Science-Proven Inflammation Reduction By Essenial Oils

21.01.2010 | Author: FTS | Posted in Alternative Medicine

For much of mankind’s history, people have used herbal treatments to reduce pain and inflammation in joints and muscles. The bark of the Willow tree has given us ‘the wonder drug’ for pain reduction, which actually occurs due to a reduction of inflammation. Now, many professional therapists lay-practitioners are turning to essential oils for inflammation reduction and pain relief. Essential oils provide a very simple means of reaping the anti-inflammatory, analgesic potential of natural medicine, as all one need do is put a few drops of essential oil into a base oil and massage in for quick, sometimes long-lasting relief.

A look at the most recent research gives a long list of abstracts where scientists have validated the inflammation reducing potential of essential oils. Several plants have a long history and strong reputation for their anti-inflammatory activity. Ginger, for example, has an interesting dual-action of being both warming to an area, and have potent anti-inflammatory activity at the same time. Ginger oleoresin (an oil and resin compound) has been sucessfully studied for its anti-inflammatory activity. Supercritical carbon dioxide extracts of Ginger root, also with strong anti-inflammatory activity, are easily obtained by licenced practioners and home users to indclude in their joint and muscle ache recipes.

Just published in the Journal of Lipid Research are the results of an investigation in Japan confirming the anti-inflammation activity in several pure and natural essential oils.This supports the selection of many essential oils used in pain relief and anti-inflammation formulas. The oils shown to reduce inflammation through suppression of the COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzyme included herbs, like thyme, clove and fennel; rose; eucalyptus; and even the citrus bergamot. The oils considered to have the strongest anti-inflammation activity used in aromatherapy were not even examined, which can mean that there are naturally a great many compounds found in essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The strongest inflammation-reducing activity was produced by the essential oil of Thyme, a pungent herb long used as a savory flavoring. Thyme essential oil is highly regarded for its immune system boosting and anti-viral / anti-bacterial actions. Interestingly, the study noted that all essential oils tested reduced inflammation in a manner similar to resveratrol, the long-life-enhancing component of red wine. Inflammation itself is oftentimes a symtom of a strained or challenged immune system, as well as a marker of aging. One’s ability to naturally keep inflammation under contol is likely to result in fewer illnesses and a slower aging process. Along these lines, it was the single natural component Carvacrol, also found in high concentrations in Oregano essential oil, that had the strongest anti-inflammatory activity of any of the single isolated compounds from any essential oil used in the study. While carvacrol by itself is actually a dangerous chemical in that it can burn our tissues, it seems to have a multitude of beneficial actions including reducing inflammation, being a strong anti-microbial agent, and boosting immune system function.

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