The Essential Oils of Indonesia by Dorene Petersen, Founder and President American College of Healthcare Sciences Table of Contents $$#*************************************************************************************************************************************************1 $" %$ $ " $ # %%+$&,******************************************************************************2 $" %$ $ " $ ###$ #*************************************************************************************************3 # + *,**********************************************************************************************************************************5 ( # + "*,************************************************************************************************00 !!" + *,****************************************************************************************************************************04 %!%$ + *,******************************************************************************************************************10 & + *,*************************************************************************************************************************14 %$ + %$$*,********************************************************************************************************************2 0 $ % +$*,****************************************************************************************************************26 $&" + #,********************************************************************************************************************30 ' + *, **- # &"* **************************************************************3 5 # $)#"**************************************************************************************************************************************4/ #$ &# *******************************************************************************************************************************************************4/ !'"$ $*************************************************************************************************************************************************4/ 2 Introduction to Aromatic Indonesia on YouTube (aka ACHStv) If you are reading this at 35,000 feet on your way to Indonesia to join us on the 2014 Study Abroad program, Aromatic Indonesia: Aromatic & Herbal Journey Through the Spice Islands, get ready for an adventure of a lifetime. You will learn first hand how Indonesian essential oils are produced, and experience best practices for sourcing essential oils. You will also study and experience Jamu, (aka traditional Indonesian herbal medicine), all the while enjoying nutritious Indonesian meals and meeting wonderful new friends and travel partners. Get a sneak preview and check out the ACHS Aromatic Indonesia videos featured on ACHStv (www.youtube.com/ACHStv). Here you will see the great group of students and graduates on the 2013 Study Tour in both West Java and Bali participating in the vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides (Nash) harvest and immersing themselves in experiential learning! High in the remote mountains of west Java we visit the sustainable vetiver plantation featured in the video above. Since 1918 vetiver oil has been distilled with a focus on “soil to oil” and zero waste. All the spent root material from the still is recycled. Fragrant fiber and rootlets from the vetiver grass are woven into aromatic handbags, lampshades, tablemats, and window shades. It is truly an inspiration you will never forget. If you are not at 35,000 feet what are you waiting for? Click the link below for details and read on to get a preview of just some of oils you will experience first hand: http://achs.edu/aromatic-indonesia-aromatic-herbal-journey-through-spice-islands-0 3 Introduction to Aromatic Indonesia Essential Oils Figure 1: Jamu seller in Java, Indonesia. Image by Dorene Petersen. © 2013 Indonesia, a country with a long tradition of herbal medicine use (also known as Jamu), is enthralling from day one if you are a plant medicine enthusiast or student. This traditional plant heritage struck me from the moment I stepped off the plane. Jamu women offering drinks of various herbs wander the streets with their medicine basket strapped to their backs. Locals offer advice and will show you where in the pharmacy to buy the “over- the-counter” cajuput Melaleuca leucadendron (L.) essential oil for insect bites and patchouli Pogostemon cablin (Benth.) oil for Bali Belly. Just take one drop, they assured me, and rub your stomach with the cajeput. I did both and within 24 hours was feeling almost back to normal. In Indonesia, the ancient art of Jamu herbal healing is part of the everyday culture. It promotes inner and outer health and beauty through the use of herbal powders, ointments, lotions, massage, and essential oils. What struck me most was the easy coexistence of the Western medicine and traditional herbal medicine. They are used hand-in-hand with encouragement, cooperation, and assistance from the Indonesian government. Health and healing accessible to all was clearly the focus. As Founder and President of American College of Healthcare Sciences, this is a powerful reminder and motivator for me to keep doing what we do: providing high-quality information on holistic medicine, herbal medicine, and aromatherapy to the community, along with research-based, accredited programs empowering individuals to take control of their personal health and wellness. Experiencing Jamu and visiting some of Indonesia’s organic essential oil producers first-hand showed me how much can be achieved when all sectors of the healthcare 4 industry cooperate towards a common goal. And whether or not you have the opportunity to travel to Indonesia yourself, Jamu shows us all that health and wellness is a cultural and a community affair, and that we have the knowledge, the tools, the herbs, and the essential oils at our fingertips. Figure 2: Jamu woman pouring for a 2013 Aromatic Indonesia Study Tour participant. Image by Dorene Petersen. © 2013 If you’re interested in learning more about the aromatic essential oils of Indonesia—and how you can use them at home—keep reading this eBook (and be sure to share it with your friends and family—spread the health and wellness)! If you want to learn more about Jamu, our next Study Tour departs May 12, 2014! I hope you can make the trip with me! For detailed information, visit https://www.achs.edu/aromatic-indonesia-aromatic-herbal-journey-through-spice-islands-0 5 Basil Ocimum basilicum (L.) Figure 3: To produce a bushier plant, nip off the central stem, which will encourage the plant to produce lateral growth. Image by American College of Healthcare Sciences. FAMILY Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) This is the largest family of botanicals that produce essential oils. COMMON AND INDONESIAN NAMES Sweet basil Ocimum gratissimum (L.) is known as tree or bush basil, or kemangihutan, ruku-ruku, or rimba in Indonesian. Ocimum sanctum (L.), known as Holy sacred basil or Tulsi, are also grown for essential oil production in Indonesia. PARTS USED The oil is found in both the leaves and flowers. The stem contains no oil. ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS There are a number of chemotypes of basil available. Purdue University has been researching the chemical diversity of O. basilicum and has identified chemotypes high in 1,8 cineole, trans- beta-ocimene, camphor, linalool methyl chavicol, geraniol, citral, eugenol, methyl cinnamate, methyl eugenol, beta-caryophyllene, and elemene, and beta-bisabolene1. The major essential oil constituents found in commercial cultivars of ‘Sweet Basil’ included linalool and methyl chavicol, followed by eugenol and 1,8 cineole. In the red-leaved ornamental cultivars of sweet basil, ‘Dark Opal,’ methyl chavicol was only a minor constituent2. This would be more suitable where less methyl chavicol is desirable. The two primary chemotypes found in commerce are Ocimum basilicum (L.) ct methyl chavicol and 1 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/v1-484.html 2 www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/v1-484.html 6 Ocimum basilicum (L.) ct linalool. Where less methyl chavicol (which is potentially a toxic constituent) is preferred, source the linalol chemotype. Figure 4: Basil Occimum gratissimum. Image by Dorene Petersen. © 2004 NOTABLE THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS AND MEDICINAL USES Antibacterial A 1992 study showed that basil inhibited a range of bacteria3. A 2012 study done in Columbia showed that acne treatment with a gel containing sweet orange Citrus sinensis (Osbeck) and sweet basil O. basilicum essential oils was very effective when compared with the control group that was using a traditional acne gel. It was thought the effectiveness of the essential oil blend was due to its synergistic antibacterial and keratolytic effects4. Antifungal A 1989 study showed that basil inhibited all 22 species of fungi tested. It was fungistatic5 at low concentrations, and fungicidal at high concentrations. It was more effective than the commercial preparations of carbendazim, sulfur, mercury, and aluminum phosphate6. A more recent study also showed strong antifungal activity against Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichoderma viride, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus flavus, and Aureobasidium pullulans. The antifungal activity was attributed to the 51% linalol, 14% eugenol, 3 Deans, S.G., Svoboda, K.P., Gundidza, M., et al. (1992). Essential Oil Profiles of Several Temperate and Tropical Plants: their Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities. Acta Hort., 306:229-232. The bacteria