Our US client asked my Thai business, Pure Thai Natural Co Ltd for some fluffier, gender-neutral herbal items to pad out the Herbal Gift Boxes we produce and ship for them in order to increase the perception of value, by adding more items of lower value to each box. "Maybe you can make some nice potpourri", she asked?
 

 
I must confess I may have shuddered. And perhaps allowed an eyeroll to slip in somewhere. 😆 Because I, like Dara O'Briain, had a more than average sized bias against potpourri and all things herbally fluffy and seemingly without actual direct healing or medicinal function.

Herbal medicine's been around for thousands of years!" Indeed it has, and then we tested it all, and the stuff that worked became 'medicine'. And the rest of it is just a nice bowl of soup and some potpourri. — Dara O Briain

Basically, I was ignorant. And so is Dara.

I say I WAS ignorant, because I did quite a deep dive into potpourri and its history and uses in various cultures the last months, since I wanted to be SURE of the what and, more importantly, the why of any new product.

After some hard-core online herbal research, I found a SERIOUSLY FASCINATING piece of research data that has changed the way I view nice herbal smells!!!

 

 

REALLY??!!

In our study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, we discovered that olfactory receptors can also be found in keratinocytes – the cells that form the outermost layer of the skin – and that activating these receptors increases the rate of proliferation and migration of these skin cells.
We found that skin cells possess a receptor called OR2AT4 that responds to the scent of sandalwood, frequently used in incense sticks and perfumes. And we were able to activate this receptor using Sandalore, a synthetic sandalwood scent. Using samples that included cultured keratinocyte cells and human skin, we discovered that activating OR2AT4 triggered a signal pathway that led to a higher concentration of calcium in the cells. This in turn led to an increase in the proliferation and a quicker migration of keratinocytes – processes which typically facilitate wound healing. Scratching experiments on isolated human skin tissue confirmed this wound healing effect. Source

Game-Changer!!

Clearly there is a MOUNTAIN of clinical research that needs to happen about a myriad of different herbal smells and exactly how these skin olfactory cells transmute the healing response into action in various ways in diverse parts of the human body.

Fair to say I was sold at that point of the value of having a 100% natural, Thai herbal potpourri introduced into our product lineup.😆

Pondering further, I also had a second epiphany about the MEDICINAL aspect of a herbal potpourri: inhalation of volatile plant compounds suppress the stress response and therefore help moderate harmful cortisol levels. Reading further to seek a deeper understanding, I came across another mind-shifting piece of clinical research: Smell and Stress Response in the Brain: Review of the Connection between Chemistry and Neuropharmacology. And it gave me a piece of vital information that spoke strongly to the argument FOR something soft, gentle and fluffy like potpourri and AGAINST over-inhaling high concentrations of pure essential oils:

It should also be considered that even stress-reducing fragrant molecules can be toxic [140]. For example, terpenes, important components of essential oils, have been suggested to have hepatotoxicity. Because terpenes have been shown to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, it may be possible that the molecules have toxic effects in the brain. Intensive research on metabolism and the toxicity of terpenes is required to reduce the risk of injury from terpene-containing products, including essential oils. Source

It's a little mind-bending to learn how much we really don't yet know about plant medicine!!

My learnings?

• The much-dismissed Potpourri is every bit as much serious medicine as a tincture to cure an acute bacterial infection;
• Less is probably more;
• Gentle exposure to herbal scents over time are more likely to elevate the healing responses in the body.

We expose ourselves to all sorts of pretty smells - to mask odors in the bathroom, in our cars, in funky suitcases and after smoking guests have left the building. But how many of us truly consider that exposing ourselves to positive herbal fragrances in a gentle, sustained way might be a clinically proven, health strategy?

And so, without any qualms and being fully informed, I felt GOOD to put together our new Thai Herbal Fragrance Sachet. Why didn't I simply call it Potpourri? 😆 In an increasingly Asian commercial world here in Thailand, that French word is something few people understand.
 

We've taken Kaffir Lime Skin, Lemongrass, Phlai, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Bael Fruit and Thai Jasmine Flowers and impregnated them with small & controlled doses of several essential oils: Orange, Kaffir Lime, Phlai, Clove & Lemongrass. You can hang one of these in your car for fresh herbal medicine while you drive, pop one in your suitcase or clothes storage to combat molds and mildew, or hang it in the corner of your boudoir or office for an improved, natural healing response.

You know how it's not been very long since we have collectively come to understand the gut to be the second brain? Well I believe the skin will be soon found to be the third part of the "brain" and an integral organ in our healing and wellness.

Breathing in deeply & savouring the herbal fragrance, which is simply divine.

This article prepared in response to The Herbal Hive's invitation to discuss the quote from Dara O'Briain:

Herbal medicine's been around for thousands of years!" Indeed it has, and then we tested it all, and the stuff that worked became 'medicine'. And the rest of it is just a nice bowl of soup and some potpourri."

 

 

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