Chemical constituents of essential oils

Essential oils are extracted from a variety of plants including

trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, herbs and fruits. The oils ex-
tracted are concentrated in different parts of the plant. For ex-
ample, mandarin, lemon, lime, grapefruit and bergamot are
squeezed from the peel of the fruits, geranium oil is extracted
from the leaves and stalks, cumin oil comes from the seeds, myrrh, frankincense and benzoin are extracted from the resin of
their respective trees and ginger oil comes from the stems which grow under or along the ground.

Research has discovered over 1,000 different chemical components in essential oils with many more yet to be discovered and
analysed. However listing and naming these components to recreate the essential oil would be ineffective as it is the synergistic
effect of all the components that makes an essential oil what it is. For example, tea tree is powerfully antimicrobial, but its 2
main components (terpinen-4-ol and gamma terpinene) making up 68 per cent, are much less so. Rose oil alone contains over
300 components and the properties of these components can change. For example, the components from the oils extracted
from plants can change according to how, when and where these plants are grown and harvested. There is also the issue of
how the oils are extracted. For example, the process of distillation releases only lighter aromatic molecules, while absolutes,
concretes and resinoids contain both the lighter and heavier molecules, thus creating a more powerful scent. However, these
essential oils are complex and much more than an aroma as they perform strong actions on our physical and mental mecha-
nisms. In fact, we know that essential oils are non-invasive to the human body as chemically we are both similar, having de-
scended, like all living organisms from the same single-cell line. We cannot live without plants for our sustenance; we eat plants
and the animals which eat those plants, we breathe air which is cleaned by plants. For thousands of years humans have
learned to utilise plants and develop an understanding of their chemicals, often without releasing it. We have learned that cer-
tain plants are at their optimum best at particular times and essential oils are a form of medicine and shamanism in certain cul-
tures, where many more are used and whose components (and properties) we have yet to discover.

An average essential oil contains around 100 chemical components, but some are many times more complex. Essential oils
consist of chemical compounds which have hydrogen, carbon and oxygen as their building blocks. These are then subdivided
into 2 groups: the hydrocarbons which are made up of mostly terpenes and the oxygenated compounds which are mainly alco-
hols, aldehydes: esters, ketones, phenols and oxides. However, although technology is advancing, there are many more yet to
be discovered. Current methods of analysing depend on the sensitivity of a technique called GC-Mass Spec (Gas Chromatog-
raphy Mass Spectrometry) analysis. However, this technique is limited as it relies on the accurate interpretation of the operator
and the fact that some components are so minor they do not register on GS detectors. Instead these minor components can be
individually smelled and identified by experienced perfumers. In some cases, these undetected compounds can contribute
hugely to an odour profile and may also be responsible for an oils particular effect on our physiological and psychological state.

Alcohols
Alcohols are generally considered safe and have a very low or totally absent toxic reaction in the body or on the skin and so can
be used on children. They are extremely useful due to their antiviral, antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Alcohols are pre-
sent either as a free compound or combined with a terpene or ester and are found in ylang ylang and lavender as linalool, gera-
niol in geranium and palmarosa and citronellol found in rose, lemon
and eucalyptus. Other alcohols include menthol, nerol and benzyl
alcohol.

Alderhydes
Alderhydes are found in lemon-scented oils such as melissa, lemon
verbena, citronella etc and include citral, citronellal and neral. They
generally have sedative qualities with specific antiseptic properties.
Other known alderhydes include benzaldehyde, cinnamic alder-
hyde and perillaldehyde. Essential oils containing alderhydes are
helpful in treating inflammation, Candida and viral infections.

Lemon Verbena
Page 2

Esters
Esters are the most widespread group found in essential oils. They are formed through the reac-
tion of alcohols with acids and include linalyl acetate found in bergamot and lavender, geranyl ace-
tate found in sweet marjoram and geranyl formate found in geranium. Oils containing esters are
often used for their soothing and antifungal qualities and for helping to balance the nervous sys-
tem. Esters are generally safe with the exception of methyl salicylate found in sweet birch, which
is not toxic, but harmful in concentration.

