Two More Must Have Essential Oils

Again, there is an overwhelming selection of essential oils on the market. How will you know which one to use for yourself or your child? Perhaps you have read other essential oil books or references but you still feel overwhelmed by the multitude of options.

Here I will review 2 more highly researched essential oils that are an absolute MUST for both adults and children. In my E-book, The Evidence-Based Guide to Essential Oils, I go into detail about 14 single essential oils with which to stock your cabinets to manage all forms of ailments! Most of these oils are affordable, and all are long-lasting and well worth the investment.

Remember: When an oil is pure, it is potent. All you need is 1-3 drops in order to get a therapeutic effect.

Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon)

Lemon essential oil is cold pressed from the rind of the fruit. It may also be distilled, which is preferable if you are going to use lemon essential oil for babies. Why? Expressed (or cold pressed) lemon is a potential photosensitizer, whereas distilled lemon oil is not. (1) Photosensitizing means that if a substance is applied to the skin at certain concentrations, burning can occur if the skin is also exposed to UV light.

Lemon oil is abundant in the terpenes, d-limonene and l-limonene, which together form about 90% of the bulk of the oil.

Lemon is great for eliminating odors. Its aroma is energizing and up-lifting. It is magical when it comes to cleaning and removing adhesives. It is frequently touted as being good for the immune system, presumably because it is a citrus oil and felt to have similar properties to the Vitamin C we get from citrus fruits. However, contrary to popular belief and information on the internet, lemon essential oil does not contain Vitamin C.

Studies have demonstrated lemon oil to be an effective fungicide 2,3 and antibacterial, 4,5,6 which may have to do with why it is such a great purifying and cleansing oil.

Additionally, lemon essential oil has shown other benefits such as possible improvement in cognitive function in people who have dementia. 7,8 It also has mood-enhancing properties. 9,10,11 Inhaling lemon oil signals the olfactory system and stimulates the brain to exert neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine), thereby further regulating mood. 12

D-limonene is the main component of lemon oil, and has been demonstrated in medical literature to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-nociceptive, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperalgesic, antiviral, and gastroprotective effects, among other benefits. 13

Citronellol, another component of lemon oil, has been shown to have antibiotic and antifungal effects in vitro, analgesic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, and a low toxicity profile. 14

Lemon oil also has insect repellent properties. 15

Tea Tree Essential Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Tea tree oil has been highly researched and is widely used for a variety of purposes and conditions. This essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree, which is native to Australia. Its scent is refreshing, and it is excellent for both cleaning and skincare. The main constituent of its oil is terpinen-4-ol, an alcoholic terpene with a clean, musty aroma. This oil also contains alpha-sabine and cineole, the latter of which has been highly researched.

Tea tree oil has been shown time and again through laboratory and clinical research to demonstrate antimicrobial properties. It is an excellent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent and has anti-inflammatory properties. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Tea tree oil is also an effective insect repellent. 8

Next week, I will review the evidence on the use of essential oils for Nausea and Vomiting.

In general, medical doctors don’t know much about essential oils with regards to the actual existing research and evidence, and, in my honest experience, neither do most essential oils sales users! I’m going to be providing some well researched insights and hope you will join or continue with me on this journey to learn more about when, how, and IF to use essential oils!

Want all the information NOW? Check out my E-book, The Evidence Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Safely Manage Common Childhood Ailments. You can purchase it online now for 25% the retail price with the Promo Code FF919 at checkout!

meet Laura. woman. mother. physician. yogini. teacher. writer. lover of all things life.

Download my E-book The Evidence-Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Manage Common Childhood Ailments to learn more!

***Join me next week and in the weeks to come to learn more about alternative and integrative therapies for children and adults alike!

References

LEMON

1 Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014, p 85. [No Link]

2 Gucwa K, Milewski S, Dymerski T, Szweda P. Investigation of the Antifungal Activity and Mode of Action of Thymus vulgaris, Citrus limonum, Pelargonium graveolens, Cinnamomum cassia, Ocimum basilicum, and Eugenia caryophyllus Essential Oils. Molecules. 2018 May 8;23(5). [PubMed]

3 Białoń M, Krzyśko-Łupicka T, Koszałkowska M, Wieczorek PP. The influence of chemical composition of commercial lemon essential oils on the growth of Candida strains. Mycopathologia. 2014 Feb;177(1-2):29-39. [PubMed]

4 Özcan G, Demirel Zorba NN. Combined effect of ultrasound and essential oils to reduce Listeria monocytogenes on fresh produce. Food Sci Technol Int. 2016 Jun;22(4):353-62. [PubMed]

