History of Aromatherapy Aromatic medicine , the ancient beginnings of the art of aromatherapy, was recorded in both Egypt and India more than six thousand years ago. Massage oils, healing preparations, embalming, skin care, fragrant perfumes, and cosmetology are some of the uses originated by the Egyptians. The practice of Ayurvedic medicine in India is one of the oldest medical practices still in existence today. The use of plant and herbal extracts for medicinal healing has been documented by most native cultures throughout history. For centuries, essential oils were offered as the only relief for epidemic diseases.
Essential oils share common medicinal qualities .
As an antibacterial and an antiseptic, essential oils inhibit the growth of bacteria. As an anti-inflammatory, essential oils help reduce swelling. As an analgesic, essential oils help reduce pain. The advent of modern medicine pushed aside herbal remedies for synthetically produced alternatives. When given a choice of deriving synthetic medicinal preparations through the controlled environment of the laboratory or deriving botanical medicinal preparations from the fields of nature, modern scientists opted for the synthetic laboratory approach, primarily for the purpose of enhancing pharmaceutical profits.