Extrapolating Abortaficient Essential Oils

Many women are so into essential oils. Some openly use them while some secretly use them because they don’t want others to know their ‘beauty’ secret. Some use oils like toys to play, explore and discover what else they can do to address their body issues and what side effects can oils Pose on them. The problem exists when they get pregnant or are currently pregnant because many women are taking in essential oils that are abortafificent. Thus, their embryo is being aborted ‘without them knowing’ it, and worst, it is flushed out in the water ‘unconsciously’.

1. Buchu

Buchu plant has different varieties. It includes Agathosma betulina (P.J. Bergius) Pillans with a pulegone phenotype and buchu Agathosma crenulata L. with a diosphenol phenotype. Both of these types contain the toxic component pulegone which causes an abortifacient effect. (2,3)

2. Lesser calamint

This is also known as cuckoo flower, field balm, and nepitella and has a botanical name Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi. Calamintha nepeta L. subsp. glandulosa Req. which is similar to calamintha officinalis Moench. This oil can cause abortion due to pulegone (4)

3. Pennyroyal

There are two kinds of pennyroyal, European pennyroyal or Mentha pulegium L., North American pennyroyal or Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers., and Turkish pennyroyal or Micromeria fruticosa (L.) Druce. These pennyroyal varieties contain β-Pulegone. (5)This plant is being used for abortion despite its potentially deadly hepatotoxic effects.

4. Ligurian yarrow

This plant with a botanical name Achillea nobilis L. or A. ligustica Vis. ex Nym. has an abortifacient property due to its toxic component sabine acetate. (6)

5. Plectranthus oil

Plectranthus or P. fruticosus L’Hér. is not only abortifacient but different animal studies also discovered it’s also embryotoxic, fetotoxic, and teratogenic (causing developmental formation) effect. It can be hazardous and cause abortion due to its component sabine acetate. (8)

6. Spanish Sage or lavender sage

Containing the toxic component sabine acetate makes this essential oil abortifacient. Animal studies showed that it can induce abortion and maternal toxicity. Spanish sage which is also known as lavender sage has a botanical name salvia lavandulifolia Vahl and is similar to salvia hispanorum Lag. (9, 10)

7. Wormwood

Wormwood absinthe has a botanical name artemisia absinthium L. It is both abortifacient and embryo-fetotoxicity due to its sabine acetate and thujone content (11). This toxic combination makes it even more hazardous, abortifacient, embryo-fetotoxic, and neurotoxic. Wormwood has different varieties with different main chemotypes. There’s artemisia absinthium L., which has a β-thujone phenotype, wormwood that contains sabine acetate chemotype, and wormwood that has a main (Z)-epoxy ocimene chemotype.

8. Juniperus sabina L. – savin

Juniperus sabina L. or savin has an abortifacient toxic component trans-sabine acetate. It is abortifacient, embryo-fetotoxic, and hepatotoxic. (12) It can induce abortion because it can easily cross the placenta. An animal study found that subcutaneous administration of savin essential oil caused embryotoxicity and can also have an anti-implantation effect.

9. Indian dill seed oil

Dill apiole is the toxic component of Indian dill seed or more commonly known as Iowa. Its botanical name is Anethum sowa Roxb. ex Flem. This essential oil must be avoided from being consumed during pregnancy due to its abortifacient hazard. (13)

10. Parsley oil

Two abortifacient chemotypes can be found in parsley. One is dill apiole which is in parsley leaf oil, and parsley apiole which is in parsley seed oil. This has a botanical name Petroselinum crispum Mill which is also similar to P. sativum Hoffm., and P. hortenseauct. (14, 15, 16)

11. Rue

Rue has a botanical name ruta graveolens L. and ruta Montana mill. Though the toxic component of this oil is not identified, it is known to be hazardous due to its abortifacient effect. (17,18, 19). Some literature noted in South America, ingested ruta graveolens caused abortion. (20) Moreover, findings of an animal study demonstrated that even its extract can inhibit implantation. It also has anti-fertility effects due to the presence of chalepensin. (21)

12. Zedoary

Also known as white turmeric, or hidden ginger, zedoary has a botanical name Curcuma zedoaria roscoe. It is one of the oils that must be prevented during pregnancy as it is suspected to cause abortion though its toxic component is not yet identified. (22,23, 24). Though having a GRAS status, it is said that consuming it may affect interfere with gestation (womb development from conception to birth) and can induce abortion (25). In an animal study, it was found that Chinese zedoary essential oil prevented implantation on gestational days thus preventing pregnancies, especially if you apply it intra-vaginally. Animal studies also showed that it has anti-angiogenic (angiogenic, meaning new blood vessel formation) and embryotoxic effects. Meanwhile, zedoary essential oil’s embryotoxic effect is attributed to its sesquiterpenoids which can block angiogenesis (26) (new blood vessel formation). Moreover, ex vivo studies also showed that it can cause reproductive toxicity. It is also said to have an anti-fertility effect though there is no direct evidence to link any of the oil components.

As of the moment of writing, these essential oils were found to be abortifacient through animal and in-vitro studies. Ethical concerns are being considered as conducting human abortion in clinical trials to test oils seemed inhumane.

