Essential oils and aromatics were some of the most highly prized natural medicines of the ancient world. References to cassia, clove, frankincense, myrrh, spikenard, cinnamon, and rosemary appear in many historical writing, including the Old and New Testaments as well as the writings of Hippocrates, Avicenna, and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Intriguing new research offers a tantalizing glimpse into the far-reaching potential of essential oils like thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to reverse or slow the aging process by acting as powerful antioxidants that protect tissues and organs from oxidative stress and damage. Other oils, such as clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and lemon (Citrus limon) have not only been shown to act as powerful antioxidants, but also to protect cellular DNA from damage and to act as potent antiseptics with broad-spectrum germ-killing properties. What Causes Aging? There is still some controversy concerning the cause of aging and premature death. Some researchers believe that declining levels of hormones from the pituitary and hypothalamus are the culprits. Others point an accusing finger at the crosslinking of collagen, a key protecting of the soft tissues that constitutes a third of all protein in the body. Still others blame the buildup of lipofuscin, a brownish all protein in the body. However, the oxidative stress/free radical theory of aging is the most persuasive and substantiated. This rationale posits that aging is caused by cumulative oxidative stress to the cell walls, receptors, and DNA. Rogue electrons that are generated from normal metabolic and immune functions attack proteins and disrupt DNA, eventually overwhelming the natural repair abilities of the body and sometimes leading to disease and death. While many researchers have focused on damage to the DNA (the blueprint for cellular operations) as the cause of aging, few have appreciated how devastating free radical damage can be to fats--especially the unstable polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that form the phospholipid membranes of almost ever cell in the body. When these fatty membranes are attacked by free radicals, ion transport and hormone receptors are disrupted. As cell membranes become less fluid, the lose their ability to function normally. This can hasten the onset of tissue and organ damage and lead to premature death. One of the most easy-to-understand examples of the detrimental effects of cell membrane brittleness occurs in the blood vessels walls. As the blood vessels lose their flexibility, the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) increases, as does the incidence of arteriosclerosis. Why does free radical damage escalate with age? Because antioxidant protection declines as we grow older. Free radical scavengers such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase chart a steady decline along with other antioxidants. This means that the older body is less efficient in neutralizing free radicals and combating the oxidative damage that gradually weakens and eventually destroys key organs. Levels of polyunsaturated fats such as DHA (decosahexaenoc acid) are also crucial for healthy brain and eye function. DHA occurs in unusually high concentrations in the cerebral cortex--the most advanced part of the brain structure where logic and reasoning take place. When DHA becomes oxidized and loses its double bonds because of free radical attacks, brain and cognitive function can deteriorate. This can lead to memory loss, dementia, and even death. By protecting fats like DHA from free radical attack, hydrolysis, or oxidation, brain health can be significantly improved. The crux of the problem is that DHA and other long chain PUFAs are very unstable and are venerable to chemical alteration and oxidation. This means that the antioxidant systems of the body must work overtime to protect them in order to sustain health. An even greater problem is that the liver slows down PUFA production with age, so it becomes less and less able to replace through desaturase activities the dwindling supply of PUFA needed to sustain the brain, tissues, and other organs. Thus the longevity of the organism is strongly linked to preserving the the integrity of the polyunsaturated fats that comprise cells, nerves, and other tissues. Preventing the degradation of these fates from free radical damage can forestall the signs of accelerated aging. Preserving the Integrity of Fats In Vitro In the late 1980s, Dr. Radwan Farag of the biochemistry department of the University of Cairo was among the first to show in vitro how selected essential oils were able to significantly slow the rancidity (oxidation) of fatty oils such as cottonseed oil. He dosed samples of cottonseed oil with 200ppm of thyme oil (55.7% thymol and 3% p-cymene) and 400ppm of clove oil (85.3% eugenol). After comparing the essential oil-treated samples with untreated control samples, he found that both thyme and clove oil afforded significant protection against rancidity to the cottonseed oil as determined by lowered peroxide and TBA values. Thyme oil generated a 20% reduction in rancidity while clove oil triggered almost a 30% drop. A second study by Dr. Farag and his colleagues showed that essential oils such as thyme, clove, rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), and sage (Salvia officinalis) arrested the oxidation of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. In addition, Dr. Farag demonstrated the safety of these essential oils in vivo. When he added thyme and clove oils to rat feed rations at up to six times the minimum concentration needed to stall fat oxidation, non of the rats studied suffered any negative side effects. Essential oil-fed rats exhibited no difference in protein, cholesterol, and liver enzyme levels (SGPT, SGOT)when compared with a control group. Protecting Fats and Phospholipids in Animals Almost a decade after Farag's groundbreaking research, another series of more intensive in vivo studies were begun at the Scottish Agricultural College in the United Kingdom and the Semmelweis University of Medicine in Hungary. In these clinical trails, researchers found that daily lifelong feeding of thyme and clove oils to laboratory animals