Ketones
Some of the most toxic constituents are ketones, such has thujone found in mugwort, sage and
wormwood oils, while pulegone is found in pennyroyal and pinocamphone in hyssops. However
some are non-toxic such as jasmone found in jasmine, fenchone in fennel and carvone in spear-
mint and dill and menthone found in peppermint. Ketones are often found in plants that are used
for upper respiratory ailments so help ease congestion and aid the flow of mucus.
Geranium

Oxides
The most important oxide is cineol (or eucalyptol) and it stands almost in a class of its own. It is an effective expectorant and is
the principal constituent (70-85 per cent) of eucalyptus oil (from the blue gum tree). However it is found in a number of other
essential oils such as bay, tea tree and rosemary. Common features of this oxide are its analgesic, antiviral, deodorising and
balsamic properties. Other oxides include linalool oxide, bisabolol oxide and ascaridol.

Phenols
Phenols have an antibacterial and very stimulating effect which can cause skin irritation. Due to their antiseptic and disinfec-
tant properties they are very cleansing but may cause toxicity in the liver if used over a very prolonged period. Common phe-
nols include eugenol found in clove, basil, rose and cinnamon, carvacrol found in oregano, spearmint and savory, and thymol
found in thyme. Other phenols include methyl eugenol, anethole, safrole and apiol among others.

Terpenes
Terpene hydrocarbons tend to be antiviral and antibacterial but depend-
ing on their chemistry, they can also be analgesic, stimulating, anti-
allergic, anti-inflammatory and hormonal balancers. Terpenes are cate-
gorised as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes and include
antiviral limonene (found in 90 per cent of citrus oils), antiseptic pinene
found in pine and terpentine and camphene in cypress oil. As noted
above, depending on extraction can determine what constituents are
present. Diterpenes are usually only present in absolutes or tinctures
as the molecule is too heavy to allow for evaporation with steam during
the distillation process. Specific research has been done on
chamazulene and farnesol (sesquiterpenes found in chamomile oil) due
to their amazing anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties.

Chamomile

Known chemical components of essential oils used in the preparation of Chery Lin Skin Therapy products

Balm, Lemon, Melissa officinalis – citronellic, citronellol, geraniol, linalool,

citral, citronellal, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene
Balsam, Peru, Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae – benzyl benzoate, benzyl
cinnamate, cinnamyl cinnamate
Basil, Ocimum basillicum – linalool, borneone, camphor, cineole, methyl
chavicol, eugenol, ocimene, pinene, sylvestrene, limonene, citronellol
Benzoin, Styrax benzoin – coniferyl benzoate, benzoic acid, vanillin, siarino-
lic acid, cinnamyl benzoate
Bergamot, Citrus bergamia – linayl acetate, linalool, nerol, terpineol, linalyl
acetate, bergaptene, dipentene, limonene
Lemon balm
Page 3

Cajeput, melaleuca cajeputi – cineol, terpineol, terpiyl acetate, pinene, nerolidol

