Tarragon (Estragon) Essential Oil

Product Details Tarragon (Estragon) Essential Oil Botanical Name: Artemisia Dracunculus Origin Country: France Plant Part: Leaves Method Of Extraction: Steam Distilled Use: Stress Note: Top Aroma Type: Spicy Season: Fall/Winter Aromatic Profile: rich, spicy, sweet Understanding Aromatic Notes: Oriental Suitable Blending Oils: Lemons, florals, woods and spices Chemistry of Tarragon Essential Oil Key constituents that provide potential medical benefits of tarragon essential oil Estragole 73.3–87.3% (Z)-β-Ocimene tr–9.5% (E)-β-Ocimene tr–9.1% (+)-Limonene 0–3.5% α-Pinene 0.5–2.0% Methyleugenol 0.1–1.5% (Tisserand and Young, 2013) Estragole Estragole, also found in other herbs such as basil, is being researched for a variety of potential health benefits. It exhibits anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making it useful in treating infections and reducing inflammation. Estragole improves digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes, which may also alleviate indigestion and bloating. Some studies suggest estragole could have antioxidant properties, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals and may also be able to relieve pain. (Z)-β-Ocimene is a naturally occurring monoterpene thought to possess several notable medicinal properties. In trials it has demonstrated strong antifungal and antimicrobial activity. (Z)-β-Ocimene also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Tarragon essential oil is a complex one to learn to use. You may have bought yours because of its lovely mouthwatering aroma, but then been a bit hesitant to use it for more than just its fragrance because the safety can be a bit confusing. Historical and Mythological Notes about Tarragon Essential Oil Tarragon is indigenous to Europe and grows prolifically in France. There are two types of tarragon plants. The French tarragon plant is easily cultivated through cuttings. Russian tarragon can only be grown from seed. Commercial tarragon essential oil comes from French tarragon. You may have noticed the extraordinary Latin name of the plant - Artemisia, perhaps because the goddess Artemis was the holder of the herbal knowledge, but dracunculus speaks of dragons! Interestingly, if you look back at some old cookery books, you’ll see them ask for estragon . Estragon is the folk name for tarragon and the word means dragon. How strange that the plant is so  full of estragole! It seems likely to have got its name from the thick serpentine root that snakes its way across the herb garden. Perhaps not surprisingly then, it has come to be associated as a plant to relieve bites from snakes. It might also be because tarragon likes heat. Despite growing in relatively cool countries, it will not survive the frost. Temperate springs will stunt the leaf growth and they despise being planted in places which are damp; their roots rot. There are not many essential oils we would say this about, but the disadvantages of using this one outweigh the advantages. Being so high in estragol