Aromatic oils are used in perfumery, cosmetics, flavouring of food, and in aromatherapy. To Sorne people, synthetic fragracne oils are less desirable than plant-derived essential oils as components of perfume. The world of fragrance is enticing and intriguing. In bountiful nature, we can feel the sensous fragrance in rose,jasmine, sandal, mint, wet soil and the list is long. An oil is “essential” in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. Essential oils do not as a group need to have any specific chemical properties in common, beyond conveying characteristic fragrances. Careful inhalation of the oils can also provide therapeutic benefit as the oil molecules enter the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Dr. S. K. Shastri received a Bachelor’s degree in Botany and MS degree from the University in Canada. He has remarkable teaching experience to his credit and is presently teaching Botany and Industrial Microbiology to udergraduates. His area of research interests are aromatic and medicinal plants, plant diseases and environmental microbiology. He teaches courses in Introductory Microbiology, Botany and Plant Pathology.