Aromatherapy complimentary and alternative medicine

Abstract

Herbal treatment is the natural form of healing or alternative therapy, where herbs or plants are used in the form of extract, pills, syrup to cure diseases of human or it is the use of plants (herbs) to treat disease and enhance wellbeing. Aromatherapy is one of the complementary and alternative medicines used to treat various diseases and symptoms, because essential oils have many kinds of pharmacologic actions including anti-microbial, sedative, analgesic and estrogen or steroid hormone-like effects, etc. Since various kinds of essential oils such as true lavender, rose, mandarin, sweet orange, sandalwood, geranium, etc have anxiolytic activity, aromatherapy has been used for the relief of depression and anxiety. Herbal medicine has its origins in ancient cultures including those of the Egyptians, Americans, Indians and Chinese. At present, thousand of plant metabolites are being successfully used for the treatment of variety of diseases. Increased side effects, lack of curative treatment for several chronic diseases, high cost of new drugs, microbial resistance and emerging, diseases are some reasons for renewed public interest in plant based medicines. In the increasing instances of modern day’s stresses, depressions and psychosomatic disorders, aromatherapy has come to stay and proliferate. With all the convincing application of aromatherapy in place, it has still a long way to go from emerging as a powerful alternate medicine.