Research reports

RESEARCH REPORTS TONY

BALACS

A well

thought-out

carried

out by a group

interested effects

study

has been

of researchers

in the potentially

of aromatherapy

aromatherapy

in patients

improvements

in their

Those

patients

aromatherapy

beneficial

on Intensive

greater

who

and perceived

group

immediately

aromatherapy general

there

belief

nurses

that

is of benefit to patients in

and a relative lack of properly

controlled

studies testing this belief.

In their

study,

hundred

patients

Intensive

Care

reasons

more

either of rest

only.

Pre-

as

well

was carried

of the body. Grapeseed and

following

or cumulative.

Subjective

the

did indicate

patients

inclusion

of lavender

massage,

although

enhancement

the

massages

The aromatherapy

the

oil enhanced

the

no

due

from

that

objective

to lavender

was

observed statistically. Only one essential oil was used in this study,

albeit

an oil with

a well-

established reputation for being relaxing. It would bc interesting better,

or different,

to see whether

results

(from

the

would be

obtained with other oils, or with dilutions higher than 1%.

areas lasted On a more pharmacological

was carried out

essential has been

percent

inflammatory

lavender

oil. In both

types of

treatment, talking was kept to a minimum. receiving

rest

as their

were left undisturbed

for 30

note,

the

oil of Buplewmm jdicescens

similarly, except that the oil contained one

treatment

reports

oil was used as a

between 15 and 30 minutes.

Patients

the therapy,

this effect was not sustained

out by

on diffusely innervated

lubricant

They

and more positive

point of view of aromatherapy) as

mood

Care experience.

massage

effleurage

post-

objective

of subjects’ ability to cope

with the Intensive The

or a

and subjective

assessments,

evaluations

although

LO

massage

and

included

measurements

of

allocated alone,

with lavender,

therapy assessments anxiety

one

for a variety

massage

plus aromatherapy period

than

admitted to a general Unit

were randomly

receive

stress

is a widespread

among

significantly in their

levels of anxiety.

also felt less anxious

remarks,

ability.

received

reported

improvement

Care patients (Dunn et al., 1995). As the anecdotal

reporting

coping

investigated

for

activity

team (Martin

its anti-

by a Spanish

et al., 1993).

The oil was

analysed by gas chromatography and by GC-mass spectrometry

minutes. All subjects gave prior informed

and individual

consent

the whole oil, were tested for activity.

and received

a minimum

one and a maximum

of three

of

of one

type of treatment over five days.

The sample

point

out that

the

30.55%

between

the

a&ha-pinene,

authors

effects of aromatherapy inhaled or absorbed

due to oil being

transdermally,

did not address the question distortion because

and

of whether

of the patients’ sense of smell of intranasal

tubes could have

improving anxiety.

mood Rest

contain

to

beta-caryophyllene, 6.00% 4.38%

geraniol,

2.53%

1.76%

myrcene

as massage

4.78%

pcymene,

and

was also

terpinen-+ol

as

hindpaw

1.83%

1.02%

each of

plus less than delta-3-carene,

and thymol.

In the carrageenill-induced

reducing as good

a&ha3.44%

limonene,

carvacrol,

and sabincnc,

in

16.89%

delta-cadinene,

gammrt-terpinene,

humulene, citral,

oil of R.

found

1% each of beta-pinene,

affected the results. Rest was as good

4.95%

as well as

of essential

was

jruticescens

study did not differentiate

The

components,

(GC) (GS-MS)

oedema

test,

oral

rat B.

fvuticescens essential

oil (500 and 1000

showed potent mg/kg) inflammatory activity, which live hours

after

antipeaked

administration

of the

carrageenin. A weaker

but

significant

activity

300 mg/kg).

and 150 mg/kg)

and

(150

may

oil’s

in toothache

300

College

that the

has

continuing

of the whole

into

animals had

been

although

also

and

at Auchincruive, his

oils.

In

a paper

by Hungarian

effect

of the essential

restored

levels.

the levels

Clove, thyme

the most

oils and

of the

to young

thyme,

essential

with

on

mice,

nutmeg were

all

pepper

effective

oils

at restoring

The

co-

authors

comment

will be important

colleagues,

to find

of the components primarily

of these

responsible

anti-oxidant

Dela-

that

it

out which oils are

for the l.n vl:vo

effects.

active, a&ha-

whereas

was completely

for

PUFA levels.

adrenal

removed,

no

in elderly

with some

pepper

being

work effects

but

C20 and C22 PUFAs

active,

activity.

remained

less potent,

essential

authored

Scottish

anli-ageing

the

of

a&ha-pinene

whose

caryophyllene

been

the

were

removed

had

mice,

mouse Agricultural

alone

Treatment

major from

mice

livers

analysis.

analgesic

and Deans,

the

their

oils almost

75

Oral

and

treatment

(approximately

mg/kg)

treatments,

young

Stanley

effect

the killed

as well as its oral

of

showed anti-inflammatory

pinene

to clove

administration

oil was mimicked.