preserved key antioxidant levels in the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain. Even more importantly, essential oils arrested the oxidation and destruction of long-chain PUFAs throughout the organism. One of the first studies to documented these remarkable antioxidant effects was conducted at the Semmelweis University of medicine in 1993. Researchers fed different groups of mice with daily doses of 0.72 mg of essential oils including thyme (Thymus vulgaris), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), and pepper (Piper nigrum). Groups of younger mice (6 months old) were treated for five weeks, while groups of 22 month-old mice were treated for 21 weeks. Following treatment, the livers of the animals were examined for levels of C20 and C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which declines substantially during the animal's lifetime. The results were phenomenal. According to the researchers, "dietary administration of the volatile oils to the aging mice had a marked effect on fatty acid distribution by virtually restoring the proportions of the polyunsaturated fatty acids within the phospholipids to the levels observed in young mice." Another randomized, controlled animal study at Semmelweis University in 1997 showed that these same essential oils—thyme, clove, nutmeg, and pepper—restored DHA in the eyes to much younger levels. As a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) that is very fragile and easily oxidized, DHA have been directly linked to heightened risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in old age. In this case, dietary supplementation of just 3.9 mg per day of essential oils to laboratory animals over a 17-month period was sufficient to markedly slow DHA loss in their eyes. Preserving Brain Function The brain is another organ where DHA is essential to health. Karesh Youdim and his colleagues at the Scottish Agricultural College tested the ability of essential oils to preserve DHA levels in the brain of 100 animal subjects. Feeding them a daily dose (42.5 mg/K of body weight) of thyme oil )48% thymol) over the course of their lifetime (28 months), the researchers achieved stunning results: Thyme oil dramatically slowed age-related DHA and PUFA degradation in the brain. In other words, the essential oil of thyme was able to partially prevent brain aging through protection of essential fatty acids. An analysis of the data showed that the DHA levels in 28 month-old animals' brain was almost the same as that of 7 month-olds. In human terms, this was equivalent to an 80-year-old having the brain chemistry of a 20-year-old! Thyme oil supplements also slowed the decline of total brain antioxidant levels that occurs with age. Lifelong supplementation with thyme oil in laboratory rats resulted in antioxidant levels dropping by only 29%, compared with a 45% fall for untreated animals. Even more starling is the fact that thyme essential oil also preserved levels of PUFAs in then animals' hearts, livers, and kidneys, while at the same time raising total antioxidant levels—including key antioxidants such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. This was accomplished by feeding laboratory rats daily thyme oil supplements (42.5 mg/K of body weight) throughout their lives. Clove Oil Affords Protection Against Cancer Clove oil also has potent antioxidant-boosting properties. Animals studies conducted at LKT Laboratories in Minneapolis, Minnesota, found that five compounds within clove oilsignificantly increased livels of GST (glutathione S-transferase), one of the most important detoxidying enzymes in the human body that is critical for neutalizing potential concer-causing chemicals. Just 60 mg of each of the five compounds (b-caryophyllene, b-caryophyllene oxide, a-humulene, a-humulene epoxide I, and eugenol) fed to rats over the course of six days (3 doses of 20 mg each) resulted in a doubling of GST activity in the liver and a quadrupling of GST level in the small bowel mucosa. The authors concluded that "these sesquiterpenes show promise as potential anti-carcinogenic agents." Many other researchers have shown that clove essential oil exhibits pronounced anti-tumoral and DNA-protectant effects. Essential oils may do more than just raise antioxidant levels and block damage to PUFAs. They may also protect cellular DNA from damage that can eventually lead to mutations and subsequent tumor growth. In a 1986 study, Yokota et al., found that a diet including 5% eugenol (the chief constituent in clove oil) helped protect test animals against the mutagenic and cancer-causing affects of the chemical benzo[a]pyrene. Potent Weapons Against Microbes Another method by which aromatics and essentials oils may exert a life-lengthening effect is through their ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Some bacteria, such as Chlamydia pneumoniae have been implicated as one of the true causes of heart disease. Viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis, have resulted in liver failure and premature death. Fungi like Candida albicans have been implicated in cancer due to their secretion of mycotoxins. D. Gary Young conducted one of the most comprehensive studies the powerful antimicrobial effects of essential oils with Sue Chao at Weber State University. Using disc diffusion assays, we tested the killing power of 67 different essential oils against a variety of yeast, molds, gram negative bacteria, and gram positive bacteria. Cinnamon, clove, thyme, peppermint, oregano, and mountain savory exerted the strongest anti-microbial properties. The following year they tested the ability of thyme, oregano, and clove essential oils to destroy colonies of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacteria responsible for many types of throat, sinus, and lung infections. Essential Oils: Treatment for Arthritis, Heart Disease, and More A growing body of clinical research during the last several decades indicates that essential oils have enormous potential to treat conditions ranging from acne to obesity. Pepperment (Mentha piperita) has been reviewed for its ability to block pain, relieve headaches, combat indigestion, boost mental alertness, induce weight loss, kill lice, and inhibit tumor growth. Melaleuca (Melaleuca alternifolia) has been used to treat acne, kill fungi, and inibit bacteria growth. