Essential Oil Spotlight : Lemon

LEMON ESSENTIAL OIL

Family Name: Rutaceae

Common Name: Lemon

Botanical Name: Citrus limon / C. limonum 

Extraction method: Cold expression of the outer peel.

Odour: Yellow to greenish-yellow or pale-yellow mobile liquid of a very light, fresh and sweet odour, truly reminiscent of the ripe peel.

General Description:
Citrus limon is a small evergreen tree, growing three to six metres high, with pale-green leaves and highly perfumed white and pink flowers. An individual tree can produce as many as 1,500 lemons per year, each fruit turning from green to yellow as it ripens.

The lemon tree originated in Asia, finding its way to Greece in the 2nd century AD, it made little impact in Europe until the Middle Ages, when it was cultivated in Spain and Sicily. It grows today throughout the Mediterranean, though Florida and California are the largest producers of the oil.

History/Folk lore: Referred to by the Roman historian Virgil as the 'median apple', the peel was used in ancient times to perfume clothes and repel insects. However, it was not until the later 17th Century that the neo-Galenic pharmacist Nicholas Lemery gave full recognition to the medicinal value of the fruit. In his book of 1698, he mentions lemon as being both an effective blood cleanser and carminative. 

 

When the British Navy issued large quantities of the fruit to counteract the onslaught of scurvy on lengthy sea voyages, its reputation grew. In Spain and other European countries, lemon became widely known as a panacea, especially where toxicity and infection were involved. 

'The juice was used as a diaphoretic and diuretic. Lemon juice is highly recommended in acute rheumatism. The juice is a good astringent.' Battaglia, Salvatore - The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy - 2nd Edition.

 

'Lemon is a powerful bactericide, an excellent reason for using it to treat cuts. Dr. Jean Valnet cites research which has shown that the essential oil will kill diphtheria bacilli in 20 minutes, and even when diluted to 0.2% it will make tuberculosis bacilli completely inactive.' Patricia Davis — "Aromatherapy — An A to Z'.

Main Uses In Massage: 

Lemon oil has a strong effect on the immune system by both strengthening and supporting it.

Lemon has been classified as a stimulant in various studies. It is useful to clear and focus the mind. It seems to be more mentally refreshing rather than strongly stimulating to the body, and I have used it with clients who tend to think obsessively or who have a lot of decisions or worries. 

 

Like grapefruit, it has a strong ability to decongest and detoxify, partly because of its astringent action, which helps move lymphatic fluid. The effect of tightening tissue also has a good effect on circulation and blood vessels, making it appropriate for varicose veins and broken capillaries.

 

Therapeutic Properties or Actions: 

Antiseptic, antimicrobial, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, cicatrisant, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, haemostatic, hypotensive, insecticidal, rubefacient, tonic, vermifuge.

Body Systems & Therapeutic Uses: 
 Immune system - Antimicrobial qualities of oil are very useful for treating symptoms of colds, 'flu, bronchitis and asthma.
 Circulatory system - Excellent tonic for reducing blood viscosity and helping to break up plaque deposits in the arteries, reducing cholesterol. May be used for varicose veins, broken capillaries, haemorrhoids and nosebleeds.
Nervous system -  Lifts the spirits and overcomes mental fatigue. Clears the mind and said to aid in the decision-making process. 
  Skin Care - Astringent properties counteracts overproduction of sebum. Tones aging skin and has antibacterial properties that are beneficial for the treatment of acne and boils.
Energetics - Cooling and drying and is recommended to clear heat, dampness and phlegm. Considered an excellent detoxifying essential oil. 

 

 Precautions:
Non-toxic and non-irritant. Increased skin sensitivity UV light.
Always use fresh lemon oil when treating skin conditions or simply applying to the skin.
If citrus oils begin to no longer smell of the fresh rind, it is better to use in burners only.
 
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 I will be posting more information about other essential oils on this blog so keep checking back.

< Related articles - eucalyptus ,  frankincense , geranium , ginger & lavender > 

Information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from a medical practitioner.  
© Graphics are property of Aromatherapy For Australia. Please do not use images without permission or without credit or link back to this blog post. Please read our Terms & Conditions

 

 

Essential Oil Spotlight : Bergamot

BERGAMOT ESSENTIAL OIL

 

Family: Rutaceae

Common Name: Bergamot 

 Botanical Name: Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia (Citrus bergamia)

Extraction method: Cold expression of the peel of the nearly ripe fruit.

Odour: fresh, sweet-fruity scent

General Description:
  A small tree, about 4.5m high with smooth oval leaves, bearing small round fruit that ripen from green to yellow, much like a miniature orange in appearance. The rather small bergamot fruits are picked for distillation while still unripe and green, the product of a variety of bitter orange tree. Originating in tropical parts of Asia, the tree is grown in southern Italy, Sicily, and the Ivory Coast.

History/Folk lore:  
The oil takes its name from a small town in Italy, Bergamo, where the tree was originally cultivated. However, legend has it that Christopher Columbus found the tree in the Canary Islands and introduced it into Spain and Italy. Records show its use in Florence since 1725 where it was popular in Italian folklore medicine for hundreds of years but was not exported until relatively recent times.

A cheaper form of Bergamot oil is distilled from unripe, fallen fruit and sometimes used to adulterate the more expensive oil. The leaves are occasionally distilled which gives us another form of Petitgrain. Bergamot imparts that unusual flavour to Earl Grey tea. Bergamot is probably one of the most common ingredients in all perfumes and became a key ingredient of the classic toilet water 'eau-de-Cologne'. In Greece the unripe fruits are preserved as sweetmeats to be eaten by the spoonful when having coffee or as a dessert. Bergamot oil was an important remedy in Italian folk medicine, and from the 16th century onward appeared in a number of European herbals as an antiseptic and febrifuge.

Main Uses In Massage: 
  Bergamot oil is frequently used in blends to help with nervous tension, fear and anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Chronic stress has been shown to have drastic effects on resistance to illness. Like most citrus oils, bergamot is a good antibacterial and antifungal, and these qualities together with its antidepressant effect, make it useful for clients who tend to catch infections when they feel low and disheartened.

 Therapeutic Properties or Actions: 
  Analgesic, antidepressant, antiseptic, antiviral, carminative, cicatrisant, deodorant, digestive, febrifuge, sedative, tonic. 

Body Systems & Therapeutic Uses: 
 Digestive system -Actions on the digestive system is carminative and digestive — useful in relieving colic, flatulence and indigestion. Indicated for nervous indigestion.
  Nervous system - Oil has a sedative yet uplifting quality.
  Urinary - Recommended for treatment of cystitis and urinary tract infections.
Skin Care -  Antiseptic action makes it beneficial for treating herpes simplex type 1 , cold sores and acne. Recommended for oily skin types and used as an effective deodorising agent. Also recommended for treating eczema and psoriasis. 
 Energetics - Neutral with cooling and warming potential. Relaxing, restoring and calming.

Precautions: 
Bergamot is photosensitizing - it makes the skin more sensitive to UV radiation. Non-photosensitising Bergamot essential oil is available but it has been highly rectified and is not recommended for use except in perfumes.

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I will be posting more information about other essential oils on this blog so keep checking back.

Information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from a medical practitioner.  
© Graphics are property of Aromatherapy For Australia. Please do not use images without permission or without credit or link back to this blog post. Please read our Terms & Conditions