Attar
Attar
Attar (/əˈtɑːr/), also known as ittar, is a natural perfume oil derived from botanical sources, most commonly flowers. The term is widely used in the Middle East and Subcontinent, and it has been a part of traditional medicine and rituals for centuries.
Etymology
The word "attar" comes from the Persian word atr, meaning fragrance, which is derived from the Arabic word itr. The term was adopted into English in the late 18th century.
Production
Attar is produced by distilling plant materials, often flowers like rose or jasmine, into a non-alcoholic solution such as water or oil. The process can take several weeks, and the result is a highly concentrated, pure extract of the plant's fragrance.
Use in Medicine
In traditional medicine, attar is used for its therapeutic properties. For example, rose attar is believed to have a calming effect and is used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety. Jasmine attar is said to have aphrodisiac properties.
Related Terms
- Essential oil: A concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants.
- Aromatherapy: A holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being.
- Perfumery: The art of making perfumes.
- Distillation: The process of purifying a liquid by heating and cooling.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Attar
- Wikipedia's article - Attar
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski