01/06/2023
Such a fantastic product and their hoof oil too.
The science behind Frog & Sole Saviour...
Memories of learning organic chemistry make many people shudder but the basics are very simple. When two or more elements combine they form a molecule and carbon is the element that forms the backbone in the vast majority of them. Elements join together by forming bonds and the way they do this dictates their shape and influences the properties they have. In essential oils the molecules within them have a maximum of 20 carbon atoms, so they are very light and hence volatile (this is why they smell, especially if you heat them using a fragrance burner).
Essential oils with oxygen in their component molecules have a stronger scent and if the oxygen is attached to a 'benzene ring (remember them from chemistry?), also known as aromatic compounds, the scent is stronger still.
The properties of the molecules found in an essential oil depends on how and where the oxygen molecule us attached to the carbon chain (the functional group). For instance the oils which have the most microbial activity have a phenol group attached. The oregano essential oil we use in Frog & Sole Saviour contains the phenols thymol and carvacrol, which prevent most microorganisms from growing and kills them. We also add Clove bud essential oil which contains mostly the phenol eugenol, which has a numbing effect as well as antimicrobial.
Another component of frog and sole is Lemongrass which is rich in aldehydes, giving it both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity.
Finally we add Eucalyptus which has a high % of the monoterpene oxide,1,8-cineole, which has antimicrobial properties in its own right but importantly it also enhances the pe*******on of all the oils in Frog & Sole Saviour so that they are able to reach the deep seated bugs responsible for infections in the horse's feet.
All of the oils we use in Hedgewitch products have a certificate of analysis, which means the constituents have been analysed using gas chromatography. Quality is incredibly important because it's the individual constituents which give essential oils these incredible healing properties.