5 Liu Y, Zhang X, Wang Y, Chen F, Yu Z, Wang L, Chen S, Guo M. Effect of citrus lemon oil on growth and adherence of Streptococcus mutans. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013 Jul;29(7):1161-7. [PubMed]

6 Guerra FQ, Mendes JM, Sousa JP, Morais-Braga MF, Santos BH, Melo Coutinho HD, Lima Ede O. Increasing antibiotic activity against a multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp by essential oils of Citrus limon and Cinnamomum zeylanicum. Nat Prod Res. 2012;26(23):2235-8. [PubMed]

7 Jimbo D, Kimura Y, Taniguchi M, Inoue M, Urakami K. Effect of aromatherapy on patients with Alzheimer's disease. Psychogeriatrics. 2009 Dec;9(4):173-9. [PubMed]

8 Zhou W, Fukumoto S, Yokogoshi H. Components of lemon essential oil attenuate dementia induced by scopolamine. Nutr Neurosci. 2009 Apr;12(2):57-64. [PubMed]

9 Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Graham JE, Malarkey WB, Porter K, Lemeshow S, Glaser R. Olfactory influences on mood and autonomic, endocrine, and immune function. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Apr;33(3):328-39. [PubMed]

10 L M Lopes C, Gonçalves e Sá C, de Almeida AA, da Costa JP, Marques TH, Feitosa CM, Saldanha GB, de Freitas RM. Sedative, anxiolytic and antidepressant activities of Citrus limon (lemon) essential oil in mice. Pharmazie. 2011 Aug;66(8):623-7. [PubMed]

11 Komiya M, Takeuchi T, & Harada E. Lemon oil vapor causes an anti-stress effect via modulating the 5-HT and DA activities in mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 2006. 172, 240–249. [PubMed]

12 Lv XN, Liu ZJ, Zhang HJ, Tzeng CM. Aromatherapy and the central nervous system (CNS): therapeutic mechanism and its associated genes. Curr Drug Targets. 2013 Jul;14(8):872-9. [PubMed]

13 Vieira AJ, Beserra FP, Souza MC, Totti BM, Rozza AL. Limonene: Aroma of innovation in health and disease. Chem Biol Interact. 2018 Mar 1;283:97-106. [PubMed]

14 Santos PL, Matos JPSCF, Picot L, Almeida JRGS, Quintans JSS, Quintans-Júnior LJ. Citronellol, a monoterpene alcohol with promising pharmacological activities - A systematic review. Food Chem Toxicol. 2019 Jan;123:459-469. [PubMed]

15 Adams TF, Wongchai C, Chaidee A, Pfeiffer W. "Singing in the Tube"--audiovisual assay of plant oil repellent activity against mosquitoes (Culex pipiens). Parasitol Res. 2016 Jan;115(1):225-39. [PubMed]

TEA TREE

1 Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. In vitro activity of Melaleuca alternifolia(tea tree) oil against dermatophytes and other filamentous fungi. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002. 50: 195-199. [PubMed]

2 Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. Antifungal activity of the components of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil. J Appl Microbiol 2003. 95: 853-860. [PubMed]

3 Hammer KA, Dry L, Johnson M, Michalak EM, Carson CF, Riley TV. Susceptibility of oral bacteria to Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil. Oral Microbiol Immunol 2003. 18(6): 389-392. [PubMed]

4 Koh KJ, Pearce AL, Marshman G, Finlay-Jones JJ, Hart PH. Tea tree oil reduces histamine-induced skin inflammation. Br J Dermatol 2002 147: 1212-1217. [PubMed]

5 Pazyar N, Yaghoobi R, Bagherani N, Kazerouni A. A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology. Int J Dermatol. 2013 Jul;52(7):784-90. [PubMed]

6 Carson CF, Hammer KA, Riley TV. Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2006 Jan;19(1):50-62. [PubMed]

7 Tobouti PL, Mussi MC, Rossi DC, Pigatti FM, Taborda CP, de Assis Taveira LA, de Sousa SC. Influence of melaleuca and copaiba oils on Candida albicans adhesion. Gerodontology. 2016 Sep;33(3):380-5. [PubMed]

8 Adams TF, Wongchai C, Chaidee A, Pfeiffer W. "Singing in the Tube"--audiovisual assay of plant oil repellent activity against mosquitoes (Culex pipiens). Parasitol Res. 2016 Jan;115(1):225-39. [PubMed]