AROMATHERAPY

At the heart of an aromatherapy the influence principle on a human body of natural essence which were applied to treatment and preventive maintenance of diseases since ancient times lays. Aromatic plants and oils are used by millenia as incenses, in perfumery and cosmetics, cookery and medicine. Many centuries proceeded обожествление smells, but at the same time there was a continuous studying of odorous substances, their medical, physiological and aesthetic influence on the person.

Sources

The first that proof, that people have learnt to allocate fragrant substances from vegetative raw materials, concern time about 5000 years B.C.

The Indian literature dated approximately on 2000 B.C., totals more than 700 plants, including cinnamon, ginger, мирр, a coriander, a sandal-wood tree and аралию. Probably, the most known and rich associations connected with the first aromatic substances, surround ancient Egypt. The papyruses written approximately in 2000 B.C., speak about "fine oils, perfect aromas and incenses for the temples delivering pleasure to any deity". The basic pitches for cult воскурений were cedar pitches, an incense and мирра which along with other products were used at embalming. Priests and notable persons used fragrant oils for умащения and ointments on the basis of olive, almond or кунжутного oils with use мирры and other odorous components. In Babylon oils were added in building materials from which temples (nearby 1800 BC) were erected . Known antiseptic properties lemon, cedar, миррового oils for disinfection maintenance in temple premises were used.

Natural aromas and aromatic substances were registered among the earliest subjects of trade in the ancient world and, being rare, were highly appreciated. They were symbols of riches and were one of the most valuable gifts. The Arabian merchants and мореходы showed the big activity in trade in aromas, spices and exotic east goods. They delivered in the Arabian ports camphor from China, cinnamon and a sandal-wood tree from India, a rose from Syria, an incense, мирру, стиракс, имбирный a root, a nutmeg, black pepper and гальбанум.

The ancient tradition of use of fragrant oils for religious ceremonies has extended and on other religions. In Buddhist temples, for example, till now it is accepted to oil sculptures of the Buddha of a sandal-wood tree. The head of Catholic church used many centuries consecrated "fur-trees" at church services and crownings.

The Arabian science has acquired achievements of antique and east scientists изначительно has outstripped level of knowledge of the European countries. Between VII and XIII centuries Arabs have given to the world set of great scientists, among them Авиценна (980-1037). For the life this highly presented doctor and the scientist has written more than 100 books, one of which has been devoted a flower which Moslems appreciate above all - a rose.

Aromatherapy

"Rose attar raises possibilities of reason and increases speed of thinking. The pink water received from rose-petals at distillation with water steam, was highly appreciated as medicinal and flavouring means.

Pink water became very popular in Europe in days of crusades together with other exotic aromas and spices.

By XIII century "aromas of Arabia" became known across all Europe. In many European drugstores there were flower waters and essence. In connection with their unusual antiseptic features essence has been recognised by excellent means against infections and epidemics. It is known, that medieval perfumers were seldom endangered in cases of epidemics of a cholera and other infectious diseases. Widely oil нероли, having an exotic smell and received of colours of a bitter wild orange became known. Soon it began to be used for creation of fashionable spirits. Many preparations on the basis of essence, for example, "Water of the queen of Hungary", created in 1370 on the basis of a rosemary, have been recognised by universal remedies against many diseases. Later in 1611 it became known "кармелитский spirit", made in Paris monks by отгонки spirit from tincture of a mix of a balm, a lavender and lemon crusts.

Data about aromatic materials have filled pharmacopoeias and centuries were the main protection against epidemics. Within next several centuries pharmacists studied and described curative properties of aromatic oils which became more and more. Their number included not only well studied, as for example cedar oils, корицы, an incense, a juniper, a rose, a rosemary, a lavender and a sage, but also a wormwood essence, каяпута, валерианы and pines.

The perfumery industry involved known scientists of the present and in northern countries of Europe, especially in a city Grass in the south of France where there were plantations of a rose, lavenders, a jasmin and there were prospering commercial enterprises. By the end of XVII century the trade of the perfumer has separated from related specialities and there was a distinction between spirits and the aromatic substances, which steels the main field of activity of druggists.

Within almost all XIX century the perfumery was based exclusively on natural products, many of which, in particular essence, were brought under the high price. Scientific revolution of XIX century has made possible reception of many fragrant substances chemical by. Chemists could identify for the first time the various substances containing in oils, and distances it specific names, as for example "гераниол", "цитронелол" and "цинеол".

On a twist of fate researches full of enthusiasm were a basis for creation of synthetic doubles of oils and promoted growth of the modern medicinal industry. To the middle of the XX-th century the role of aromatic oils almost has been completely limited by their use in perfumery, cosmetics and a foodstuff. On the basis of synthetic fragrant substances the basis for manufacture of mass perfumery and отдушек has been created. But in the higher perfumery use of expensive essence proceeded.

The term "aromatherapy" has been created in 1928 by the French chemist Gattefosse (Gattefosse), working in family perfumery business. He was engaged in research of essence and has found out, that many aromatic oils operate more effectively, than their synthetic substitutes or the isolated active components. Other French doctor and scientist Jean Valnet (Valnet) used aromatic oils as a part of the program which it successfully applied to treatment of specific physical and mental diseases. So development of a modern aromatherapy in France, later in England, and now all over the world has begun.

Somewhat the word "aromatherapy" can mislead, as it assumes treatment exclusively through sense of smell and emotions. But it not so, besides a smell each fragrant oil consists of a combination of the certain substances definitely co-operating with chemical elements of an organism which in turn influence certain bodies or systems as a whole. For example, at use of oils for massage they are easily soaked up through a skin and transferred on all body. It is possible to show it втиранием зубчика garlic in a foot sole: flying oil will get to a blood channel and after a while a garlic smell will be felt at breath. It is interesting to notice, that всасывание various oils occurs to different speed, for example:

Turpentine - 20 mines,
эвкалипт and a thyme - 20-40 mines,
Anise, bergamot, lemon - 40-60 mines,
цитронелла, a pine, a lavender, a geranium - 60-80 mines,
Coriander, mint peppery - 100-120 minutes

Interest to an aromatherapy, 20 centuries which have arisen in the beginning, has sharply increased to its second half, that in many respects it is possible to explain accruing number of by-effects and allergic reactions from use of synthetic medical products. The understanding of every day grows that from therapy by some medical products it is time to pass to the effective and nontoxical natural means which advantage is checked up by centuries. In countries of Western Europe, in the USA, Canada and Japan hundreds offices of an aromatherapy operate, the set of books and the magazines devoted to it is published, scientific institutes operate.

Modern aromatherapy

The modern aromatherapy is preventive, improving, completely a natural way of maintenance of the good psychoemotional and physical form, the therapy, allowing to remove and resolve daily stresses, not to admit development of illnesses and to give to a daily life beauty of aromas.