Camphor, Cinnamomum camphora - cineol, camphor, safrole, pinene, terpineol, menthol, thymol
Carrot seed, Daucus carota – pinene, acetic, carotol, daucol, limonene, asarone, bisabolene, elemene, geraniol, geranyl
acetate, caryophyllene, limonene
Cedarwood, Atlas, Cedrus atlantica – atlantone, caryophyllene, cedrol, cadinene
Chamomile, German, Matricaria recutica – chamazulene, farnesene, bisabolol oxide, en-yndicycloether, cuminic, azuline
Chamomile, Roman, Chamaemelum nobile – angelic acid, tiglic acid, pinene, farnesol, nerolidol, chamazulene, pinocarvone,
cineol
Cinnamon leaf, Cinnamommum zeylanicum – eugenol, eugenol acetate, cinnamaldehyde, benzyl benzoate, linalool, safrol
Citronella, Cymbopogon winterianus – citronellol, geranyl acetate, limonene, camphene
Clary sage, Salvia sclarea – linalool, salviol, linalyl acetate, cineole, caryophyllene
Clove bud, Eugenia caryophyllus – eugenol, eugenyl acetate, caryophyllene
Cypress, Cupressus sempervirens – pinene, camphene, sylvestrene, cymene, sabinol, fervurol, tempenyl acetate
Elemi, Canarium luzonicum – phellandrene, dipentene, elemol, elemicin, terpineol, carvone, terpinolene, limonene
Eucalyptus, Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globulus – cineol, pinene, limonene, cymene, phellendrene, terpinene, aromadendrene,
citronellal, camphene, fenchene
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare – anethole, limonene, phellendrene, pinene, anisic acid, anisic alderhyde, camphene, cuminic,
fenchone, mythyl chavicol, dipentene, limonene
Fragonia, Agonis fragrans - geraniol, geranyl acetate, thujene, pinene, limonene, cineol, limonene
Frangipani, Plumeria rubra - benzyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate, 2-phenylethyl benzoate
Frankincense, Boswellia carteri – oinene, dipentene, limonene, thujene, phellendrene, cymene, myrcene, terpinene, octyl
acetate, octonel, incensole, cadinene, camphene, pinene, olibanol
Geranium, Pelargonium graveolens – Citronellol, geraniol, linalool, isomenthone, phellandrene, sabinene, limonene, geranic
acid, myrtenol, terpineol, citral, methone, eugenol
Ginger, Zingiber officinale – gingerin, gingenol, gingerone, zingiberine, linalool, camphene, phellandrene, citral, cineol, borneol,
limonene
Grapefruit, Citrus paradisi – limonene, cadinene, paradisiol, neral, geraniol, citral, citronellal, pinene, sinensal, coumarins,
furocoumarins
Helichrysum, Helichrysum angustifolium – nerol, neryl acetate, geraniol, pinene, linalool, isovaleric alderhyde, sesquiterpenes,
furfurol, eugenol, pinene
Hysopp, Hyssopus officinalis – pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, estragole, borneol, geraniol, limonene, thujone, myrcene,
caryophyllene, linalool, camphor, cadinene, camphene, pinene
Jasmine, Jasminum grandiflorum – benzyl acetate, linalool, phenylacetic acid, benzyl alcohol, farnesol, methyl anthranilate,
jasmone, methyl jasmonate, geraniol, nerol, terpineol, linalyl acetate, methyl anthranilate, eugenol
Juniper, Juniperus communis – pinene, myrcene, sabinene, limonene, cymene, terpinene, thujene, camphene, borneol,
terpineol, cadinene, cedrene
Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia – linalyl acetate, linalool, borneol,
geraniol, lavandulol, lavandulyl acetate, terpineol, cineol, limonene,
ocimene, caryophyllene, aeranyl acetate, pinene
Lemon, Citrus limonum – limonene, terpinene, pinene, sabinene,
myrcene, citral, linalool, geraniol, octanol, nonanol, citronellal,
bergamotene, cadinene, bisabolene, camphene, dipentene,
phellandrene
Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus – citral, myrcene, dipentene,
methylheptenone, linalool, geraniol, nerol, citronellol, farnesol
Lime, Citrus aurantifolia – limonene, pinene, camphene, sabinene,
terpineol, citral, cymene, cineol, linalool, linalyl acetate, bergaptene,
terpinoline
Litsea cubeba, Litsea cubeba – citral, geraniol, linalool, citronellal,
linayl acetate, cineol, cadinene, limonene, sabinene
Mandarin, Citrus reticulate – limonene, methyl methylanthranilate,
geraniol, citral, citronellal
Juniper
Page 4

Manuka, Leptospermum scoparium - caryophyllene, geraniol, pinene, linalool, humulene, leptospermone

