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It is a known fact that people that suffer from epilepsy should be careful when using certain essential oils in aromatherapy, since some contain neurotoxins which have a convulsant effect.
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Neurotoxins like nutmeg and thujone have a psychotropic effect, but the convulsant effect from rosemary, fennel, sage and hyssop essential oils have always been the classical oils to be avoided in epilepsy.
They are however not the only essential oils that should never be used by epileptics, as the following oils also contain convulsant compounds
- camphor
- spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) [DO NOT confuse it with normal lavender - which is Lavandula angustifolia]
- tansy
- thuja
- wormwood
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Toxic oils
Tansy, thuja and wormwood are oils that are on the list of toxic oils and should never be used for aromatherapy. Spike lavender has a camphoraceous aroma and is not generally used in aromatherapy.
Camphor containing oils
Rosemary, sage, camphor and spike lavender oils contain camphor, while fennel contains fenchone, hyssop pinocamphone and tansy, wormwood and sage contain thujone compounds, all of them convulsants. The compounds listed as the convulsant constituents are all ketones, yet it is not held that all ketones are risky to use in epilepsy.
Herbs used 
Although herbalists sometimes recommend hyssop as useful for people with epilepsy, the essential oil of hyssop should not be used, since there is a difference between the way that herbalism and aromatherapy works.
Different uses
It would also be a wise precaution not to use these oils in burners in vapor therapy nor in any
bathing preparations and to consult with your registered medical practitioner before using any alternative therapies, including that of aromatherapy in any form.
People suffering from epilepsy or any form of seizures should be careful with the above essential oils, as well as individuals with a family history of epilepsy, or anybody with a fever.
Further research
Although traditional medicine has never used essential oils in the treatment of epilepsy,
Dr. Tim Betts, of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has done research into this, with some amazing results.
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