Essential oils – plant extracts that contain compounds that capture the “essence” of their scent – can be found all over the world in over-the-counter medicine for treating minor ailments. Their use has also increased as part of the health and wellness movement of Western cultures, in personal care products for aromatherapy, sleep aids, stress relievers, and even childbirth.
In many cases, sellers make bold claims about the effectiveness and benefits of their oils but have little to no solid evidence to support them. This does not mean that all essential oils are harmful. Animal studies with peppermint, for example, have shown that it can aid digestion.
However, some of these oils can be very dangerous, including eucalyptus and camphor, which have antispasmodic properties. This means that they can trigger seizures and convulsions by working within the nervous system, which can be a serious problem for people with epilepsy. Even so, these oils are often found in commercial products, often without warning of possible side effects.
In a new study, a group of Indian neurologists found evidence that these oils may be responsible for seizures in a significant number of patients admitted to four different hospitals in southern India for seizures. After the patients were instructed to avoid these oils, they saw a dramatic improvement in their condition.
The research is the largest case study of seizure-related essential oils in adults to date, and one of the first to examine the effects of these oils on seizures in adults, not just children, as previous research has observed. Professor Thomas Mathew, head of the neurological department at St. John’s Medical College Hospital in Bengaluru, India, and his colleagues published their results in Epilepsy Research on March 26th.
To check if antispasmodic essential oils are involved in early or breakthrough seizures in patients with epilepsy and epilepsy syndromes, the team monitored four different hospitals. For four years, the researchers observed people checking into these hospitals because of their first or breakthrough seizure (a breakthrough seizure occurs after a person with epilepsy has not had a seizure for a long time). These patients were asked several questions such as:
- Descriptions of the seizure
- Whether they had used essential oils lately
- Any other medication you have been taking
The results showed that out of 350 patients, 55 (15.7%) had seizures that may have been caused by ingestion, inhalation, or topical application of essential oils. These oil-related seizures have been broken down into sub-categories:
- Oil-provoked seizures (EOPS), of which 33
- Oil Induced Seizures (EOIS), of which there were 22.
The team found that the most commonly associated oils were those of camphor and eucalyptus.
Camphor oil. (Photo credit: Pixabay)
Mathew and colleagues recommended that doctors inquire about exposure to these oils in patients experiencing their first seizure and those with breakthrough seizures, and epilepsy and seizure patients should be aware of the potential side effects.
Although the study shows a strong correlation, the authors suggest that more research is needed before knowing whether these essential oils are causative or linked to seizures. “The essential oils seem to provoke these seizures, but whether they are truly causal or associative needs further evidence from larger blinded studies,” the study’s authors concluded.
The team is currently studying the effects of these essential oils on various disorders and diseases, and their initial results show that many people are addicted to the oils and use them for no good reason.
