Article 32: The Aristocrats of the Essential Oil Family-Herbal Oils: The Difference Between Chinese Herbal Essential Oils and Traditional Essential Oils
Herbal oils, the aristocrats of the essential oil family
Herbal therapy is one of the oldest existing treatment systems in the world. It uses natural herbs without side effects for health maintenance and suppresses the onset of chronic diseases through a counter-medical approach, thus attracting many Western medical experts to study it. Records indicate that ancient Indian physicians broke off pieces of herbs and soaked them in plant oils to treat physical and mental ailments.
Aromatherapy with essential oils is arguably one of the most enjoyable ways to maintain health. These soul-soothing fragrances not only possess captivating aromas but also offer benefits such as improving ailments, alleviating discomfort, relieving stress, and promoting beauty and health. Ultimately, they can balance mind and body, providing comprehensive care and strengthening the constitution. Clearly, essential oils are a precious gift from nature. While we usually refer to essential oils in the traditional sense, there is another noble member of the essential oil family: herbal essential oils, commonly known as herbal oils or medicinal oils.
Herbal oil is a medicinal oil made by scientifically extracting the effective components of traditional Chinese medicine herbs and then using a special solvent technology to fully integrate them into plant essential oils. It follows the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide" in its targeted formulation, allowing it to achieve the effects of internal Chinese medicine when applied externally.
The Li Yue Pian Wen states, "The skin is separated from the internal organs, but the pores are open, so the internal organs are not visible, yet the medicine directly reaches them." This indicates that all internal diseases can be treated by using herbal oil to regulate the meridians.
Why are herb oils said to have such powerful effects?
Firstly, illness enters from the outside; the invasion of the six pathogenic factors weakens the body's vital energy (正气) while strengthening the pathogenic factors, inevitably damaging the vital energy. Therefore, when the pathogenic factors are dominant, they should be eliminated first. Illness also arises internally; illness caused by the seven emotions disrupts the functions of the internal organs and blood, depleting the vital energy. Therefore, when the vital energy is deficient, it is necessary to strengthen it to allow the body to regulate itself. When the vital energy is strong, the pathogenic factors will recede. Herbal oils can quickly strengthen the body's vital energy, eliminate pathogenic factors, and consolidate the foundation of life.
Secondly, the ascending and descending of Qi is a form of circulation of Qi and blood in the human body's organs. For example, liver Qi ascends while lung Qi descends, kidney water ascends while heart fire descends. Once the ascending and descending of Qi becomes abnormal, diseases will occur. Herbal oils can restore the normal ascending and descending of Qi in the human body and restore order to the flow of Qi.
Furthermore, the process of disease development is a process of Yin-Yang imbalance. A healthy body should have a balance of Yin and Yang, maintaining each other's balance. Once Yin and Yang lose their balance, the body's normal functions will become disordered and chaotic. Herbal oils can harmonize Yin and Yang, restoring their balance and achieving the goal of health and wellness.
Herbal oils and traditional essential oils have many things in common. In terms of classification, herbal oils are also divided into single-ingredient and compound oils.
Single-herb oils refer to oils extracted from a single type of Chinese herbal medicine. Here are a few examples:
Ginseng herbal oil: Ginseng enters the heart, spleen, and lung meridians, and is considered a top-grade tonic for "nourishing yin and replenishing life, strengthening the body's foundation." Sun Simiao, the "King of Medicine," highly praised its miraculous effects in replenishing qi and blood in his book *Qianjin Fang*. Ginseng can promote blood circulation, increase skin cell nutrition and radiance, moisturize, shrink pores, soothe deep wrinkles and fine lines, restore skin elasticity, and delay aging.
Angelica sinensis oil: Traditional Chinese medicine says, "Nine out of ten prescriptions contain Angelica sinensis," where "Gui" refers to the herb angelica. The ancient Chinese medical text *Qianjin Fang* states that Angelica sinensis nourishes and invigorates blood, promotes qi circulation, and unblocks the meridians, making it an essential medicine for women. Angelica sinensis not only alleviates menstrual irregularities in women but also accelerates skin metabolism.
Sandalwood oil: The Compendium of Materia Medica records that for black spots on the face, washing the face with rice water every night until it turns red, then grinding the sandalwood into a juice and applying it, is very effective. The Thousand Golden Prescriptions also mention the remarkable effects of sandalwood. Sandalwood can promote skin cell growth, moisturize, restore skin elasticity, and leave the skin hydrated and smooth.
Turmeric oil: Turmeric oil has many benefits: it promotes bile secretion, increases bile production and secretion, effectively promotes gallbladder contraction, regulates the body and enhances physical strength; it helps maintain digestive function; it has a lipid-lowering effect; it has antibacterial properties and can inhibit various pathogenic fungi; it has anti-tumor properties and can directly kill cancer cells.
