The history of aromatherapy

People started to treat diseases with the help of the smell long time ago in prehistoric society. In caves of prehistoric people, scientists discovered the elements of many plants. These discoveries were made all over the world. Resulted, people from the epoch of lithic age know the flora of the world very well and used plants according to their own needs.

Despite the poor information it is possible to say that plants played an important role in the life of prehistoric people. Plants decorated the houses of people and were even used as bedding.

And if prehistoric people knew something about the components of plants, majority of aromas got y people were used as ointment. Anthropologists consider that prehistoric "perfumery" started with the olibanum and its smell. They used fire to make this substance produce the smell. Later plants with good aroma were mixed with the animals and oils to cover the bodies during the ceremonies and rituals. All over Africa, its inhabitants used oil to protect the body from the heat and skin drying up. This practice was popular till the shores of the Mediterranean where sportsmen used aroma oils to win in competitions.

The term aromatherapy was proposed in the beginning of the 20th century by the French chemist and perfumer. He was investigating the essential oils and discovered that many aroma oils have more effective influence than their synthetic alternate materials or isolated active ingredients.

The influence of the essential oils is variable and is not the one mechanism. It may influence on the receptors of the skin and on the receptors of the sense of smell. And despite the effective ways and means of aromatherapy, some doctors don't accept its existence and refer it to the alternative medicine. And it is important to mark that the use of some essential oils may substitute the use of antibiotic.