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Citronellal and Citronellol: Citronellal a Terpene Aldehyde and
Citronellol a Terpene Alcohol. Fragrant and regarded as highly valued oil in
aromatherapy and the perfume industry. Terpene alcohols are antimicrobial but
are a lot gentler on the skin than the phenols. Citronellal from Citronella
grass has a more pungent smell and is less gentle on skin. Aldehydes are
sedative, antiviral and antimicrobial but can be an irritant to the skin. Geraniol: A terpene alcohol. Fragrant and regarded as highly
valued oil in aromatherapy and the perfume industry. Terpene alcohols are
antimicrobial but are a lot gentler on the skin than the phenols. Pinene: Commonly found in Oil of Turpentine extracted from Pinus
specie trees, pinene (alpha-pinene and beta-pinene) is also widely distributed
in other plants. It is used for Rheumatism as a liniment but is best known by
Aromatherapists and a tonic of the mucus membranes of the respiratory system.
Pinene is also important for its pleasant fragrance and is believed to have
diuretic properties by many. Limonene: Limonene has been studied for the anti-tumour effect
noticed in mice. Herbalists often prescribe herbs with this constituent as an
antioxidant and cancer or tumour inhibitor although there is evidence that these
properties are volatile and may be lost as a result of processing of the herb.
Limonene also has antiviral properties. Linanool: Linalool one of the terpene alcohols is widely
distributed in the plant kingdom. Linalool has strong effects on the nervous
system and is therefore widely used by aroma therapists and herbologists as a
sedative, spasmolytic and local anaesthetic. It is also used against many skin
complaints, mostly in the form of tea tree oil. | 