Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.

Module 5- Science of Aromatherapy

Objective

To outline the olfactory organs and olfactory pathway.
To understand the effects of olfactory on the brain.
To understand the permeation of essential oils into the body.
To learn the basic concepts of the chemistry of essential oils.
To identify the major classes and functional groups in essential oils.

Course Learning Outcomes

Describe the role of olfactory organs and sense of smell processes.
Explain how human behaviour and mood are affected by olfaction.
Describe the skin permeation process of essential oils.
Define the basic chemical constituent of essential oils.
Define the relationship of functional groups and properties in essential oils.
Summarises the properties of each main class of essential oils.

Important Topics

The role of olfaction in in aromatherapy.
Olfaction and the brain.
Emotion and Olfaction.
Skin’s structure.
Permeation pathways.
The chemistry of common essential oils constituents.
The major classes of molecules found in essential oils.
Functional groups and the properties.