Hi Kathryn,
I have a quick question: In your Treatment Guide book, Ajowan is listed under Toxic Oils however the video says it is very safe. Are there any safety considerations to be aware of?
Thank you for this great question.
Ajowan contains a lot (around 36-39%) of thymol, which can be an irritant or create a burning sensation when applied to skin for some people. It is a constituent that can also cause uterine contractions.
After working with this oil, I believe that it is another essential oil that falls under the "toxicity myth". When used internally, through inhalation, or well diluted as a massage oil, I have had stellar results and no negative effects. I have also had particularly good results when applying the oil without dilution, to the skin for infections. For this purpose, I recommend applying it neat with a Q-tip, to only the skin that is affected.
The “toxicity myth” I am referring to also includes such oils as: Hyssop, Pennyroyal, Tansy, Thuja, Wintergreen and Wormwood, which are all listed by many sources as "never to be used" because of "toxicity". The longer I have worked with essential oils, the more I have come to believe that this information is meant for an inexperienced public and those just beginning in an aromatherapy practice; and has no value for an experienced practitioner in the healing arts.
All of these oils do have constituents that could be toxic in various ways and at excessively high dosage levels. Keep in mind, essential oils have been consciously created by an intelligence far beyond even our most advanced scientists; and Nature knows how to combine these toxic constituents with balancing elements, so that the resulting oils are harmonious and balanced, and safe to use, when used consciously and wisely.
The danger of toxicity increases when we focus on specifically defined “active ingredients” and refine essential oils to include exact percentages of those ingredients (called standardization). Balancing elements are reduced or removed through the refinement process, so the oil is no longer whole, as Nature created it. The natural check and balance system in the oil itself is altered or lost.
There are some cautions to observe when working with Ajowan;
• Test for skin irritation if you intend to use it in an undiluted form for skin infections, bacterial or fungal. Although it may create a temporary burning sensation and skin redness--in some cases a temporary rash—one must decide whether this temporary reaction is enough of a reason not to use it, when dealing with a high powered staph infection. That has to be weighed by the practitioner and client together.
• Ajowan is not recommended for infants, small children, or highly allergic/sensitive individuals. There are plenty of other essential oil choices that will have similar effects, and are better suited to their use.
• Pregnant women should avoid ajowan, since it could theoretically cause uterine contractions.
• Dosage levels are important with this oil; high doses should not be used over a long term. Again, when dealing with a super virus or extreme infection, high level doses are necessary to stop the infection--it must be used consciously.
The more I work with Ajowan, the more I feel that it has been misrepresented in the toxicity department. Ayurvedic medicine has been using this herb as both a medicine and a flavoring spice for generations, and it has been considered safe. I believe the only case for toxicity occurs when people misuse it (as an example--women trying to abort a fetus) or fail to dilute or follow dosage recommendations.
If you are a new herbalist or aromatherapist, consider using this oil for yourself, to get a sense of what it is like. Then if you need to use it for others, you will have an experience of it to draw from. And if you have a concern about using it all, there are certainly other oils that will likely do the same job for almost every application.
Kathryn
Kathryn
