Definitions and Terminology

Published: 09 December 2016 | Written by Super User | Print | Email | Hits: 4772

Definitions and Terminology
Fixed Oils and Essential Oils - There are distinct differences between fixed and volatile plant oils.
The plant oils used as carriers in aromatherapy and massage are referred to as 'fixed' oils because they do not evaporate.
Plant essential oils do evaporate because they are volatile.
Fixed oils leave a permanent oil mark on paper because of their lubricating quality and non-volatile nature.
Essential oils do not leave an oily mark on paper, although any colour present will leave a stain.
Fixed oils are not soluble in alcohol
Essential oils generally are soluble in alcohol.
In general, fixed oils are miscible with ether, chloroform and petroleum spirit.
Essential oils dissolve easily and completely in fixed oils in all proportions; unscrupulous suppliers sometimes make use of this fact by using fixed oils to dilute essential oils in order to deceive unwary buyers.
Lipids - Chemically speaking, fixed oils are classed as lipids. This is a diverse family of compounds found naturally in plants and animals, and the term encompasses not only oils but also fats.
Although their structures are similar, at normal room temperatures (15C) fats are solid and oils are liquid.
Triacylglycerols - Fats and oils are formed when a special type of alcohol called glycerol reacts with a particular type of organic compound known as a fatty acid.
Fatty acids all have a long hydrocarbon chain (typically)containing 16 or 18 carbon atoms) attached to the carboxyl group (-CooH).
Some of them contain double bonds and are said to be unsaturated, whereas those without double bonds are referred to as saturated.
The resulting compounds are triacylglycerols, also known as triglycerides, and a variety of these are possible. in the above chemical formula R',R" and R2"' represent chains of carbon atoms.
Simple triacylglycerols are those in which R', R" and R2 are the same, ie three molecules of the same fatty acid have reacted with one molecule of glycerol).
Complex triacylglycerols are those in which R', R" and R" are different. Perhaps not surprisingly, naturally occurring triacyl-glycerols are all complex.

Triacylglycerols feature in our diet, and we digest them by utilising a lipase enzyme to reverse the above reaction.
This process is called saponification, and is the way in which fatty acids are made available for us in our bodies.
Mineral Oils - Mineral oils are hydrocarbons of high molecular weight and therefore a different class of compound from the triacylglycerols and lipids of vegetable origin.
Mineral oils are not broken down by the body's digestive system and because of this have no nutritional value.
Mineral oils - mineral oils are also oily and greasy, but they are not used in massage they have a tendency to clog the pores.
However, because of these pore sealing qualities they, are used on Babie's bottoms, to help prevent the intrusion of urine, thus reducing the risk of nappy rash.
Reference: Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy and Massage: Len Price with Shirley Price

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