Yarrow Essential Oil, A Pretty Healer
by Tonya Banbury
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The ornamental qualities of Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, are with us all summer in a wide variety of bloom colors and lacey blue-green foliage that seems to defy the summer heat. But did you know that Yarrow is also known as Soldier’s Wound Wort because it was once valued on the battlefield for closing wounds and arresting bleeding?
The chemical profile of Yarrow EO includes chamazulene, an effective anti-inflammatory and cell regenerator, whose characteristics made it a useful battlefield tool long before the age of mass spectrometry. Most often the oil is a brilliant blue color, owing to its content of chamazulene (sometimes shortened to Azulene). Due to Yarrow’s strong astringent and styptic properties, it makes a good healing wash for all kinds of wounds and sores that have already been cleaned, and is effective as a topical herbal infusion for oily and acne-prone skin. It would also be a great addition to facial oils used daily to combat sun damage. |
‘Coronation Gold’ Yarrow coupled with Queen Anne’s Lace in the Garden of & photo by Debbie Moore Clark.
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Another quality that indicates Yarrow EO for wound treatment is its contribution to pain management. As an analgesic, it’s applied externally for neuralgia or tendonitis.
Caution is required when using Yarrow EO because of its ketone content. “In general, ketones stimulate the formation of tissue, have mucolytic effects, dissolve fats and are potentially neurotoxic.”1 The same component that stimulates cell and tissue regeneration can cross the blood-brain barrier and become a harmful neurotoxin. Though Yarrow EO has low ketone content, it should not be used by children under ten years old or by pregnant womenTB 2010 .
Caution is required when using Yarrow EO because of its ketone content. “In general, ketones stimulate the formation of tissue, have mucolytic effects, dissolve fats and are potentially neurotoxic.”1 The same component that stimulates cell and tissue regeneration can cross the blood-brain barrier and become a harmful neurotoxin. Though Yarrow EO has low ketone content, it should not be used by children under ten years old or by pregnant womenTB 2010 .
Sources: Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Oil Therapy, Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.;
Organic Body Care Recipes, Stephanie Tourles; Emily Via @ www.eoils.net; www.herbalrediesinfo.com.
Organic Body Care Recipes, Stephanie Tourles; Emily Via @ www.eoils.net; www.herbalrediesinfo.com.
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Tonya Banbury is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with Mecklenburg County, NC. Her series of articles on Medicinal Herbs: Essential Oils is based upon documented research and personal usage experience.
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