This letter will bring you every month a flash about a new oil or a new approach about a traditional oil.
In March 2003, we are glad to present another antique oil : the apricot seed oil.

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Apricot seed oil is a light massage oil, but we will point some particular aspects of the apricotseed. Cyanogenic glycosides are common in stone fruit seeds (bitter and not sweet) and are found in high concentration in apricot seeds.

The drug laetrile is derived from extracts of apricot seeds.
A controversial therapy for cancer started in the fifties with a few reports of tumor regression and pain reduction. The National Cancer Institute in the USA claimed laetrile was an ineffective cancer treatment in 1980, but it is legal still in Mexico.

Laetrile can be extremely harmful to patients when digested, it releases hydrogen cyanide that can cause cyanide poisoning.

Seed of Mediterranean apricots is generally "sweet" and can be used as a substitute for almonds.

We will publish some interesting questions from our visitors in "Your questions.."
... "Back to school..." for basics with in March hair and scalp massage...
"Special deals" to inform you : what will be your gift this month.
Michel Pobeda in Paris (France) on 28th March 2003

Properties of the oil
Rich in E.F.A. (essential fatty acids like oleic acid and linoleic acid, see composition), apricot kernel oil is high in Vitamin A.

It spreads easily on the skin and provides useful elements to its health. It is smooth and lightweight.

This excellent texture is great for prematurely aged skin and skin that is dry and irritated.

Properties of the seeds
The seeds contain the components Vitamin B-17, which, in the body, produce a metabolite of cyanide. For that reason, and in internal uses, apricot kernel should only used by experienced herbalists and practitioners familiar with their use. They should never be used on children in internal.

Cosmetic Uses
Massage, daily skin care, ... Apricot oil is easily absorbed into the skin and, therefore, an excellent softening and moisturizing oil for face, hands, and hair. Vitamins A and C are good for mature, dry, or sensitive skin.
Apricot kernel oil is smooth and lightweight.
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The plant
Rosaceae family (subfamily Prunoideae)
The tree is hardy and bears stone fruit, closely related to the peach. The leaves are broad and roundish, with pointed apex.
The flowers are sessile, white, tinged with the same dusky red that appears on the petiole, with five regular sepals and petals and many stamens.
The fruit ripens end of July to mid-August and is a drupe, like the plum, with a thin outer, downy skin enclosing the yellow flesh (mesocarp), the inner layers becoming woody and forming the large, smooth, compressed stone, the ovule ripening into the seed.
The tree is a medium-sized tree. It is propagated by budding on the musselplum stock.

Process
Oil is cold pressed from the seeds

Composition

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History
Chinese literature in the "Ming-i-pie-lu" - circa 502 A.D.
Matthiolus, "Commentarii in Sex Libros Pedacii Dioscorides" (1544) treament for tumours.

Medicinal folklore in Kentucky

Laetrile theory: the apricot pit extract breaks down to release CN-, but only when in contact with ß-glucuronidase, the enzyme common to tumor cells. The CN- is released preferentially at tumor sites, and kills cells.

Apricot seeds were used to treat tumors as early as AD 502 (see bibliography). Apricot oil was used against tumors and ulcers in England in the 1600s.

From Katy: My baby has "cradle cap". What do you recommend ?
Michel's reply: Take care that it is not an early form of atopic eczema. See your doctor or dermatologist.
Raw sheabutter can be use locally. Before bathtime, put a little shea butter on scalp and rub. Leave it to soak a few minutes and shampoo...

From Dana : How to apply oil ? how many time a day ? what about face ?
Michel reply: Each oil spreads differently but in all cases, heat and friction enhance the quick absorption into the skin.
For postpartum, massage skin several times per day to minimize stretch marks.
For the body, massage improves functioning of the circulatory, lymphatic, muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems. It may improve the rate at which the body recovers from injury and illness.
For face, don't forget to avoid eye area for facial massage.
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Scalp massage ? why ...

Growing hair stage are your tomorrow hair. Hair follicles are deeply buried in subcutaneous fat at 'core' temperature.

Final length of each hair is dependent on growth activity in the hair follicle.

Use "light" oil like hemp oil, macadamia oil, apricot oil, which penetrate easily.
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Hair is growing (anagen), resting (catagen) and shedding (telogen) but 90 % of your hair today are is the growing phase. It why you have to take care of your hair at this stage.

