Hyssopus officinalis steamed distilled from the leaves and flowers, in Spain and Certified Organically Grown.
Aroma: A middle note that is fresh, earthy, fruity, woody, slightly sweet and camphorous. A sweetly medicinal scent that many find appealing.
Description: Found in the Mediterranean area, the hyssop plant is about 60 cm (2 feet) high and very attractive to bees. It has a hairy, woody stem, small lance-shaped green leaves and purple-blue flowers.
Common Uses: Coughs, colds, influenza, bronchitis, catarrh, asthma, bronchial infections, contusions, bruising, wounds, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular aches and pains, digestive problems. [Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 548.]
Since ancient times, hyssop has been used in herb form for its cleansing effect in connection with disease, and for purifying sacred places.
In the Hebrew scriptures hyssop herb is employed to purify the temples, and as an herbal bath to purify mind, body and spirit.
Sprinkle me with hyssop and I am pure; wash me in it and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7
Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched the bone, grave, corpse, or person who had been killed. Numbers 19:18
Romans used hyssop herb to protect themselves against the plague and to disinfect the houses of the sick. The herb was used during the Middle Ages as a strewing herb to ward off lice.
Emotional/Spiritual Uses: Hyssop "...purifies and cleanses, awakening closed hearts and minds, bringing tolerance and understanding, unconditional love and acceptance, and the comprehension needed for the ultimate oneness with the universe." [Valerie Ann Worwood, Aromatherapy for the Soul (Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999, 237.]
Colour: Clear to Pale Yellow
Consistency: Thin
Main Constituents:
1, 8-Cineole: 40-60%
Major Constituents:
1,8-cineole 57.69%
b-pinene 16.18%
a-pinene 4.24%
limonene 3.76%
a-terpineol 2.94%
p-cymene 2.28%
g-terpinene 1.46%
perillyl acetate 1.45%
sabinene 1.02%
Also: Pinocamphone
Isopinocamphone
Myrtenyl methyl ether
Myrteno
Thujone
See Essential Oil Safety for a more complete list of constituents. [Sources cited in B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1981-1987 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1989), 110. B.M. Lawrence, Progress in Essential Oils. (Perfumer & Flavorist 23 no. 3, 1999), 58-60. Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 308.]
CAUTIONS: Hyssop essential oil is most commonly available with the botanical names of Hyssopus officinalis var. decumbens and Hyssopus officinalis. Generally speaking, Hyssop Essential Oil that does not include the var. decumbens portion of the botanical name contain significantly more of the ketone Pinocamphone and is much riskier to use.
Due to the presence of pinocamphone in this oil, please consult a physician prior to use. Dilute before use; for external use only. May cause skin irritation in some individuals; a skin test is recommended prior to use. Contact with eyes should be avoided.
Safety Information: Tisserand and Young strongly precaution to avoid hyssop Essential Oil with the chemotype of pinocamphone during pregnancy and breastfeeding and to avoid use with children 2 years and younger. They recommend a dermal maximum of 0.3% for Hyssop Essential Oil (that percentage is based on oils containing 82.3% pinocamphone).
Photo thanks to Sten, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
