Download ACP Level 1 Botany`s Role in Aromatherapy

ACP-1 Botany’s Role in
Aromatherapy
Botany’s Role in Aromatherapy
As you broaden your knowledge of aromatherapy, understanding the fundamental role that
essential oils play in this practice will deepen your appreciation for the science underlying its
success. This is basic overview into the important essential oils play in plants and its importance
- especially to the aromatherapist – in understanding the interconnection between botany and
aromatherapy.
Because essential oils are derived from plants, studying the botany of aromatic plants can be
particularly beneficial if you want to comprehend by what means essential oils work and their
chemical makeup. So what precisely is botany?
Botany is described as the scientific study of plants, which encompasses subjects such as their
classification, physical appearance, function, chemistry, ecology and even economic importance.
Botany pursues to identify how a plant is structured, how it relates to the environment and its
communications with other plants and organisms. Interestingly, botany originated as herbalism,
the study and use of plants for their medicinal properties.
While botany is a vast topic, this study will only skim a few of the basics principals that can help
you choose the correct essential oil for a particular condition with a deeper insight into how that
particular essential oil will work.
Why Plants Make Essential Oils
Aromatherapy is often defined as 'the art and science of using the essential oils derived from
plants in a variety of therapeutic applications.' A plant’s natural oil is what gives them a
recognizable and characteristic aroma and signature, which depending on the species will store
its essential oil in different parts of their structure, and depending on the plant can be found in
its flowers petals, its leaves, its fruits or rind of fruit, in its woods, barks and roots.
Some plants produce essential oils as part of their metabolic processes. It has been estimated
that only 1% of all flowering plants produce essential oils in any significant amount.
While science has not been able to establish with certainty as to why some plants produce essential
oils, there are a number of theories as to what their function may be.
As plants evolved, they developed several tactics to help them survive and compete with their
neighboring world. One of these tactics was to produce chemical agents that could both attract
pollinators and repel predators, thereby ensuring the continuation of the plant species.
Defense
Often when an essential oil is located in the root, bark or leaves of a plant it is to defend against
predators, preventing the plant from being eaten by repelling them. The leaves of a plant often
contain lethal chemical compounds such as terpenes and any predator that eats the leaves will
either become sick or die.
Pollination
Whereas, the essential oil found in flowers and fruit is produced to attract pollinators as odor is
thought to be more important than color.
Protection
Essential oils serve as protection against attack by bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Allelopathy
Another amazing yet unknown fact is an essential oils’ ability to prevent other plants from
growing too close to the plant. Terpenes restrict the growth of neighboring plants if they enter
the soil on watering.
Antitranspirant
Essential oils assist the plant with antitranspirant activity, aiding them in survival in a difficult climatic
conditions, such as plants in hot, dry areas by releasing a haze of volatile oils preventing excess water
loss from the leaves. In the heat of the day, essential oils evaporate (which ranges from at or
above room temperature). So on a hot day, the essential oils contained within a plant are
released into the air and act as a defense mechanism.
It is not only the aroma of a plant which draws pollinators to it; color and shape often play a role
too. As you may discover, not all aromas are pleasant; for example, rotting fruit is attractive to
tropical bats just as the seductive scent of night blooming Jasmine (Cestrum noctiflorum) is to
hawk moths.
How Essential Oils are Stored in Plants
Essential oils are located in the tiny glands, hairs, veins or sacs of the various parts of a plant.
The aromatic molecules in a plant are a by-product of the process of metabolism, and are stored
in several parts of the plant, depending upon the species:
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Glandular hairs and cells – these are found on the surface of the plant's skin layer in
single or multi cell convexities; examples include plants in the Lamiaceae plant family
such as Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis)
Oil and resin cells – cells filled with resin or oils include those of the Lauraceae plant
family such as Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Oil or resin canals – when neighboring glandular cells move apart, tubular canals or
ducts are formed; these spaces store essential oils of the Apiaceae plant family such as
fennel(Foeniculum vulgare) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Oil reservoirs – the formation of secondary cavities from the disintegration of
lysigenous secretory cell reservoirs of the Rutaceae plant family such as lemon (Citrus
limonum) and bergamot (Citrus bergamia).