Aromatherapy: Lecture 1 Notes

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental concepts, extraction methods, and individual plant essential oils from Lecture 1 of Aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy

A practice utilizing scents derived from plants, primarily essential oils, to influence feelings and well-being without replacing medical consultation or pharmaceutical drugs.

Essential Oil

A highly concentrated, fragrant mixture of volatile compounds obtained from plant flowers, leaves, bark, wood, fruits, or rhizomes.

Vegetable Oil

A fatty oil (such as sunflower or almond oil) used in cosmetics as a carrier to dilute essential oils prior to application.

Steam Distillation

A process where steam passes through plant material to carry volatile scent compounds, which are subsequently condensed and separated from the water.

Hydrosol

The fragrant aromatic water that separates from the essential oil following the cooling phase of steam distillation.

Hydrodistillation

An extraction method similar to steam distillation in which the plant material is submerged directly in heated water.

Fractional Distillation

A distillation method used to precisely separate essential oil components characterized by different boiling points.

Vacuum Distillation

A distillation technique employing reduced pressure to allow heat-sensitive compounds to boil and separate at lower temperatures.

Molecular Distillation

A specialized technique utilized for the gentle separation and purification of particularly delicate plant substances.

Enfleurage

An ancient perfumery extraction technique where flowers are placed on fat to transfer their aroma, producing a fragrant pomade from which an absolute can be derived.

Cold Pressing

A mechanical extraction method that does not involve distillation, applied predominantly to citrus peels such as lemon and bergamot.

Anise Oil (Pimpinella anisum)

An essential oil extracted from anise fruits containing trans-anethole, giving it a sweet licorice aroma; contraindicated for self-directed use during pregnancy, lactation, or to stimulate lactation.

Basil Oil (Ocimum basilicum)

An oil distilled from basil leaves and young shoots whose chemical profile and chemotype depend largely on the levels of linalool or estragole.

Bergamot Oil (Citrus × bergamia)

A cold-pressed peel oil containing limonene, linalool, and linalyl acetate, known for containing phototoxic furanocoumarins.

Furanocoumarins

Compounds present in cold-pressed bergamot peel oil that increase the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Cedarwood Oil (Cedrus atlantica)

An oil derived from Atlas cedar wood that features a warm, woody scent and contains himachalenes and atlantones.

Cinnamon Oil (Cinnamomum verum)

An intensely spicy, sensitizing essential oil derived either from bark (rich in cinnamaldehyde) or leaves (rich in eugenol).

Cypress Oil (Cupressus sempervirens)

A fresh, resinous, and woody-scented oil obtained from the green aerial parts of the cypress tree, rich in pinenes.

Citronella Oil (Cymbopogon nardus / C. winterianus)

A grassy-citrus oil derived from citronella grasses containing citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol, commonly used in insect repellents.

Lemon Oil (Citrus × limon)

A cold-pressed citrus peel oil dominated by limonene, widely utilized as a refreshing top note in cosmetics and perfumery.

Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)

An oil obtained from the leaves of an Australian plant, rich in terpinen-4-ol and used in acne and foot care products; dangerous if swallowed.

Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora)

A linalool-rich, floral-woody oil produced from the wood of the rosewood tree, subject to conservation concerns due to historical overexploitation.

Eucalyptus Oil (Eucalyptus globulus)

A sharp, cooling oil distilled from eucalyptus leaves, rich in 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol); contraindicated for unguided use in young children or individuals prone to seizures.

Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens)

A rose-scented essential oil obtained from pelargonium leaves, featuring geraniol and citronellol as major constituents.

Clove Oil (Syzygium aromaticum)

A potent, highly irritant spice oil extracted primarily from clove flower buds, characterized by a high concentration of eugenol.

Grapefruit Oil (Citrus × paradisi)

A citrus oil mechanically pressed from grapefruit peel, composed mainly of limonene.

Hyssop Oil (Hyssopus officinalis)

An essential oil extracted from hyssop herb that may contain pinocamphone and isopinocamphone, presenting neurotoxic risks and convulsive potential.

Ginger Oil (Zingiber officinale)

A warming, spicy essential oil steam-distilled from ginger rhizomes containing zingiberene and other sesquiterpenes, but lacking pungent gingerols.

Juniper Oil (Juniperus communis)

An essential oil distilled mainly from ripe common juniper seed cones (szyszkojagody), containing alpha-pinene, sabinene, and myrcene; contraindicated in kidney disease.