Aromatherapy : how does it work ?

Aromatherapy is the art of healing with essential oils and it is involved in the harmonization of physical and mental health. Closely related to herbal medicine, essential oils are used to strengthen and support the healing process.

Each essential oil is composed of a multitude of biomolecules with physiological properties of which their health benefits have been validated by centuries of traditional use and recent scientific studies.

Essential oils can be administered orally, dermally, by inhalation, rectally and vaginally.?The latter provides a systemic action throughout the body and is particularly effective in cases of infections, inflammation, pain of various origins, fatigue, and stress.

Ingestion or dermal application of botanical extracts combined with essential oils have proven very effective on health and well-being. The synergy of the various active ingredients has a significant impact on the cause and the inconveniences of an illness as well as a deeper physiological action.

How Aromatherapy was discovered?

The history of aromatherapy goes back thousands of years, the first traces of the use of an aromatic plant going back to the aborigines of Australia. In fact, aromatic plants have been used throughout history and throughout the world in different rites and cultures to purify places of worship, during coronations and baptisms etc... But its modern history begins at the beginning of the 20th century, when the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé burns himself and dips his hand in essential oil of lavender aspic and discovers that it has healing and anti-infectious properties.

Today, it is no longer a simple empiricism but a real science whose success has become public. With an essential oil you can provide a therapeutic response to certain diseases. Moreover, these answers can be revealed in different forms and can be sold as perfumes, cosmetics or food products. The possibilities are endless.

After years of research in the field, Robertet has acquired exceptional know-how through its affiliates Sirius and Sapad, pioneers in the production of organic essential oils. To find out more about this science, we interviewed our expert Aurélien Parra, Doctor of Pharmacy, who explains the specific aspects of aromatherapy.

The products offered to the consumer combine effectiveness and olfactory pleasure, and this is the challenge of modern aromatherapy that Robertet is meeting with a range of pure and organic essential oils. All our essential oils come in powder and oil form and are listed by the DGCCRF in France. In order to meet the growing demand for natural and organic ingredients, the Robertet Group has launched an e-commerce platform for purchasing essential oils for professionals www.e-robertet.com ??

?Why does aromatherapy work?

?Essential oils are concentrated mixtures of active substances, obtained by distillation of all or part of an aromatic plant. Today, aromatherapy is part of the therapeutic arsenal available to therapists, and essential oils can be found in the health, cosmetic, perfume and food industries. It is a natural medicine based on the biochemical activity of the aromatic molecules contained in essential oils.

?What are the extraction processes of essential oils for aromatherapy?

?According to the European Pharmacopoeia "an essential oil is a fragrant product, generally of complex composition, obtained from a botanically defined raw material, either by steam distillation, or by dry distillation, or by an appropriate mechanical process without heating".

The essential oil represents a concentrated form of the numerous molecules produced by the plant in the form of a complex mixture within which one can identify majority molecules, conferring to the mixture certain therapeutic properties. We speak of quintessence. To get the best out of the plant for aromatherapy and phytotherapy, it is necessary to use a gentle extraction process, which does not harm the plant.

?The EO intended for aromatherapy come only from 2 processes of extraction:

- Cold pressing of citrus peel and centrifugation to isolate the essence from the water (hydrolat).

- Distillation by steam distillation or hydrodistillation of a part of the aromatic plant for all other EO.

What are the benefits of the essential oils? What are they most often used against?

?Essential oils have many therapeutic properties. They can be anti-infectious (antiviral, and antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic) as essential oils of clove, thyme or tea tree. Some essential oils like lavender, basil, rosemary and ginger are used for their antispasmodic and digestive properties. Relaxing, anxiolytic and sedative properties are found in essential oils of fine or true lavender, petit grain bigarade, lemon balm and citrus essences. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties are present in essential oils of wintergreen or lemon eucalyptus for example. The repellent properties in essential oils of citronella or scented geranium.

?All these uses and benefits are widely recognized and documented, with traditional uses confirmed by scientific studies.

?NATURCELL

To go further, our Health&Beauty division has developed a range of essential oils in powder form using Natur-Cell technology. Natur-Cell? is a patented and 100% natural encapsulation technology developed by Robertet. It uses inulin as a matrix to protect the entire essential oil profile and to turn them into powders.

Inulin is a soluble fiber and a prebiotic, which acts as an active and technical carrier with positive benefits on digestion and transit. This unique technology provides new opportunities for the use of essential oils in powder version.

All these essential oils, meet a legal requirement and adapt to the various regulations in use with regard to our customers. Since December 2018, the DGCCRF** in France has published a list of 77 botanicals from which essential oils are considered traditional, which can be administered orally in food supplements and placed on the market more easily than before.

In addition, some of these essential oils benefit from EFSA pending claims giving them more added value for their use not only on the European market, but also in all countries where scientific proof is mandatory.

As a pioneer in natural molecules and leader in organic essential oils with 25% of the market, Robertet meets the constant need to renew agreements and proposals and can offer the best quality products for aromatherapy. The final product must be as effective as it is pleasant for the consumer, and the real challenge in aromatherapy is the know-how of the perfume industry, which combines effectiveness and olfactory pleasure.

As a specialist in natural ingredients since 1850, Robertet has implemented the seed-to-care? program, which vertically integrates each stage of the sourcing and production process. In this way, Robertet can guarantee the highest quality of its products. By owning our own fields and partnering with specialized natural growers around the world, traceability and sustainability are more than just words, they are a reality at Robertet.