Aromatherapy Science

by Liani Widjaja

The book takes an analytical and scientific approach to aromatherapy practices and principles based on up-to-date scientific evidence.

It’s a valuable resource for not only healthcare professionals working in traditional medical settings but it is also invaluable work for aromatherapy educators, students and everyday people who are interested in expanding their knowledge about aromatherapy.

The book is actually best suited for those that have at least an intermediate background in aromatherapy but the introductory information gives beginners a pretty good foundation for the more advanced topics further through the book.

Contains eight chapters, 68 oil monographs or profiles and over 30 appendices. The chapters review the scientific basis of aromatherapy including the historical background, aromatherapy practice, chemistry of essential oils, bioactivity of essential oils, science of smell, safety issue and clinical studies. The monographs covers commonly used essential oils and their therapeutic uses, details of toxicity, bioactivity, contraindications and clinical studies.

It’s quite a helpful book as it provides healthcare professionals with reliable scientifically based information on the growing discipline of aromatherapy.

I believe it also has the ability to have naysayers get rid of their doubts about aromatherapy with the up-to-date information that it provides. But as I said, the book isn’t for beginners.

I think the author could have easily made the book suitable for the everyday person if she added some commonly used essential oil blends and recipes that are used as alternative treatments for some common ailments.

If that were the case, this could have been truly helpful for people who are looking into aromatherapy. After all, there are some people who still do not believe in the methods even with scientific facts provided. If the book did provide a couple of recipes, it allows people to properly make their own essential oil blends and use them for treatment. In turn, they can see first-hand that it does work.

Overall, I give the book a review of 4.5 out of 5. It’s highly informative and brings a very positive light to a method of alternative medicine that was long thought of as nothing to take seriously. But with a target market of readers being only that of professionals or people with a background in aromatherapy, I think the book could have been much better aimed especially for those who aren’t big believers of it.