The History of Aromatherapy

The word “aromatherapy” dates back to the early 20th century when the French chemist, Rene Maurice Gattefosse, wrote the book, ​Aromatherapie​, in which he described that herbal medications could treat any ailment (Lakhan, et al., 2016). He was inspired after he realized how quickly his burnt hand healed after dipping it into lavender (Kolonay, 2015). Before aromatherapy was termed, it was widely present in ancient civilizations. The Egyptians from 2800 BC were the pioneers of aromatherapy (Kolonay, 2015). When the Egyptian tombs were dug up a thousand years later, Frankincense, Cedar, and Myrrh were still detectable (Kolonay, 2015). Kyphi was created in 65 AD and it was arguably the most popular drug in Egypt, because it could be used as a perfume, antiseptic, antidote, balsamic, and a tranquilizer (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). It was eaten in its solid form or inhaled as an incense (Pinault, 1992).

The Egyptians shared kyphi and other aromatic knowledge with the Greeks in a region known as the “Cradle of Medicine” (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Hippocrates learned from the Egyptians and was able to record the usefulness of plants and herbs (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Galen, inspired by Hippocrates during the plague of Athens in 430 BC, attributed the epidemic to the inhalation of tainted air from putrefying vapors (Pinault, 1992). Hippocrates and Galen claimed that fumigation of herbs and incenses neutralized the air and made it safer to breathe. (Pinault, 1992). The Romans used aromatic plants, oils, and essences extensively for medicinal, hygienic, and beauty purposes (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Romans eventually introduced Britain to perfumery and herbalism (History of Aromatherapy, 2019).

In the Middle Ages, the Knights of Crusades brought aromatic essences to Europe, and they were widely used during the Black Death as antiseptic protection (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Herbs, like cinnamon and cloves were placed in a mask over doctors’ faces in an attempt to filter the air (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Monasteries cultivated aromatic gardens which led to medical universities’ adoption of botany as a part of their studies, including Oxford in 1621(History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Essential oils or ‘quinta essentia’ was termed by Paracelsus in 1536 (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). He found that it was critical to distill plants in order for them to release their beneficial properties (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Perfumery also became popular in the 16th century due to the lack of hygiene in the Western world (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). In the 18th century, essential oils became a part of mainstream medicine, but the use of natural herbs declined as modern chemistry enabled mass production of synthetic aromatics (History of Aromatherapy, 2019).

Essential oils were first scientifically studied in 1887 by Chamberland, and he confirmed that they did indeed have antibacterial effects (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Girault created aromatograms in 1969 which were used in the laboratory to identify the antimicrobial properties of different essential oils (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Penoel and Franchomme later developed scientific aromatherapy, which focused on the treatment of infections with essential oils (History of Aromatherapy, 2019). Today, essential oils are still undergoing more research to determine their varying degrees of antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Picture Source: discovermagazine.com

Works Cited

History of Aromatherapy. (2019, September 20). Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://ifaroma.org/en_GB/home/explore_aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/history-aro matherapy

Kolonay, B. (2015, August 7). The Science of Aromatherapy - Mid-Atlantic ALCA. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from ​https://www.midatlanticalca.org/the-science-of-aromatherapy/​.

Lakhan, S. E., Sheafer, H., & Tepper, D. (2016). The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in Reducing Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ​Pain research and treatment,​ 2016​, 8158693. ​https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/8158693​.

Pinault, J. R. (1992). ​Hippocratic lives and legends.​ Leiden: E.J. Brill