An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea. Essential oils do not form a distinctive category for any medical, pharmacological, or culinary purpose. They are not essential for health.  Essential oils can have physical and mental benefits.  Medical applications proposed by those who sell medicinal oils range from skin treatments to remedies for cancer and often are based solely on historical accounts of use of essential oils for these purposes. Essential oils are used medically in history. Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often by using steam. Essential oils are not really oils. They do not contain the fatty acids that constitute what we would consider an actual oil. Essential  oils are used in three primary ways: as odorants they are used in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps, detergents, and miscellaneous industrial products ranging from animal feeds to insecticides to paintsMost essential oils are high in antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties: This makes them an excellent addition to your homemade cleaning preparations. Lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary these oils are best for clesning. miniscule in molecular size, which means they are absorbed well by the skin – making them perfect ingredients in personal care items intended to heal, soften, and nourish. Enormous amounts of plants are needed to produce essential oil. In fact, on the extreme end, it takes 4000 pounds of Bulgarian roses to produce 1 pound of essential oil. Essential oil can be used for following purpose - Air freshening,Bathing,Compresses,In facial creams and body lotions,Floralwaters,Foot and hand baths,Saunas,Showers,Sitzbath,Steaminhalations,Vaporization / diffusing etc. Essential oil are present in plants in specialised cells/glands (subcuticlar spaces of glandular cells, organelles.), these glands may be at anywhere on plant body depending upon the morphology and physiology of the plant.

         The parts of plants yielding essential oils:-

Flowers : Jasmine, Rose, Violet, Hyacinth etc.

Leaves : Lavender, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, peppermint etc.

Fruits : Lemon, Oranges, Bergamot, Bursera etc.

Barks : Cinnamon, Casia, Camella etc.

Stem : Citronella, Geranium, Patchouli etc.

Wood : Sandal, Cedar, Bursera

 Rhizome: Ginger, Calamus

Roots :Vetiver

Essential oils have been used for more than 5,000 years. Their origin can be traced back to the ancient civilisation of Mesopotamia.India has achieved NO 1 status in production of natural essential oils in global markets because of its dominant position in mints. Essential Oils have added a lot of value to the growth of flavour and fragrance industry as well as agriculture. The process of globalization of Fragrance and Flavour industry, which started about a decade before, is now growing rapidly. Essential oils are the backbone of the Fragrance and Flavour industry all over the world. The market for cosmetics, toiletries, soaps and detergents is estimated at Rs. 9200 crores at ‘end consumer price’. It is estimated to grow in volume at 15% per annum. God almighty has blessed India with different types of soils and climates that supports growth of avariety of Plants. 18000 native species are found in India of which 1300 species contain Aromas. The total share in world export of essential oils and perfumery material it is only 0.4% thus, future hold great promise for India in the fast charging global economy as for as production and trade of natural raw material is concerned.

Further information:

Essential Oils Handbook describe detailed information on subject. the major contents of this book are- Development of Essential Oil Crops in India, Wormwood Oil, Estragon Oil, Chamomile Oil, Costus Oil, Pippermint Oil ,Pennyroyal Oil , Perilla Oil, Spearmint Oil,rose oil, germanium oil, ginger oil, sandalwood oil, hops oil, pepper oil, cardamom oil, calamus oil,  cedar oil, oil of cajeput, calanga oil, neroli oil etc.

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