Marjoram, Sweet, Origanum marjorana – terpinene, borneol, terpineol, sabinene, linalool, carvacrol, linalyl acetate, ocimene,
cadinene, geranyl acetate, citral, eugenol, camphor, caryophyllene, pinene
Mint, Peppermint, Mentha piperta – menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, menthofuran, limonene, pulegone, cineol, carvone,
jasmone, carvacrol, phellandrene
Mint, Spearmint, Mentha spicata – L-carvone, dihydrocarvone, phellendrene, limonene, menthone, menthol, pulegone, cineol,
linalool, pinene, caryophyllene, myrcene
Myrrh, Commiphora myrrha – heerabolene, limonene, dipentene, pinene, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, cuminaldehyde, cadinene,
myrrholic
Myrtle, Myrtus communis - geraniol, linalool, myrtenol, nerol, myrtenal, cineole,
camphene, dipentene, pinene
Neroli, Citrus aurantium – linalool, linalyl acetate, limonene, pinene, nerolidol, gera-
niol, methyl anthranilate, indole, citral, jasmone, phenylacetic, terpineol, neryl ace-
tate, camphene
Niaouli, Melaleuca viridiflora – cineol, terpineol, pinene, limonene, citrene, tereben-
thene, valeric ester, butyric ester
Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans – camphene, pinene, dipentene, sabinene, cymene,
geraniol, boreol, linalool, terpineol, myristicin, safrol, elemincin, eugenol
Orange, Bitter, Citrus aurantium – limonene, myrcene, camphene, pinene, ocimene,
cymene, nerol, citral, methyl anthranilate
Nutmeg

Orange, Sweet, Citrus sinensis - limonene, myrcene, camphene, pinene, ocimene, cymene, nerol, citral, methyl anthranilate,
bergapten, auraptenol
Palmarosa, Cymbopogon martini – geraniol, farnesol, geranyl acetate, methyl heptenone, citronellol, citral, dipentene, limo-
nene, citronellal
Patchouli, Pogostemon cablin – pogostol, bulnesol, nor patchoulenol, bulnese, patchoulene, benzoic, cinnamic, eugenol, cadi-
nene
Pepper, Black, Piper nigrum – eugenol, myristicin, safrole, bsiabolene, camphene, fernesene, limonene, myrcene, phellan-
drene, pinene, sabinene, selinene, thujene, caryophyllene, carene
Petitgrain, Citrus aurantium – linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, linalool, nerol, terpineol, geraniol, nerolidol, farnesol, limonene,
terpineol, citral, camphene
Pimento berry, Pimenta dioica – eugenol, methyl eugenol, cineol, phellandrene, caryophyllene
Pine, Scotch, Pinus sylvestris – pinene, carene, dipentene. Limonene, terpinene, myrcene, ocimene, camphene, sabinene,
bornyl acetate, cineol, citral, chamazulene, borneol, terpinyl acetate, cadinene, phelleandrene, pinene, sylvestrene
Rose, Cabbage, Rosa Centifolia – citronellol, phenyl ethanol, geraniol, nerol, stearopten, farnesol, geranic, eugenol, myrcene
Rose, Damask, Rosa damascena – citronellol, geraniol, nerol, stearopten, phenyl etha-
nol, farnsesol, geranic, eugenol, myrcene
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis – pinene, camphene, limonene, cineol, borneol, cam-
phor, linalool, terpineol, octanone, bornyl acetate, cuminic, caryophyllene
Tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia – terpinene-4-ol, cineol, pinene, terpinene, cymene
Vanilla, Vanilla planifolia – vanillin, hydroxybenzaldehyde, acetic acid, isobutyric acid,
caproic acid, eugenol, furfural
Verbena, Lemon, Aloysia triphylla – citral, nerol, geraniol, borneol, linalool, dipentene,
limonene, myrcene
Violet, Viola odorata – nonadienal, parmone, hexyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, ionene, viola
quercetin, salicylic acid, parmone, eugenol
Yarrow, Achilea millefolium – azulene, pinene, caryophyllene, borneol, terpineol, cineol,
bornyl acetate, camphor, sabinene, thujone, limonene, pinene
Ylang-Ylang, Cananga odorata – methyl benzoate, methyl salicylate, methyl para-cretol,
benzyl acetate, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, pinene, cadinene, benzoic, farnesol, safrole

Updated, May 07 Yarrow