Therapeutic Properties in Aromatherapy

9:55 AM Posted by jo

I often refer to therapeutic actions. This is a growing list.

Analgesic: Essential oil used to relieve pain when applied externally, also called anodyne or local anesthetic.
Antacid: Essential oil used to neutralize the acid in the stomach.
Anthelmintic: Essential oil used to expel or destroy intestinal worms.
Anti-arthritic: Essential oil used to relieve arthritic conditions.

Anti-asthmatic: Essential oil used to relieve asthma.
Antibacterial: Essential oil that destroys or suppresses the growth or reproduction of bacteria.

Anticatarrhal: Essential oil which heals inflammation of the mucus membranes.
Antidepressant: Essential oil which counteracts an absence of cheerfulness or diminishing functioning activity.

Antiemetics: Essential oil used to lessen nausea and prevent or relieve vomiting.

Antifungal: Essential oil that is effective against the reproduction of growth of Candida albicans and other fungi and yeast.
Anti-hydropic: Essential oil used to eliminate excess body fluids.

Anti-inflammatory: Essential oil which is capable of counteracting or suppressing inflammation.

Antimicrobial: Essential oil capable of destroying micro-organisms or suppressing their multiplication or growth.
Anti-neuralgic: Essential oil capable of relieving neuralgia.
Antioxidant: Essential oil capable of relieving oxidation.

Antiphlogistic: Essential oil used to reduce inflammation or swelling.

Antipruritic: Essential oil which relieves or prevent itching.

Antipyretic: Essential oil used to relieve or reduce temperatures in fever.

Antiseptic: Essential oil which prevents, resists, and counteract putrefaction.

Antispasmodic: Essential oil used to relieve nervous irritability and reduce or prevent excessive involuntary muscular contractions and spasms.
Aphrodisiac: Essential oil which stimulates sexual desire.

Astringent: Essential oil that contracts tissues. It makes them firmer, and decrease discharge.
Bitters: Essential oil with a bitter taste and serves as a stimulant to the gastro-intestinal membranes.

Carminative: Essential oil which stimulates intestinal peristalsis, relieves, and promotes the expulsion of gas from the intestinal tract.
Cell proliferant: Essential oil that promotes rapid healing and restoration.
Cephaliac: Essential oil that is particularly healing to cerebral conditions and diseases.

Cholagogue: Essential oil used to promote increased flow and discharge of bile into the intestines by contracting the bile ducts.
Cicatrizant: Essential oil used to promote scar tissue.
Depurative: Essential oil which cleanses and purifies.

Diaphoretic: Essential oil that produces perspiration and sweat plus increased elimination through the skin.
Digestant: Essential oil which aids in the digestion of food.
Diuretic: Essential oil which increases the secretion and flow of bile.

Emmenagogue: Essential oil which tones the female reproductive organs and regulates menstruation.

Expectorant: Essential oil that encourages the discharge of mucus from bronchio-pulmonary passages.
Febrifuge: Essential oils which reduces a fever.
Fungicidal: Essential oil which is able to destroy a class of organisms such as mold, fungus or mushrooms.
Galactagogue: Essential oil which increases the secretion of milk.
Germicide: Essential oil that destroys pathogenic micro-organisms.

Hepatic: Essential oil used to strengthen, tone and stimulate the secretion and functions of the liver causing an increased flow of bile.
Hypotensive: Essential oil that lowers blood pressure.
Insecticide: Essential oil that is used to destroy insects.
Laxative: Essential oil which loosens the bowels and relieve constipation.

Nervine: Essential oil that tones and heals the nerves.
Parasiticide: Essential oil that destroys animal and vegetable parasites within the body.
Parturient: Essential oil that stimulates urine contractions, induces and assists with labor.
Pectorals: Essential oils that heals complaints of the lungs.
Peristaltic: Essential oil that stimulates and increases muscular contraction of the stomach and intestine.
Refrigerant: Essential oil with cooling properties. It lowers body temperatures and relieves thirst.
Rubefacient: Applied locally, this essential oil stimulates the capillary dilation and causes skin redness. It draws blood from deeper tissues and organs and relieves congestions and inflammation.

Sedative: Essential oil which calms and tranquilizers the nerves.
Soporic: Essential oil that induces a relaxing sleep.
Stimulant: Essential oil which increases functional activity and energy in the body.
Stomachic: Essential oil which stimulates and tones the stomach.
Styptic: Essential oil that stops local bleeding and hemorrhaging, applied externally.
Sudorific: Essential oil that promotes the flow of sweat, not perspiration which goes on all the time through the capillaries.
Tonic: Essential oil which stimulates, energizes and strengthens the body.
Vermifuge: Essential oils which expels intestinal worms.
Vulnerary: Essential oil that promotes healing of fresh wounds or cuts.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.
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