The follicle is the point from which the hair grows. It is a tiny cup-shaped pit buried deep in the fat of the scalp and well supplied with minute blood vessels. Blood passing through them nourishes the growing region. "Core temperature" means that around the follicle is like normal body temperature, and is not affected by cold or hot weather.

In the lower part of the bulb, new cells are continuously produced . They grow and push the previously formed cells upwards. When the cells reach the upper part of the bulb they change and arrange themselves into cylindrical layers, one inside the other. The inner layers of cells become the actual hair. The outer layers become the lining of the hair follicle.

Special cells in the hair bulb produce the melanin which is the pigment that colors the hair. When hair is moving upwards in the follicle the melanin is carried upwards in the inner part of the hair.

From 28th march 2003 to April 30th, every order will be shipped along with a 50 ml , 1.7 floz glass bottle of virgin apricot oil.
To order shop on line
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Apricot oil Bibliography
•Briese, R.R., and Couch, J.F., Preservation of Cyanogenetic Plants for Chemical Analysis, J.Agr.Research, 57(2): 81-107, 1937.
•Brown, W.E., Wood, C.D., and Smith, A.N., Sodium Cyanide as a Cancer Chemotherapeutic Agent -- Laboratory and Clinical Studies, Am.J.Obst. & Gynec., 80: 907-918, 1960.
•Chappel, C., Toxicity Studies on Amygdalin, McNaughton Foundation, Montreal, Canada, 1967, p.2. •Charlton, J., The Selection of Burma Beans for Low Hydrocyanic Acid Content, Memoirs Dept. Agr. India Chemical Series, 9(1), 1926-1928.
•Dedolph, R.R., and Hamilton, R.A., The Bitterness Problem in Some Seedling Macadamias (Due to amygdalin -- ed.), Hawaii Farm. Sci., 8(1): 7-8, 1959. •Delga, J., Mizoula, J., Veverka, B., and Bon, R., Studies on the Treatment of Cyanide Intoxication by Hydroxycobalamin (Provitamin B-12), Ann. Pharmaceut., 19(12): 740-752, 1961.
•Jones, M.B., Seasonal Trend of Cyanide in Peach Leaves and Flower Buds and Its Possible Relation to the Rest Period.Proc. amer.Soc.Hort.Sci., 77: 117-120, 1961.[nee Jones?, rsc]
•Liebig, J., and Wohler, F., The Composition of Bitter Almonds,Annalen, 22(1): 1-24, 1837.
•Liebig, J., and Wohler, F., Formation of the Oil of Bitter Almonds, Ann.Chim.Phys., 64: 185-209, 1837.
•Luh, B.S., and Pinochet, M.F., Spectrophotometric Determination of Hydrogen Cyanide in Canned Apricots, Cherries and Prunes, Food Research, 24: 423-427, 1950.
•Perry, I.H., The Effect of Prolonged Cyanide Treatment on Body and Tumor Growth in Rats, Am.J.Cancer, 25: 592-[ff.],1935.
•Sayre, J. W. (1964) re- Prunus armeniaca. Gourmet 24(9):2 Sayre, J. W.; Kaymakcalan, S. (1964) Cyanide poisoning from apricot seeds among children in central Turkey. New England J Med 270(21):1113-1115
•Wokes, F., and Willimott, S.G., The Determination of Cyanide in Seeds, J.Pharm. & Pharmacol., 3: 905-917, 1951.

Apricot oil and apricot seed (U.K.)
In 1991 and 1992, the ACNFP (Advisory Commitee of Novels Foods and Process) considered new oils applications under the voluntary system, which then existed for approval of novel foods, for refined passion fruit seed oil, and refined cherry and apricot kernel oil respectively.
Since these stone fruits are known to contain hydrocyanic acid, which breaks down to form cyanide, concerns were raised at the possibility that resultant oils may also contain this compound.
However, the committee was satisfied at the levels present, and set an upper limit of 0.15mg of cyanide per kg of refined oil.
Other concerns raised related to the level of aflatoxins (an upper limit of 4m g/kg was set) and the natural levels of tocopherols. All three oils were considered to be acceptable and were approved on the proviso that they met Codex specifications for virgin vegetable oils.