impaginato piccolo - Società Italiana di Parassitologia (SoIPa)

Parassitologia 50: 89-91, 2008
Essential oils in medicine: principles of therapy
F. Pisseri 1, A. Bertoli 2, L. Pistelli 2
1 Scuola CIMI-Koinè; 2 Dipartimento di Chimica Bioorganica and Biofarmacia, Università degli Studi di Pisa
Introduction
Abstract. Essential oils (EOs) are extremely complex mixtures containing compounds of several different
functional-group classes. A specific aromatic profile should be determined by gas-chromatography-mass
detection methods, to define standards for their safety and efficacy. The chemical constituents of the essential
oils, their flavour and their taste act both alone and in synergy, always determining a global psychosomatic
action. The main therapeutic activities of the EOs are reported as spasmolythic, revulsive, anti-inflammatory
and decongestant, immunomodulant, antimicrobial, antimycotic, expectorant, mucolythic, antioxidant,
psychotrope, analgesic and acaricide. The use, posology, route of administration as well as toxicity
and adverse effects are reviewed.
Key words: EOs, aromatherapy, therapeutic activity, adverse effects
Essential oils (EOs) are extremely complex mixtures
containing volatile aroma compounds of several different
functional-group classes, extracted from plants.
Nowadays, many International and European guidelines
pertaining to therapeutic profiles for several market
valuable EOs have been set. In fact it is extremely
important to distinguish between the “therapeutic
grade” and “fragrance grade” of EOs. A “fragrance
grade“ may show a very high quality (grade A quality)
but, not necessarily, it can be considered for therapeutic
purpose.
The EOs’ quality must be defined before using them as
herbal remedy in order to warrant the safety for customers.
True therapeutic-grade oils must contain neither
synthetic ingredients nor can be diluted.
Furthermore balsamic period and way of distillation
should be known, without any further addition of synthetic
additives. The EOs should not show residual
agricultural pesticides, herbicides nor other chemicals
and cannot be extracted by solvents. Significant chemical
differences in the EOs’ composition depend on
geographical area where the plant material was wild or
cultivated, on the balsamic period, on the plant organ
considered and on the extraction’s technique.
Therefore, it is important to define the best chemotype
for therapeutic uses in order to fix the percentage of
active constituents and reduce as least as possible the
risk of toxic plant derivatives. For all these reasons,
each lot production of EO should be related to a specific
aromatic profile determined by gas-chromatographymass
detection methods. Only in this way, the safety
and efficancy of EO therapy is warranted.
Correspondence: Francesca Pisseri
Dipartimento di Clinica Veterinaria,
V.le delle Piagge 2, 56125 Pisa
Tel +39 338 1406770,
e-mail: pisseri@vet.unipi.it
Therapeutical activities
EOs yield a polyvalent therapeutic activity whose
mechanisms of action are not completely clarified, due
to their complexity, and to a lack of clinical studies,
with an adequate follow-up.
Nevertheless EOs’ activity can enhance vital functions
in many ways and some of these products show a specific
tropism to influence different organs and/or apparatus.
The chemical constituents of the essential oils, their
flavour and their taste act both alone and in synergy,
always determining a global psychosomatic action.
The physician should make a critical evaluation of the
available products for sale, considering that the composition
and the quality of the EOs strongly influence
both their therapeutic potentialities and toxicological
risks.
The EOs’ activity on the organism derives from the
complex and associated action as well as for every phytocomplex.
The principal therapeutic activities of the EOs with
some references to specific oils are listed below:
(i) Spasmolythic properties: Citrus lemon,
Pimpinella anisum, Rosmarinus officinalis,
Foeniculum vulgaris, Mentha piperita, Thymus
vulgaris
(ii) Revulsive properties: Melaleuca alternifolia,
Citrus lemon, Mentha piperita
(iii) Analgesic action: Cymbopogon spp., Mentha
piperita
(iv) Anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties:
Salvia sclarea, Matricaria chamomilla, Citrus
sinensis, Rosmarinus officinalis, Citrus lemon
(v) Immunomodulant properties: Citrus lemon,
Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis,
Origanum vulgaris
(vi) Antimicrobial properties: Melaleuca alternifolia,
Thymus spp., Satureja spp., Citrus bergamia,
Origanum vulgaris, Illicium verum, Ocimum
basilicum, Matricaria recutita, Salvia officinalis,
Satureja montana, Origanum majorana