cortices

effect

effects

anti-

to the extent

anti-inflammatory

In

contribute

blocking

constituents

This effect was enhanced

alpha-pinene

(150

oil

was also shown

beta-caryophyllene

by the concurrent oral

clove

toxicity.

inflammatory by oral

The calcium-channel of

inactive,

even

at an oral dose of 600 mg/kg. The results

authors

suggesL

show that

does not require adrenal

the presence

glands

inflammatory pinene

to

activity,

does. Further

the

the ability

of

highlighted

menthol

to

whereas

alpha-

individuals

(Wilkinson

in

Two patients

were tested

activity

of beta-caryophyllene

dermatitis

anti-inflammatory

and

Beck,

and

and

with unexplained

were

testing

found

on

to be sensitive synthetic

patch

to natural

l-menthol,

to

the

oils of Mentha pipe&a and M. uwensis,

may be due not only to of its synthesis

sensitive

1994).

inflammation

that

allergic

cause

in appropriate

experiments,

buL also to an effect

two British

have

dermatitis

suggest

inhibition

of the

In a short communication, workers

anti-

PGE-l-induced

alpha-pinene

the

show

which the two compounds against

that

beta-caryophyllene

and release,

but

at prostaglandin

receptors.

not

to

Lhat

One

patient

(or

additionally

Peru balsam

M.

from

was

spicata.

cross-sensitive sensitive)

to

and also to colophony.

menthol

A German short

group

has reported

communication

constituents

blocking

(Sensch

et al., 1993).

blockers

are

hypertensive

activity

in

widely

used

contractions (which

dependent) in

aceteugenol,

beta-caryophyllene

and

with

force

by

oxide.

were

the

both,

and these

oxide

and

in the calcium

was seen.

polyunsaturated in the livers

mice

derived

from

are

protected

contribute

of tissue

to

a

a gradual

loss

It is possible

that

effect

liver PUFAs

slow ageing

Treated

mice

5 weeks

(young

weeks oil in

(old mice)

orally water.

each

in the

After

or

21

720 ug of essential emulsified the

end

1994).

is indigenous

The

terpenes,

oil

6.8% and

contains

cineole,

plus

sesquiterpene

It is marketed an antiseptic

in the USA as and antifungal

preparation. A 23-month-old 10

ml

and ataxic

minutes

later,

know whether hospital

but

improved

asymptomatic

boy ingested

T36-C7.

confused

of activated of

Minneapolis

Hornfeldt,

Australia.

alcohols.

oil poisoning from

alterniJolia

gradually

received

mice)

by dropper,

Melaleuca

than

protecting

mice. for

and

T36C7,

believed

an anti-oxidative could

(Jacobs

sesquiterpencs

levels

decrease, is

function.

reported

50-60%

PUFA

of mice

which

of melaleuca

has been

to

and medicinal

mice,

livers

change

oils

et al., 1993)

ageing

in the

A case of

from

of essential

culinary

(Deans In

to

that

(PUFAs)

by ingestion

potent former),

a concentration-

reduction

inward-current

were

Of most

the

are

eugenol,

caryohyllene

(especially

elderly

of

papillary

contractions

constituents,

acids

plants

vitro,

caryophyllene

fatty loss

as anti-

diminished

dependent

vitro

drugs.

calcium-channel

eugenol

he has shown

Calcium-channel

catecholamine-induced muscle

in a

certain

of clove oil have calcium-

channel

In

that

He

(unsteady) his

less

became thirty

condition

and

he

was

five hours later. It is not the oral administration charcoal

contributed

with sorbitol to his recovery.

in

terpinene

(46.0%)

of rosemary

constituents

distilled

from

Catherine been

plants

(Sinai)

compared

(Soliman

methone

oil

grown

and at Giza

the

sample

(11.3%)

(7.6%)

and

have

(7.1%)

An Argentinian

In

and

(9.0%)

were

the main

out

a total

37

the

1,8-cineole

has tested activity

Both

found

Sclerotium

against

garlic

(Zygadlo

constituents

infect

Both the ocimene

and Mycobacterium intracelblarae. oils were active against

potato,

tomato

and the

of T. in&a were

chemotype

0

Both

group

has been

fungitoxicity

the

looking

at

Cinnal?zomum

of

oil (Tiwari

Calamintha

and

antibacterial

nepeta

for

and antifungal

their activity

400 ppm against

active

oils

proved

found

to be

Staphylococcus

against

to have

ppm

the

to mycclial

oil

growth,

to be fungicidal

was but

au~eus,

concentrations. against 35 other

storage fungi, to be resistant and

and Candida albicans, with K. officinalis

density of microorganisms.

active.

to have to warm

to resist

a high

active against

Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

oils

were

showed

the

most

a broad

Minimum

thyme

and calamint

active,

spectrum

inhibitory

were in the range

but

all

of activity.

concentrations 5-40 pg/ml

The

constituents

were:

(10.3%)

carvacrol

in S. montana;

(56.82%)

al$hu-pinene (17.5%) (31.39%) cymene

Finally,

a Texan

looking

at the

modes

(28.91%)

in

R.

carvacrol (17.01%)

and

and 1,8-cineole

oJ~icinalis;

thymol

(12.36%) and

group effects

has

been

of different

of oral administration

toxicokinetics

p-

gamma-

Martin

Bupleurum

C.S. Clinical

S.

et

al.