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) fights travel sickness, reduces atherosclerosis, protects blood vessels, acts as a local anaesthetic, and has anti-convulsant properties. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) has been researched for its action against tooth decay as well as its antifungal and anticonvulsant activities. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been shown to enhance alertness, combat fungi such as Candida albicans, and act as an antioxidant. Orange (Citrus aurantium) halts fungus infection and inhibits tumor formation. Limonene, an important component of orange and lemon oil has demonstrated similar tumor-suppressing effects in studies at Indiana University. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) has been shown to have anticancer properties. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata) has been studied for reducing inflammation, improving cerebral blood flow, inhibiting Candida growth, and treating bronchitis. Many other documented benefits of aromatics have been recorded in recent medical literature. Longevity Nutrition During the last five years, D. Gary Young has traveled throughout the world investigating the regions inhabited by most long-lived peoples on earth: the Ningxia province in China, Hunzaland in Pakistan, southern Ecuadoe, the Talish Mountain region of Azerbaijan, and the Tarahumara valley of central Mexico. After intensively examining the dietary habits of thee cultures, I found one common denominator: an active lifestyle and a mineral-rich diet exceptionally high in antioxidant foods, such as wolfberries and apricots. In particular, I found that Chinese wolfberries (Ningxia variety) and potassium-rich apricots were two foods consumed by people routinely reaching 110 and 120 years of age. In Gary's book, Longevity Secrets, he discussed the scientific reasons why these foods may confer important anti-aging properties. This is certainly due to their extremely high content of essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium, as well as a their rich supply of potent natural antioxidants. Research also indicates that foods high in antioxidants, such as wolfberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and spinach can dramatically increase glutathione levels and actually reverse the signs of aging. A new test developed by USDA researchers at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, has been able to identify the highest known antioxidant foods. Known as ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), this test is the first of its kind to measure both time and degree of free radical inhibition. The Ningxia wolfberry was documented to have the highest ORAC score of any food tested. A special variety grown on the Yellow River in the Ningxia province of central China, the Ningxia cultivar is very different from any other type of wolfberry. Among the 17 types of wolfberry identified, the Ningxia wolfberry has by far the highest levels of immune-stimulating polysaccharides. It also possesses over 33 times the antioxidant power of oranges and an incredible 120 times the antioxidant potential of carrots. In addition, the Chinese wolfberry is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known, rich in many vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. A diet high in antioxidants can combat the free radical damage in the body that is associated with premature aging and degenerative disease. The Hunza People—Limited Caloric Intake The Hunzakuts living in the remote Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan are renowned for their longevity. The Hunzakuts (as they call themselves) routinely live past ages 100, 110 and even 120. They also share another remarkable trait: the near absence of degenerative disease. It is known that the diet of the Hunza people is high in potassium and low in sodium. Apricots, barley, millet, and buckwheat are the main staples of their diet along with mineral-rich water with a pH of 8.5. But there is yet another unusual factor that may protect the health of the Hunza people and increase their longevity: their limited food intake. Because the land provides just enough food to cover their basic caloric expenditures, the Hunzakuts rarely indulge in overeating. In fact, prior to the construction of the Korakoram Highway, they annually endured near-fasting conditions for several weeks each spring, a time when the previous year's food was depleted and the current year's harvests had not yet begun. Restricted caloric intake such as fasting can have powerful effects on longevity because it increases blood levels of growth hormone which is one of the most significant anti-aging hormones to be identified during the last tow decades. Secreted by the pituitary gland, growth hormone production steadily declines with age. By age 70, the human body produces less than one-tenth of the growth hormone it did at age 20. Clinical studies have shown that the practice of caloric restrictions (providing all necessary nutrients but limiting calorie intake) results in increased longevity and postponement of disease. Clive McCay at Cornell University showed that rats fed a diet low in calories but high in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients lived up to twice as long as rats fed on a regular diet (McCay et al., 1939). Ray Walford of the University of California in Los Angeles found that in studies on mice, the greater the reduction in calories, the longer the animal lived—as long as the vitamin and mineral content remained constant and the calories consumed did not drop below 40 percent of the normal (Walford et al., 1987). While in Azerbijan in 2001, Gary Young met several healthy and active citizens who were 100 years of age and older. An unusual example was Mrs. Chefer Guyzi Gulleva who told Gary she was 130 years old. She is shown above with Gary and some of her descendants, including her son (sitting to her right) who was reportedly born when she was 71 years old. At the time this photo was taken, he was 59. The family produced her Russian passport (shown below) as documentation of her birth in 1870. Reference: Essential Oils Integrative Medical Guide by D. Gary Young, N.D.