Essential Oil Monarda (15 mL)

Essential Oil Monarda

Monarda Essential Oil is steam distilled from wild crafted Monarda fistulosa (Bee Balm) flowers. This plant is also referred to as Wild Bergamot, due to its similar fragrance and therapeutic activity, though Monarda Essential Oil is a very effective anti-microbial, where Bergamot is not. The common name of Bee Balm comes from the fact that it is a favorite to the local bees. Historically this plant has been used, by natives, to treat infectious conditions, especially of the skin, due to it’s high level of Thymol.

Therapeutic Use: Monarda Essential Oil is a gentle, yet, powerful anti-infectious agent, especially viral, with the added benefit of being very calming, and helpful in situations of anxiety and nervous tension. In Aromatherapy Monarda Essential Oil is utilized for it’s gentle anti-infectious activity, similar to Thyme Linalool, making it an excellent choice for skin care where you need anti-infectious activity of a more gentle nature. Like Bergamot the impact that it will offer your products is soothing, and calming. A great choice for anti-anxiety and de-stress product lines.

Fragrance Impact: Monarda Essential Oil is similar, in fragrance, to Bergamot. Its fragrance is sweet, and floral, with very light fruity notes and an herbaceous impact. The scent is fabulous and helps to make any blend a little sweeter without being overbearing. This is a good oil when you want a floral impact without a feminine impact. Monarda Essential Oil blends beautifully with Sandalwood, and the other base notes, as well as the other floral notes, especially Neroli.

HISTORY OF USE

Bee balm essential oil, otherwise known as monarda essential oil, is believed to treat skin disorders and inflammations, protects against infection, cleansing, purifying, sterilizing, inhibits fungal growth, natural insect repellent. Native Americans use bee balm to treat fever, cough, gastric and cardiac problems, and use it as a diuretic, menstrual regulator and stimulant for appetite.

There is some confusion between Monarda and Bergamot. This is because Monarda has a similar scent, even though it is from a completely different plant species.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Long recognized as a powerful woman’s herb by Native peoples and old time doctors, Monarda was considered an excellent reproductive tonic in the 19th century and was given as a traditional gift to young brides to regulate and improve their cycles. Combine Monarda infused (not essential) oil with Mugwort or American Pennyroyal infused oil and apply to the lower abdomen to ease menstrual cramps or other cyclical discomforts. It has also been employed traditionally to bring on delayed menses. Because of this, it probably should not be used in infusion or tincture form during pregnancy, though it can still be eaten as a food without problem. A key herb in treating recurring or chronic yeast infections and leaky gut syndrome, try the tincture in small doses over a period of time if you have symptoms of either of these illnesses. Oil of Oregano is currently a popular item in alternative medicine for combating candida and various infections, but what most people do not know is that the active constituent of Oil of Oregano is present in large amounts in our own Monarda. For anything you might use Oil of Oregano for, you can substitute the prolific (and cheap) Monarda.

Its also recently become well known as a valuable remedy for cystitis, especially urinary tract infections with symptoms of severe burning. Monarda will help cool the irritated membranes while also eliminating the infection.

A gentle but effective nervine, Mountain Monarda acts upon the nervous system in a soothing way, and can be used as a calmitive and antidepressant much in the same way as its cousin Lemon Balm. It shares Lemon Balm’s sunny disposition and easy going ways, making it a fine remedy for children. It is quite gentle and completely non-addictive, not acting as an outright sedative so much as a physical reminder to relax and smile. Monarda has also been used successfully for nervous system related disorders such as Meniere’s disease and tinnitis.

Diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic and anti-viral, Mountain Monarda is an excellent treatment for any cold or flu you might catch this coming Winter, especially those accompanied by coughing, sore throat, chest congestion and fever. It’s particularly effective combined with Elderberry and Yarrow. The same anesthetic properties that make it useful for wounds and burns also make it a wonderful cure for sore, abraded throats.

The Native American Indians used the wild purple bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) for both cold and bronchial difficulties, due to the presence of thymol, which acts as an antiseptic. Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma) was used to make a tea for digestion; as it grew by the Oswego river, it commonly became known as Oswego tea. The flowering top of bee balm was also boiled by both the Ponca and Omaha Indians to make a hair oil.

The Oswaga Indians used bee balm as a drink infusion; in 1773, bee balm became popular in New England as a tea substitute after the Boston Tea Party. Today, it also has many other culinary uses including use in salads, stuffings and pork, as well as jams, jellies and home made lemonades. In the garden, it can be very aromatic if planted in places where it will be touched, releasing fragrance into the air.