(1993)

Anti-

fruticescens.

Planta Medica

59(6): 533536. 0

Pan&i

L. et al. (1993) Composition

EthrzqMmmmlngy 0

391167-170.

Sensch 0. et al. (1993) C&&&annel

blocking effect of constituents of clove oil. PlankziWdiuz5Y:(Supplementary) A687. Soliman F.M. et al. (1994) officinalis

Analysis

L. from

Tiwdri R. et al. (1994)

in rats

Both

rats

and

mice

to benzoic

rats and mice,

Egypt.

much

after

dosed

benzyl

feed

acetate

lower

Although

zeylanicum Breyn. Indian 98104.

Wilkinson S.M. and Beck M.H. (199)

after

Yuan J.H.

et al. (1995)

of

gavage

Effects

of

gavage versus dosed feed administration on the toxicokinetics

benzoic

rats

and

mice.

Toxicoloa 33(2): 0

of benzyl acetate in

Food

and

Chemical

151-158.

Zygadlo J.A. et al. (1994) Antifungal

propertics of the leaf oils of Tagetes minuta

(forced feeding). comparable

on

oil of

Allergic contact dermatitis from menthol in 0

were found

administration than

0

Studies

of essential

peppermint. Contactkmatitis 30: 4243. hydrolyse

acid. In both

acid plasma concentrations

properties

Cinnamomum Pe$mer38(3):

on the

of benzyl acetate

benzyl acetate major

0

0

and mice (Yuan et al., 1995).

gamma-terpinene

and Hornfeldt oil poisoning.

inflammatory activity of the essential oil of

fungitoxic

liquid

medium.

M.R.

Melaleuca

Rosmarinus

Thymus vulgaris was also inactive against In general,

an

study to

Fhuour and FragranceJm_maL9( 1) : 29-33.

was

P. aeruginosa.

Sensing

An experimental

and biological activity of the essential oil of

montana and R. officinalis were weakly F:. coli, and neither

71-74. C. et al. (1995)

Jacobs

(1994)

0

S.

active against

the

of four Mediterranean Iamiaceae., Jmmal of

a long shelf-life,

the least

on

and antimicrobial properties of essential oils

at higher

temperatures

consistently

of

Asperg%llus flavus and

Bacillus subtilis, Saccharamoyces cereuisiae being

a

The oil was found to have activity

were

Dunn

oils

Jmmml o~odvanced Nuting21 (I) : 3440. 0

R., et

concentration

At 400

fungistatic

(Panizzi et al., 1993). All the

was found

inhibitory

A. niger.

Rosmaufinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris

volatile

fatty acid status during

Toxiwlogy 32(4) 461464. oil

minimum montana,

a gavage

and periods of rest in an Intensive Care Unit An Indian

tested

on whether

study is being carried

evaluate the use of aromatherapy, massage

The has

of plant

Improvement:

the earthworm

of Satureja

and carcinogenicity

Deans S.G. et al. (1993) Promotional

ageing. A~16

activity.

group

0

effects

polyunsaturated

al., 1994).

oils

toxicity

and aubergine.

caliginosa, thus showing

Italian

apparent

profiles depending

Colletohichum

chemotype

zeylanicum essential

essential

the

solani, which

active. The T. jilzjolia was anethole-rich.

the

An

explain

cepivo,rum, which

the micro-organisms

vermicidal

could

or a dosed-feeding

Candida albicans, Cryptocuccs neformans

potential

results

to be active

and onion,

compounds

ocimenone

Alloloboflhora

in its dosed

out. were

coccodes and Alternaria

The Giza sample showed marked

the

and T.

minuta

et al., 1994).

infects

(14.9%)

identified. against

group

oils of Tug&s

fiZifoZiu for antifungal

were

identified. (9.3%)

activity

saturated

resulting

in the plasma, whereas

The

essential

acetate

Giza, camphor

of

effectively

and gavage

feeding did not.

out of a total of

a&ha-pinene of

St.

(12.3%)

limonene

the main constituents from

administration

group

from

bornyl

43 compounds

rats

mice)

findings that benzyl acetate has different

verbenone

camphor

(500m/kg

lOOOmg/kg

build-up

et al., 1994).

In

regimes

benzoic acid elimination,

at St.

by an Egyptian

Catherine,

sample

and

in C. nepeta.

(9.82%) The

in T. vulgaris; and

(11.07%)

pulegone

the daily

between

doses

were

the two feeding

and T. filifolia Lag. Food and Chemical Toxicology 33(2):

151-158.