[Sca-cooks] tiger balm and herbs and mice oh my

[Gaylin Walli]

For those of you looking into the transdermal effects of herbal oils
on human skin and those of you currently elbow deep in the Tiger Balm
debate, I'd like to remind you of a couple of research-related issues
to curb your desire to find the culprit of the potential toxicity of
this substance.

1. Transdermal effects in humans are rarely measured. They use
rabbits and mice, which is, in general a bad choice, because as the
researchers admit themselves, rabbit and mice skin absorbs or rejects
essential oils in a radically different manner than human skin.
That's not to say you shouldn't believe the research, only that you
should question it.

2. One single case of ingestion of a HUGE amount of any essential oil
is no reasonable way judge the safety or toxicity of any essential
oil. IN general anecdotal evidence and a single case thereof is
considered poor substitute to actual double blind studies.

3. Essential oils in a base of wax are slowed even further in going
through the skin than they would be applied straight.

So. I could probably point a few other things out, but this is a
cooking list. And as luck would have it, I happen to have a homemade
recipe for both Tiger Balm *and* White Flower Anelgesic Balm that I
posted to the SCA Herbalist's list a few years back. Anyone want
those recipes here? :)

Iasmin