You will find a mini profile on Cypress as well as an article on Varicose Veins in the archives on our website. Cypress was also the subject of a blog written in October 2007.
Cypress is traditionally considered to have astringent, bactericidal and balancing properties. It constricts blood vessels and is recommended for broken capillaries, cellulite, hemorrhoids, pyorrhea, rheumatism and sweaty feet. A look at the average chemical profile of Cypress shows that this oil contains around 75% monoterpenes, 10% alcohols, 5% esters, 3% sesquiterpenes and 1% oxides. Alpha-pinene, a monoterpene and cedrol, an alcohol are two of the components that probably contribute to the vasoconstrictive effects we find in Cypress that are so helpful for varicose veins, and in fact hemorrhoids as well.
However here is some food for thought. In her book Aromatherapy Science, A guide for healthcare professionls, Maria Lis-Balchin says:
Aromatherapy Uses:She continues with:
Cypress oil uses include: circulatory problems; coughs, flu, rheumatism, excess fluids; broken veins on the face. It is said to be: a styptic, expectorant, diuretic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, vermifuge, vulnerary and 'the healer for blood, sweat, and tears' (Ryman, 1991): Lawless, 1992; Rose, 1992;Price, 1993; Sheppard-Hanger, 1995.
Scientific comment:Unfortunately the lack of scientific research makes it difficult to prove the claims made by aromatherapists for the effectiveness of this oil. One thing is certain scientific research is mainly carried out by the pharmaceutical and fragrance industries. If there isn't a commercial end to the research, it often just isn't done.
There are virtually no bioactivity data available for this essential oil, so the aromatherapy uses are based entirely on herbal usage, which is mainly using the water-soluble components and at best an alcoholic extract containing very little essential oil. There is therefore little justification for suggesting that cypress oil alleviates any of the conditions listed above. However, massage itself can alleviate many stress and muscular conditions and cypress essential oil can be used as a fragrance in conjunction with this therapy to provide a pleasant odor.
Herbal Uses:
Hippocrates recommended cypress for haemorrhoids with bleeding. It is applied externally as an astringent for varicose veins and taken internally for coughs, colds, flu and rheumatic aches (Ryman, 1991; Chevallier, 1996).
So do I totally buy what Maria Lis-Balchin says? Well I can't argue with her with respect to the lack of research on the oil I certainly couldn't find any myself, especially when it comes to the use of cypress and varicose veins, but I have used cypress essential oil with many clients over the years and they have found relief for aching varicose veins. Was this just the placebo effect? I doubt it. Was it the result of massage? Again I doubt it as not all applications were made with massage? I see that she can accept the Herbal Uses for cypress, but what component in cypress is it that gives it its effectiveness? Often the effective ingredient in a herbal preparation comes from its essential oil content, and if this is true, why wouldn't the essential oil be effective?
Do we really need to have a research study proving the effectiveness of a particular essential oil on a particular condition before we can accept that the oil may have that property? Or can we accepts the practical experience gathered by many different aromatherpists using those essential oils for many years and with many different clients?
What do you think?
1 comments:
It is hard to tell by reading Maria Lis-Balchin’s critique where the aromatherapists’ source material came from. She assumes it came from herbal medical knowledge. Perhaps it came from personal experience or historical usage or even a research source she is unaware of. After all, she is just another author who may or may not have her facts straight or may just have an axe to grind. Or perhaps she is right and there is no scientific research data that can support these claims. But what I find most disagreeable about Lis-Balchin’s posturing is that she speaks as though it is impossible to know anything about anything unless a clinical research study has taken place. Herbal and natural medicine knowledge have been around for thousands of years. Somehow we managed to learn a few things without scientific research or double blind studies.
Her black and white way of thinking may be fine if you live in a petri dish. Holistic principles are not always measurable within the framework of the single variable lab experiment. And a lack of scientific research does not necessarily refute the effectiveness of a remedy. To say that the aromatherapy uses cited for cypress oil are based entirely on herbal usage negates the history, experience, dedication and hands-on wisdom of those who work in the trenches with real people. Ayurvedic, Indigenous, Western herbal and Traditional Chinese Medicines did not come into existence because “science” was there first to verify the efficaciousness of their methods. Astute observation (arguably a science as well as an art) is part of the methodologies of these ancient traditions, as well as the collective knowledge and history of usage that came before. Scientific research data should not be the only measure of the effectiveness of an essential oil. If aromatherapy is to remain a holistic field of practice there needs to be allowance for multiple ways of knowing including observation, experience, historical usage, intuition backed by wisdom, and yes...science.
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