any new antibiotic on design board.
And it is proven that essential oil can limit the bacterial growth and since this is novel anti-bacterial agent ---the microbe will be taken by surprise. And when we talk of antibiotics, we have to understand it’s not only on treatment stage ---resistance to antibiotics is long drawn process from womb days till date.
And it has advantage ---its half-life (life an active ingredient stays in body) is only few hours compared to very long half-life for antibiotics. It is like if I want to kill mosquito ---my bullet must kill and disappear ----if it does not disappear it will leave mess behind and in case of antibiotics that mess impacts gut flora, kidneys, liver.
Actually, EO’s from our experience has been used in all types of pain including cancer 4 th stage, spine degeneration pain and other pains. Neuropathy blend and our PMS blend has been traditionally hit.
But important thing about oils is four-fold
1. Origin, growing process, processing
2. Purity for bulk uses we are forced to stabilize oils which essentially means bringing them to buyers’ parameters ---mostly done on buyers’ appetite for low rates.
3. Knowledge of oils at blenders level (to get idea we have separate booklet on why our blends make sense), and
4. Honesty /integrity and knowledge of blender. EO’s are expensive items and markets are always overflowing for quick money.
We bring in our 30 years of knowledge ---as farmer group. We as farmer group growing these plants and making EO’s –our interest is people retaining faith in these oils and that is why 6 years back we decided to interact with end users to increase awareness to user so that faith in its healing capacities is retained.
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