Aromatherapy is a growing practice in the United States. Unfortunately, there is some misinformation out there and some people are not presented the full facts on this wondrous and highly beneficial world of aromatherapy. You may be one of the few people out there who have heard some things and are afraid to try essential oils because of some of the outlandish things you have heard regarding these precious substances. I have been learning about the oils for awhile now, and some of the things I have heard and read are pretty shocking! As I investigated further into some of the crazy things I have heard, I became highly disappointed in some authors abilities (or disabilities) when it comes to thoroughness in presenting a matter, and in their disability in not being able to present a story with the full facts.
To give you an example, if I told you that drinking carrot juice daily was bad for you because it can turn your skin yellow, and if I left it at that, this would scare you from drinking carrot juice! However, if I told you that drinking carrot juice could possibly turn your skin yellow due to the fact that it is flushing your liver, and that the yellow tinting of your skin was actually due to dirty bile from your liver (not beta carotene from the carrots), and that it was only temporary and would go away once your liver was cleaned out (even though you continued on the carrot juice every day), this would be a different story, wouldn’t it?
And this is how so many of the misrepresentations on essential oils go! If you are denying yourself and your family benefits that come from using essential oils because you are afraid of using them due to of some of the stories you have heard, I highly recommend further education on the subject. A wonderful book, The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Easy, by David Stewart will give you some history behind whatever you have heard. It will change the way you see essential oils forever! A brief summary on this subject can be found in my article Aromatherapy Facts and Fictions. However, you may find some of the answers you are looking for in the most obvious of places too! Below is an example of what I am talking about!
Do you like pesto? Did you know that in the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database that it says large amounts of basil may be “carcinogenic”? After reading another very brief blurb recently about how large amounts of basil essential oil “may” be carcinogenic, I decided to check further into it, and believe it or not I found my most helpful information in Wikipedia, of all the easiest places to look. Below are some excerpts, along with a link so you can read the full article for yourself.
Basil’s definition on Wikipedia“Recently, there has been much research into the health benefits conferred by the essential oils found in basil. Scientific studies have established that compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties.[3][4][5][6] In addition, basil has been shown to decrease the occurrence of platelet aggregation and experimental thrombus in mice.[7] It is traditionally used for supplementary treatment of stress, asthma and diabetes in India.[8] In Siddha medicine, it is used for treating pimples on the face, but noted that intake of the seeds in large quantities is harmful for the brain[citation needed].
Basil, like other aromatic plants such as fennel and tarragon, contains estragole, a known carcinogen and teratogen in rats and mice. While human effects are currently unstudied, the rodent experiments indicate that it would take 100–1000 times the normal anticipated exposure to become a cancer risk.[9]“
“Basil and oregano contain large amounts of (E)-beta-caryophyllene (BCP), which might have a use in treating inflammatory bowel diseases and arthritis. BCP is the only product identified in nature that activates CB2 selectively; it interacts with one of two cannabinoid receptors (CB2), blocking chemical signals that lead to inflammation, without triggering cannabis’s mood-altering effects.[2]“
Notice, that even though Basil contains estragole, a chemical that when taken from the plant and isolated can cause cancer in rats and mice in 100-1000 times the normal dosage that at the same time “compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant, anti-cancer” abilities.
Here is what Wikipedia had to say about estragole in fennel;
“Tarragon has an aromatic property reminiscent of anise, due to the presence of estragole, a known carcinogen and teratogen in mice. The European Union investigation revealed that the danger of estragole is minimal even at 100-1000 times the typical consumption seen in humans.[2]“
So what does this mean? What I get out of it is that human effects of one of the chemical constituents in Basil, miiiiiiiight induce cancer cells if taken out of the plant…..aha…there is something to that….. and I might be at risk if I used 100-1000 times the normal dosage of estragole! Not Basil! According to the European Union investigation, the danger is minimal even if I did ingest 100-1000 times the typical human consumption! I think it is sad how scientists and chemists will be the first to tell you that their isolated chemical that is dangerous on it’s own is not the same when it is mixed with their other man-made chemical substances, and that it is safe in their chemical shampoos and drugs, and yet they refuse to give the Master Chemist the same room!
So, The question still stands, can basil cause cancer? This isn’t an i.q. test! My conclusion is that, only God knows how much I would have to ingest!!! In addition to this, it may………. or it may not since the plant also was also masterfully and wondrously created to contain chemicals that fight cancer!! In other words, I don’t think pesto or basil oil are going to give me cancer!
