Antibacterial Essential Oils
Primary.
Benchmark; Tea tree; Thyme linalool
These three oils are very effective at killing bacteria. I have university evidence of each of these oils killing off MRSA bacteria, in vitro, within 24 hours.
Supportive.
Cumin ; Eucalyptus (lemon-scented) ; Fragonia; Geranium; Lavender; Lemon ; Lime ; Marjoram ; Melissa ; Myrtle (lemon scented) ; Palmarosa ; Patchouli ; Rosemary ; Savoury (mountain )
Citrus oils can sometimes cause irritation to people with sensitive skin.
University researchers, around the world, have challenged bacteria with essential oils – mostly with positive results. I have listed the oils in alphabetical order rather than in their effect on the micro-organisms, as it is very difficult to compare one research result against another without knowing the dilution of essential oil used and the ‘Log’ – the numbers of bacteria in a Petri dish. For example, a Log 3 would be 1,000 individual bacteria per ml of the growing medium – which is usually agar – in a Petri dish, whereas Log 10 would be 10,000,000,000 per ml. That is a huge difference.
Avoid
The following essential oils also performed well in microbiology tests. However, these oils are known to be skin irritants and I would advise against using them on the skin.
Cinnamon bark; Citronella; Clove; Peppermint; Thyme (common).
Before using essential oils I strongly recommend that you read one of the many excellent books on aromatherapy in order to have understanding and confidence in buying and using essential oils. Or take a short, online course at http://www.aromahead.com/courses/free-trainings .
To see Latin names of the above mentioned essential oils please scroll down.
Essential oils can be sourced from numerous internet sites. Here are a few N. American suppliers of oils (including lesser-known essential oils).
www.aromaticsinternational.com ; www.naturesgift.com ; www.stillpointaromatics.com ; www.inshanti.com ; www.anandaapothecary.com ;
and some non-USA sites. www.aromantic.co.uk ; www.57aromas.com ; www.atlanticaromatics.com .
My suggestions for a massage blend would be:-
- To choose one of the Primary oils
- choose two or three of the Supportive oils. Choose the aromas that you like. Choose oils that smell good when combined with the Primary oil
- buy a good quality base oil
Essential oils should always be diluted, and for a massage oil should be added to a fatty oil base such as sweet almond oil or other good quality oil. I always use jojoba oil, which is a liquid wax that does not oxidise. Normally, the percentage of essential oil used in a massage base is 1% – 2% – but I hear a lot about Herxheimer’s reaction so it is wise to begin cautiously – for example, rub a little of your 1% blend into the soles of the feet, once or twice a week for a few weeks, and monitor how you feel. If you feel fine then also massage the blend into the tops of the feet and the calves, once or twice a week for another few weeks. If you are not having any adverse reactions, then in addition to the massage of feet and calves, have someone massage the blend along your spine and neck.
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For more information on the above-mentioned university research + citations to enable you to access the scientific papers, please refer to ‘Aromatherapy vs MRSA’ which is available in paperback or e-book, on Amazon. You can find more information about the contents of the book on www.maggietisserand.com
Latin names of essential oils listed above.
Benchmark thyme thymus Zygis Loefl. + 3 other thyme variants
Tea tree melaleuca alternifolia
Thyme linalool thymus vulgaris (chemotype) linalool
Cumin cuminum cyminum
Eucalyptus (lemon-scented) eucalyptus citriodora
Fragonia agonis fragrans
Geranium pelargonium graveolens
Lavender lavandula angustifolia
Lemon citrus limonum
Lemon-scented myrtle backhousia citriodora
Lime citrus aurantifolia
Marjoram origanum marjorana
Melissa melissa officianalis
Palmarosa cymbopogon martinii
Patchouli pogostemon cablin
Rosemary rosemarinus officianalis
Savoury (mountain ) satureja montana
Maggie Tisserand is the author of six books on the subject of aromatherapy. She lives in the South West of England, United Kingdom.
Maggie first became interested in alternative medicine back in the early 1970s when it was called ‘fringe medicine’. Her involvement with essential oils began shortly afterwards and became the mainstay of her medicine chest during pregnancy, childbirth and the rearing of three children with all the usual childhood diseases.
She was one of the first UK published writers on the subject of aromatherapy. Her first book, Aromatherapy for Women, published in 1985, went on to become an international bestseller, selling in excess of 700,000 copies worldwide. Four other books followed, commissioned by mainstream publishing houses.
Twittter – @MaggieTisserand
