Practical Aromatherapy - the Antiviral Effects of Essential Oils
Antiviral Activity of Essential Oils
The body of evidence regarding the effectiveness of natural
botanicals against a great variety of viruses is growing. Over
twenty years ago, German scientists found extracts of more than
100 species of the Lamiaceae family to have antiviral effects.
This discovery lead to and increase in the examination of
essential oils in Europe for the treatment of viral infections.
Essential oils from many plant families have now been
demonstrated to have antiviral properties. Interestingly,
different plant families exhibit varying degrees of
effectiveness depending on the virus strain. This is due to the
particular molecular structures found in each type of oil, which
penetrate physical entities to varying degrees (different
tissues, cell walls, mucous membranes, etc). The effect on each
virus strain depends also on the virus structure (enveloped,
non-enveloped, molecular symmetry, etc.)
Certainly, one of the reasons for oils' effectiveness en vivo is
their lipophillic character - essential oils are easily absorbed
into mammalian tissues, where they may produce the greatest
results. In fact, when studying the anti-viral effects of
essential oils, researchers found that normal cells seemed to
acquire a special resistance to viral penetration, though the
mechanism for this effect is not yet known.
Melissa and the Herpes Virus
One of the Lamiaceae plants studied, Melissa (Melissa
officinalis - also known as Lemon Balm), was shown particularly
efficacious against the herpes virus (HSV). Doctor Dietrich
Wabner, a professor at the Technical University of Munich, has
even reported that a one-time application of Melissa oil led to
a complete remission of HSV lesions. A cream medication for
Herpes outbreaks, who's active ingredient is an extract of
Melissa, is now sold in Germany under the name Lomaherpan. Use
of Melissa essential oil itself may be just as effective - the
oil can be applied directly to the lesions (or diluted to 10% in
carrier if sensitivity is noted) to speed healing. Further
occurrences can be prevented by applying oil to the area when
sensations signal an eminent outbreak - repeating this protocol
3 or 4 times may cause total remission.
Other essential oils found effective against the Herpes virus
include bergamot, eucalyptus, lemongrass and tea tree.
Antiviral Components of Oils
The list of essential oils exhibiting antiviral effects is
extensive: Melissa (as above), tea tree, juniper, eucalyptus,
thyme, palmarosa, lavender, rosemary, clove, laurel, cinnamon
bark, anise, rose, lemongrass, geranium, neroli, bergamot, clary
sage, and dill. The antiviral effect of an essential oil is due
to particular components of the oil - some oils will work just
as effectively on a particular infection as another, because
they contain similar amounts of a certain component. The
components of essential oils showing antiviral activity, and the
oils in which they can be found, are as follows