In the world of herbology, several herbs each with varying purposes can be combined together for a specific purpose in the body. Although one of the herbs in the combination may be for the urinary tract, for instance, the combination of herbs may actually be for supporting the pancreas. When it comes to herbs like basil, clearly it would appear that the Maker knew what he was doing! It would almost appear that He 
never intended we mutilate His creations and isolate compounds apart from their ordained source to such drastic degrees as we have.
Another claim made by some regarding essential oils is that they should be used with caution during pregnancy, and some places go so far as to say not to use them at all during pregnancy or on small children! Whereas some oils should be used with caution (some not at all during pregnancy simply due to the fact that more information is needed to prove they are safe in moderate use) the claim that essential oils should not be used at all has no scientific backing whatsoever. Some essential oils, namely Anise, fennel, sage, clary sage, blue tansy, tarragon, niaouli, cypress, myrtle, wild tansy, German chamomile, and helichrysum are warned against during pregnancy for the simple fact that some of these when in herb form, and taken in large doses are an emmenagogue (which basically means they encourage heavier periods in women who have scanty periods). Whereas I do believe some essential oils such as the above should be avoided during pregnancy, there is more scientific research needed to prove these oils are not safe during pregnancy, because there is simply not enough data to even prove they are unsafe at this point in time. The following quote comes from The Essential Oils Desk Reference regarding this matter.
“Much of the published information available on essential oils should be regarded with caution. Many aromatherapy books are merely compilations of two or three other books. The content is similar, only phrased and worded differently. Because the information has been copied from sources that have never been documented, the same misinformation repeatedly surfaces.
Many aromatherapy books claim that essential oils, such as clary sage, fennel, sage, and bergamot. can trigger an abortion. Several years ago, a rumor circulated about a laboratory research project in which the uterus of a rat was turned inside out and a cold drop of clary sage oil was applied to the exposed uterine wall. When this caused a contraction of the muscle, clary sage was labeled as abortion causing. One must ask, what would have happened if cold water had been dropped on the exposed uterus? The uterine wall would likely have contracted in response. Following this reasoning, water could be labeled as abortion causing as well.
The truth is that to our knowledge, there has never been a single documented case that clary sage, lemon, sage, or bergamot essential oils have caused and abortion. Sclareol, a compound in clary sage, is not an an estrogen, although i t can mimic estrogen if there is an estrogen deficiency. If there is not an estrogen deficiency, sclareol will not create more estrogen in the body. As a rule, essential oils bring balance to the human body.”
I find it very sad to see expectant mothers drinking pop, a crucially health devastating beverage to their baby (as it robs needed calcium and other nutrients from the body and fills it with sugar, aluminum, and chemicals, yet at the same time the same woman is afraid to use natural substances like essential oils! I am not saying pregnant women should not approach essential oils without caution. An expecting woman who knows nothing about the oils should seek an experts help before proceeding to use them. I do believe, however, that there are far more oils that would be of benefit during pregnancy then there are that might be harmful though, and this is an area with so much promise that is truly worth looking into for each individual!
The book Gentle Babies by Debra Rayburn is a wonderful book on the use of essential oils during pregnancy and for babies and small children. I highly recommend it. It contains plenty of information as well as testimonies proving that essential oils are not only safe but beneficial during pregnancy.The summary at Abundant Health (where you can purchase this book for $12.99 wrote the following perfect description of this book as follows;
“Combining two decades of professional knowledge with tried-and-true techniques and first-hand testimonials, the author has compiled this insightful and easy-to-follow guide benefiting both experienced and first-time mothers. In addition, the book contains an introduction to therapeutic-grade essential oils and applications and provides safety information and a section on discerning the quality of essential oils. Every family taking proactive steps to better health should have this resource in their home library.”
So, are there people who should be cautious with essential oils? Sure there are. People with very sensitive skin, and many allergies-especially those prone to hay-fever should approach oils with caution. And they should be used with caution on children (click here for more information on how to use them on children). Essential oils are not all equal, if an oil is not therapeutic grade it is likely that it is adulterated with other oils, solutions, even chemicals. Therefore if a reaction is experienced with non-therapeutic grade essential oils it is very likely due to adulterations in the oil, not the essential oil itself.
Purchase Pure, Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils Here
More articles by Shayla that you might enjoy;
More Resources
Essential Oils for Pregnancy by Debra Rayburn
Aromatherapy and Massage for Mother and Baby by Allison England
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Article by Shayla, Master Herbalist, Homemaker, and Young Living Independent Distributor.
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Unless otherwise stated, these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This article is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, claim to cure, or treat disease. Seek the advice of a professional in the case of disease or medical emergency.
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