Reishi mushroom oil: The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica) records that reishi mushroom benefits essence and qi, strengthens tendons and bones, and improves complexion. The *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces) also affirms its remarkable effects in nourishing yin and beautifying the skin. Reishi mushroom can inhibit the formation and deposition of melanin, and has antioxidant, skin-lightening, moisturizing, deep-moisturizing, skin-elasticity-restoring, and anti-aging effects.
Compound herbal oils are formulated based on classic ancient recipes, using a combination of highly purified Chinese herbal essential oils. Similar to traditional herbal decoctions, but with higher purity, these oils benefit from the ability of herbal essential oils to penetrate directly through the skin and nourish the internal organs, resulting in enhanced efficacy. For example, a compound herbal oil containing ginseng, angelica, and ganoderma lucidum nourishes the scalp and promotes hair growth and darkening; while a combination containing grape seed, angelica, aloe vera, and angelica dahurica invigorates blood circulation, detoxifies, clears blood vessels, and moisturizes the skin while inhibiting melanin production. The synergistic effects of these various herbs bring vitality to the overall compound herbal oil.
Although both herbal oils and traditional essential oils are extracted from plants, they also have many differences.
The sources differ: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mainly consists of plant-based medicines (roots, stems, leaves, fruits), animal-based medicines (internal organs, skin, bones, and other organs), and mineral-based medicines. TCM is used in various forms, including decoctions (made by boiling the herbs in water and then straining), powders, pills, ointments, tinctures, tablets, granules, and injections. Traditional essential oils are organic mixtures extracted from the flowers, stems, leaves, fruits, roots, seeds, bark, or trunks of plants through distillation, expression, cold maceration, or solvent extraction.
The mechanisms of action differ: Herbal oils are highly targeted, formulated based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, including the ascending and descending properties, the four natures and five flavors, and the roles of principal, assistant, and adjuvant herbs, to regulate health according to the circulation of the five elements and meridians in the human body and the differentiation of syndromes related to the internal organs. Traditional essential oils, on the other hand, are used in compound or single formulations based on the microscopic, cellular, and biological principles of Western medicine, and can be used for daily health maintenance and enhancing one's appearance.
The target populations differ: Herbal oils, based on Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, can both tonify and purge, directly affecting the circulation of Qi, blood, internal organs, and meridians, making them suitable for a wide range of people. Traditional essential oils primarily act on the nervous, respiratory, metabolic, and lymphatic systems, offering better inhibition and drainage effects, but should be used with caution by those who are physically weak or allergic to pollen.
The difference lies in stability: Herbal oils are stable and can be used directly. Traditional essential oils are volatile, and most cannot be used directly without dilution.
Storage differs: Herbal oils are easy to store and have no special requirements. Traditional pure essential oils are sensitive to light and high temperatures and are easily oxidized. Besides using dark-colored bottles, they are best stored in a dark place at a constant temperature below 30℃; it's best not to refrigerate them, as large temperature fluctuations can cause the oils to become cloudy. Generally, 100% pure essential oils can be stored for several years, but you need to be careful about oxidation. If the cap is opened and the essential oil is exposed to air, it will easily spoil.
As can be seen from the above, herbal oils have unique advantages compared to ordinary essential oils. Essential oil molecules enter the lymphatic system, blood, and nerves, while herbal oil molecules enter the internal organs, meridians, and bones. They can regulate the five internal organs, clear the meridians, eliminate lumps, and thoroughly eliminate lesions on the meridians, while also avoiding some of the adverse effects of essential oils. Because herbal oil molecules are much smaller than those of ordinary herbal extracts, they are much easier to absorb and excrete, and can, to some extent, avoid the drawbacks of oral herbal medicine: side effects, poor taste, and slow effectiveness. For example, the popular Qianma Jiufang Herbal Oil on the market is made by processing precious natural herbs into 100% pure essential oils. Through advanced blending technology and multiple processes, the essential components of the herbs are integrated into the pure base oil.
While herbal oils are beneficial, they are not without contraindications. There are some precautions to take, such as: non-oral varieties are not recommended for oral use; non-facial varieties should never be applied to the face; women during menstruation should avoid using them on the abdomen; pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using them on the breasts and abdomen; infants and young children should not use them; those with implanted medical devices (heart stents, pacemakers, bone replacements, etc.) should not use them; those with a history of severe allergies or skin diseases should not use them; and those experiencing an acute episode of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease should not use them.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a profound and extensive culture, a precious legacy accumulated by China's 5,000-year civilization. Herbal oils, on the other hand, represent a perfect combination of TCM health preservation and Western essential oil therapy, maximizing the deepest effects of essential oils on the human body. This perfect combination not only brings aesthetic enjoyment but also, more importantly, health benefits.
As people delve deeper into traditional Chinese medicine and research herbal oils, it is believed that even more herbal oils will be discovered for our use.