Aromatics

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

All authors of this article

Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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Synonym(s)

Essential Oil Drugs

Definition
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Aromatics are volatile and strongly smelling mixtures of substances which are alcohol-soluble or lipophilic and consist of a multitude of compounds and thus have an individual smell.

Effects
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Aromatics have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, sedative, antimycotic, expectorant and bronchospasmolytic effects. Thereby the essential oils (see below Olea aethera) reach the cell membrane where they act on enzymes, receptors, ion channels and carrier system.

Field of application/use
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Aromatics are used for rhinosinusitis, cough, bronchitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and other infections.

Aromatics are available in various forms: as pure oil, alcoholic solution or solution with propellants for inhalation, as cream, gels, ointment or solution for application on the skin, in the form of pastilles or capsules for ingestion or as an oil bath

Undesirable effects
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Aromatics in very high dosages or of poor pharmaceutical quality can cause irritation of the mucous membrane, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, circulatory reactions, excitement, sedation or allergic reactions.

Contraindication
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An internal application of aromatics should not be used for severe liver diseases and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. External use should be avoided in acute forms of bronchial asthma and whooping cough. In infants and toddlers, aromatics should not be applied to the face.

Interactions
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Eucalypti aetheroleum (eucalyptus oil) may result in a diminished or shortened effect of other drugs.

Note(s)
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Olea aetherea (essential oils) are found in all parts of the plant, in medicinal plants their content is between 0.01 and 0.8%. Their chemical composition consists of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, phenylpropane compounds and phenolic compounds.

Literature
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  1. Schilcher H (2016) In: Guide to Phytotherapy, Urban & Fischer Verlag Munich

Tables
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Medication drug Indication
Anisi fructus (aniseed fruit) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Camphor (Camphora) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Cineol Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Eucalypti folium (eucalyptus leaves) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Eucalypti aetheroleum (eucalyptus oil) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Foeniculi fructus (fennel fruits) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Foeniculi aetheroleum (fennel oil) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Piceae aetheroleum (pine needle oil) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Piceae turiones recentes (spruce tips, fresh) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Grindeliae herba cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Matricariae flos (chamomile flowers) Sinusitis
Pini aetheroleum (pine needle oil) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Pini turiones (pine shoots) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Terebinthina laricina (larch turpentine) Infection
Mentha arvensis aetheroleum (mint oil) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Myrtol Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Niaouli aetheroleum (Niauli oil) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Menthae piperitae aetheroleum(peppermint oil) Infection, cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the airways)
Serpylli herba Serpylli herba
Salviae folium (sage leaves) pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis
Terebinthinae aetheroleum rectificatum(turpentine oil, purified) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Thyme herba (thyme herb) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Non-monographed essential oils Indication
Meluca species (cajeput oil) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)
Citronella oil (from Cymbopogon winterianus JOWITT) cough, bronchitis (catarrh of the respiratory tract)