At a time when the WHO is sounding the alarm about the growing resistance to antibiotics, many researchers are looking into the question of essential oils. What are the benefits of using essential oils to treat yourself? Why are physicians increasingly turning to this practice? Would essential oils be the antibiotics of tomorrow?

Synthetic antibiotics are a hundred years old, whereas the use of aromatic plants has always been part of the natural environment of human beings. These were traditionally used for curative purposes but also for aesthetic, culinary and sacred purposes. Let's say that the first antibiotics were natural, from plants. Healers, druids, shamans, witches mastered the use of simple remedies until science turned to medicine. 

Antibiotic resistance, the new global scourge

Today, we are witnessing a reversal of the situation. Antibiotic resistance will soon be one of the leading causes of death in the world. On the official WHO website, you can read "Antibiotic resistance is now reaching dangerously high levels in all regions of the world. New resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading worldwide, compromising our ability to treat common infectious diseases. For an increasing number of infections, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, sepsis and gonorrhea, and foodborne diseases, treatment is becoming more difficult, and sometimes impossible, due to the loss of effectiveness of antibiotics. "

4 comparisons between antibiotics and essential oils

1.  The antibiotics consist of a single molecule that is mass produced by a laboratory. On the other hand, the essential oils of aromatic plants are composed of several molecules which gives them multiple properties. 
2. Due to the fact that a antibiotic is composed of a single molecule, bacteria are able to develop a certain resistance making in that same molecule inactive or ineffective. Whereas with molecules from aromatic essences, this is different. Indeed, their complexity makes it more difficult to mutate the strains while acting on the person's terrain. Thus, the field of action of the aromatic principles is complete: on the bacteria and as support of the immune system.
3. The synthetic molecule only allows a bacteriostatic (stops its development) or bactericidal (kills it)/
   The essential oil on the other hand goes beyond. It stimulates the entire immune system.
4. The side effects of antibiotics are numerous and are of concern to senior medical and scientific authorities. In particular, antibiotic resistance is monitored very closely. In addition, as deleterious side effects, you will find:

• creation of mutant bacterial strains, 
• toxicity to the liver and kidneys for example
• unpredictable anaphylactic reaction
• destruction of the microbial flora essential to good health, etc...

This destruction of the microbiota opens the door to other diseases such as candidiasis but also an alteration of the immune response (paradoxically) because, as many studies point out, a large part of the immune system is made from a healthy gut microbiota.
The essential oils, when used properly, have no side effects other than beneficial ones. Indeed, they take care of the intestinal flora and the immune system is thus stimulated.

Targeting a treatment with the aromatogram

The aromatogram is inspired by antibiograms to study the sensitivity of essential oils to a pathogenic microbial strain. The result can be read from a table indicating the most active essential oil for a specific germ. Thus, this method allows to monitor the evolution of an infection and to modify the aromatic prescription accordingly. In addition to targeting a treatment, this technique has made it possible to highlight the many properties of essential oils but also and above all their power to act on bacteria said to be resistant to certain antibiotics .

The most effective antibiotic essential oils

The phenol essential oils are the most potent and therefore should be handled with great care. They are dermocaustic and hepatotoxic if taken long-term. They are formally contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children. 

Here are some of the most common ones:

• Oregano (origanum compactum) essential oil is the most potent of all.
• Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis L) 
• The essential oil of mountain savory (Satureja montana)
• Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil.