Essential Oil Evaluation Flashcards
How do you create an aromatically balanced blend?
Top, Middle, Base
What does GCMS stand for?
Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
What is a chemo-type?
A dominant chemical constituent in a specific botanical species
Name 3 oils that have chemo-types
Thyme, Rosemary, Basil
What is a clone?
When you take the cutting from a hybrid plant to get the same exact chemistry since hybrids cannot reproduce
What name is the genus and which is the species?
Genus = first name, first letter capitalized species = second name, never capitalized
What are the 7 ecological factors that influence chemo-type?
DR CLAPS- Disease resistance, Rainfall, Climate, Light, Altitude, Pesticides, Soil
What is a varietal?
Same genus and same species plant but the physical characteristic is different (flower, leaves, fruit)
Which application is the quickest way to enter the EO into the bloodstream?
Inhalation
How long should we diffuse essential oils for in a diffuser?
20 min at a time, every couple of hours
Which application is the quickest to effect psyche, respiratory, and CNS?
Inhalation
Which chemical families may be irritating when diffusing? How would you diffuse them if you had to?
Phenols, Ethers, Ketones, Aldehydes
*Always diffuse in a blend in a low dilution
What is our largest organ of elimination?
Skin (Integumentary system)
Which body system functions as part of the immune system as our first line of defense?
Skin (integumentary system)
How long does it take for an EO to get into the blood stream and how long does it take to get out?
It takes about 20 for an EO to get into the blood stream, 1.5 hours to get out
Which chemical families are known sensitizers?
Phenols and Aldehydes
Name some of the EO’s that are known sensitizers?
Cinnamon, Clove, Oregano, Lemongrass, Citronella
What is the difference between irritation and sensitization?
Irritation is an immediate, physical reaction you can see whereas sensitization is a systemic reaction after interacting with the immune system
One drop of an EO is equivalent to ___ cups of tea
40
Essential oils are ___ times more powerful than the fresh herb
75-100x
How many petal does it take to produce 1 drop of rose?
around 2,000 petals
What is photo-toxicity?
Reaction that occurs when pherocoumerins are on skin and is exposed to ultraviolet light
How do you care for an adverse reaction?
Discontinue use, wipe off remaining essential oil with non perfumed soap, apply a plain carrier oil (or something with fat)
Name 6 oils that are photo-toxic
Cold-pressed citruses (Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Lime) and Angelica root, Cumin
