ABSTRACT
As a result of early alchemy, essences and essential oils of plants were incorporated into medicine, food, and cosmetics for their flavoring and therapeutic qualities. Urdang (4) states that reference to essential oils is scarce and vague in early publications. The Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 B.c.) and the Roman naturalist Pliny (23-79 A.D.) mention oil of turpentine. Plants that contain essential oils are mentioned in the Bible. There is historical reference to the trade in spices,
odoriferousoils,andfattyextracts,whichwascarriedonintheOrientandinGreek andRomancommerce.ACatalanphysician,ArnolddeVillanova(1235-1311),is believedtobethefirsttohavedescribed,inprint,theactualdistillationofessential oils.Hispraiseoftheremedialqualitiesofdistilledaromaticwatersresultedinan awarenessofthevalueofessentialoils.
