Ancient Practices of Fumigation: Historical and Scientific Significance

Abstract

For thousands of years, fumigation has been practiced in various cultures for health, spiritual, and practical purposes. The ancient Egyptians used resins like frankincense to purify their spaces. Ayurvedic dhupana in India employs medicinal herbs like neem and turmeric. Chinese, Greek, and Mesopotamian traditions blended empirical observation and spiritual belief to refine fumigation methods used in rituals and disease prevention. Fumigation was part of the culture and spiritual practices of Native American and African communities. Scientific research has demonstrated that smoke from plants like neem, frankincense, and sage can reduce microorganisms present in the air. The review explores ancient fumigation practices across civilisations and their cultural, medicinal, and hygienic significance, correlating traditional ethnobotanical knowledge with modern microbiological evidence. Studies have reported that fumigation using such plant materials can reduce airborne bacterial load by up to 90–94% within one hour, with residual effects lasting up to 24 hours. Recent studies have provided evidence that old fumigation practices release active compounds, such as terpenoids and phenolics, which have strong antibacterial and antifungal effects. This review strongly supports and highlights the relevance of traditional fumigation practices in current health and environmental applications in the modern world.