In April, members of the doTERRA science team attended the 23rd Annual International Conference on the Science of Botanicals (ICSB) and the 24th International Congress of the International Society of Ethnopharmacology (ISE). doTERRA’s presence at ICSB has become a key strategic initiative with the focus on showcasing our scientists and their research on essential oils. Dr. Nicole Stevens, vice president of clinical research, Dr. Cecile Bascoul, director of product safety, Audrey Ledvina, associate development scientist, Charlotte Tuileveuka, director of clinical research, and Dr. Prabodh Satyal, head of essential oil research attended the conference.
ICSB is an annual meeting in Oxford, Mississippi that brings together industry and scientific experts to discuss approaches for post market surveillance, risk and safety assessment, quality control and adverse event reporting (AER) for botanical dietary supplements (BDS) and natural products, as well as regulatory aspects with perspectives from government, manufacturers, and trade associations.
Dr. Nicole Stevens and Dr. Prabodh Satyal presented at the conference. Dr. Stevens showcased her research on, “Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science: The Chemistry and Biochemistry of Copaiba Volatile Oil." Dr. Stevens shared how doTERRA has completed several clinical studies that represent the most comprehensive human data on Copaiba ingestion. Pharmacokinetic information was shared on the main component of Copaiba oil (beta-caryophyllene), as well as a full clinical study on pharmacodynamics. doTERRA Copaiba oil showed a myriad of activities from improving blood markers, enhancing physical performance, and significant changes in gene expression supporting the body's homeostasis systems. This presentation was one of only a few talks on essential oils at ICSB, so it generated considerable interest. The results of these pilot studies are being followed up with larger clinical trials already underway.
Dr. Satyal shared his findings on, "Insights into the Degradation of Essential Oils: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Prevention Strategies." He gave an insightful presentation on essential oil degradation, highlighting critical factors such as distillation techniques, oxygen exposure, metal contaminants, moisture, light, and heat, which significantly impact oil quality. He elucidated various oxidative processes, including the auto-oxidation of common compounds like limonene, linalool, caryophyllene, and citral, emphasizing their implications for aroma, effectiveness, and skin sensitization potential. Dr. Satyal provided practical approaches for degradation measurement using GCMS and HPLC, alongside prevention strategies like optimized storage, minimized headspace, temperature control, and encapsulation techniques. His research reinforced the necessity of stringent quality controls to ensure essential oil safety, efficacy, and authenticity.
To learn more about the research from doTERRA scientists visit doterra.com/US/en/science.