Beware of oils that appear to be ‘good’ but abortifacient. Choose (choice) wisely. ❤

---

References:

• (1) Dosoky, N.S.; Setzer, W.N. Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22. 2380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22052380

Other useful references:

• (2) Collins, N.F.; Graven, E.H.; Van Beek, T.A.; Lelyveld, G.P. Chemotaxonomy of Commercial Buchu Species (Agathosma betulin and A. crenulata). J. Essent. Oil Res. 1996, 8, 229–235. [CrossRef]
• (3) Posthumus, M.A.; van Beek, T.A.; Collins, N.F.; Graven, E.H. Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Agathosma betulina, A. crenulata and an A. betulina x crenulate Hybrid (Buchu). J. Essent. Oil Res. 1996, 8, 223–228. [CrossRef]
• (4) Ristorcelli, D.; Tomi, F.; Casanova, J. Essential Oils of Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta and subs. glandulosa from Corsicah (France). J. Essent. Oil Res. 1996, 8, 363–366. [CrossRef]
• (5) Lawrence, B.M. Essential Oils 1988–1991; Allured Publishing: Wheaton, IL, USA, 1995.
• (6) Tisserand, R.; Young, R. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd. ed.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2014.
• (7) Lawrence, B.M. Progress in essential oils. Perfume. Flavorist 1995, 20, 48–49.
• (8) Fournier, G.; Paris, M.; Dumitresco, S.M.; Pages, N.; Boudene, C. Contribution to the study of Plectranthus fruticosus leaf essential oil. Planta Med. 1986, 6, 486–488. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• (9) Lawrence, B.M. Essential Oils 1988–1991; Allured Publishing: Wheaton, IL, USA, 1995.
• (10) Usano-Alemany, J.; Herraiz-Peñalver, D.; Cuadrado, J.; Díaz, S.; Santa-Cruz, M.; Palá-Paúl, J. Seasonal Variation of the Essential Oils of Salvia lavandulifolia: Antibacterial Activity. J. Essent. Oil Bear. Plants 2012, 15, 195–203. [CrossRef]
• (11) Lawrence, B.M. Essential Oils 1988–1991; Allured Publishing: Wheaton, IL, USA, 1995.
• (12) Tucker, A.O.; Maciarello, M.J.; Sturtz, G. The essential oils of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ and its Putative Parents, A. absinthium and A. arborescent. J. Essent. Oil Res. 1993, 5, 239–242. [CrossRef]
• (13) Lawrence, B.M. Progress in essential oils. Perfume. Flavorist 1995, 20, 48–49.
• (14) Tisserand, R.; Young, R. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd. ed.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2014.
• (15) Lawrence, B.M. Progress in essential oils. Perfume. Flavorist 2001, 26, 38.
• (16) Lamarti, A.; Badoc, A.; Bouriquet, R. A Chemotaxonomic Evaluation of Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) A. W. Hill (Parsley) Marketed in France. J. Essent. Oil Res. 1991, 3, 425–433. [CrossRef]
• (17) De Feo, V.; De Simone, F.; Senatore, F. Potential allelochemicals from the essential oil of Ruta graveolens. Phytochemistry 2002, 61, 573–578. [CrossRef]
• (18) SCCP Opinion on furocoumarins in cosmetic products. Scientific committee on consumer products. SCCP/0942/05. 2005. Available online: https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_o_036.pdf (accessed on 29 January 2021).
• (19) Yatagai, M.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T. Terpenes of leaf oils from Cupressaceae. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 1985, 13, 377–385. [CrossRef]
• (20) Ciganda, C.; Laborde, A. Herbal infusions used for induced abortion. J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 2003, 41, 235–239. [CrossRef]
• (21) Kong, Y.C.; Lau, C.P.; Wat, K.H.; Ng, K.H.; But, P.P.H.; Cheng, K.F.; Waterman, P.G. Antifertility Principle of Ruta graveolens. Planta Med. 1989, 55, 176–178. [CrossRef]
• (22) Singh, G.; Singh, O.P.; Maurya, S. Chemical and biocidal investigations on essential oils of some Indian Curcuma species. Prog. Cryst. Growth Charact. Mater. 2002, 45, 75–81. [CrossRef]
• (23) Angel, G.R.; Menon, N.; Vimala, B.; Nambisan, B. Essential oil composition of eight starchy Curcuma species. Ind. Crops Prod. 2014, 60, 233–238. [CrossRef]
• (24) Herath, H.M.I.C.; Wiyasiriwardene, T.D.C.M.K.; Premakumara, G.A.S. Comparative GC-MS analysis of all Curcuma species grown in Sri Lanka by multivariate test. Ruhunu J. Sci. 2017, 8, 1–9. [CrossRef]
• (25) Tisserand, R.; Young, R. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd. ed.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2014
• (26) Zhou, L.; Zhang, K.; Li, J.; Cui, X.; Wang, A.; Huang, S.; Zheng, S.; Lu, Y.; Chen, W. Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated angiogenesis involved in reproductive toxicity induced by sesquiterpenoids of Curcuma zedoaria in rats. Reprod. Toxicol. 2013, 37, 62–69. [CrossRef]