Full Title: The effect of lavender oil on stress, bispectral index values, and needle insertion pain in volunteers.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether lavender oil aromatherapy can reduce the bispectral index (BIS) values and stress and decrease the pain of needle insertion in 30 volunteers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty (30) healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to 2 groups: the experimental group received oxygen with a face mask coated with lavender oil for 5 minutes, and the control group received oxygen through a face mask with no lavender oil for 5 minutes. The stress level (0=no stress, 10=maximum stress), BIS value, and pain intensity of needle insertion (0=no pain, 10=worst pain imaginable) were measured. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, sex, height, and weight between the two groups. Stress level, BIS value, and pain intensity of needle insertion before aromatherapy were similar between the two groups. However, the stress values (p<0.001) and BIS value (p<0.001) after aromatherapy were significantly reduced compared with the control. In addition, the pain intensity of needle insertion was significantly decreased after aromatherapy compared with the control (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Lavender aromatherapy in volunteers provided a significant decrease in the stress levels and in the BIS values. In addition, it significantly reduced the pain intensity of needle insertion.

J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Sep;17(9):823-6. Kim S, Kim HJ, Yeo JS, Hong SJ, Lee JM, Jeon Y. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.

The objective of this study is to determine the effects of 12 weeks of lavender aromatherapy on self-reported sleep and heart rate variability (HRV) in the midlife women with insomnia. Sixty-seven women aged 45-55 years, with a CPSQI (Chinese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) greater than 5, were recruited from communities in Taiwan. The experimental group (n = 34) received lavender inhalation, 20?min each time, twice per week, for 12 weeks, with a total of 24 times. The control group (n = 33) received health education program for sleep hygiene with no intervention. The study of HRV was analyzed by time- and frequency-domain methods. Significant decrease in mean heart rate (HR) and increases in SDNN (standard deviation of the normal-to-normal (NN) intervals), RMSDD (square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals), and HF (high frequency) of spectral powers analysis after lavender inhalation were observed in the 4th and 12th weeks of aromatherapy. The total CPSQI score of study subjects was significantly decreased in the experimental group (P < 0.001), while no significant difference was observed across the same time period (P =0.776) in the control group. Resting HR and HRV measurements at baseline 1 month and 3 months after allocation showed no significant difference between the experimental and control groups. The study demonstrated that lavender inhalation may have a persistent short-term effect on HRV with an increase in parasympathetic modulation. Women receiving aromatherapy experienced a significant improvement in sleep quality after intervention. However, lavender aromatherapy does not appear to confer benefit on HRV in the long-term follow up.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:740813. Chien LW, Cheng SL, Liu CF. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of aroma massage on constipation in advanced cancer patients. METHODS: This study employed a randomized control group pre- and post test design and included an aroma massage group, plain massage group, and control group. To evaluate the effect of aromatherapy, the degree of constipation was measured using a constipation assessment scale, severity level of constipation and the frequency of bowel movements. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed ranks test, Spearman's rho and ANOVA using SPSS program. RESULTS: The score of the constipation assessment scale of the aroma massage group was significantly lower than the control group. Apart from the improvement in bowel movements, the results showed significantly improved quality of life in physical and support domains of the aroma massage group. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest aroma massage can help to relieve constipation in patients with advanced cancer.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):37-43. Epub 2010 Jun 12. Lai TK, Cheung MC, Lo CK, Ng KL, Fung YH, Tong M, Yau CC. Department of Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, 2-10 Princess Margaret Hospital Road, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong, China. laitk@ha.org.hk

Episiotomy is the most common perineal incision in obstetric and midwifery. Nowadays alternative and complementary methods such as Aromatherapy using essential oils are established as an alternative therapy. This research was carried out to assess the effect of lavender oil in wound healing. This randomized control trial was conducted on 120 primiparous women with singleton pregnancy, without any acute and chronic disease and allergy who had undergone normal spontaneous vaginal delivery and episiotomy. They were randomly allocated in case and control groups. Case group received lavender oil and controls received povidone-iodine. Incision sites were assessed on the 10th day postpartum. 25 out of 60 women in lavender group and 17 mothers in control group had no pain (p = 0.06). There was no significant difference between two groups in surgery site complications. However, redness in lavender group was significantly less than controls (p < 0.001). This study suggests application of lavender essential oil instead of povidone-iodine for episiotomy wound care.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):50-3. Epub 2010 Jun 17. Vakilian K, Atarha M, Bekhradi R, Chaman R. Nursing and Midwifery College, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Tehran, Iran. swt_f@yahoo.com

Full title: Orange Interventions for Symptoms Associated With Dimethyl Sulfoxide During Stem Cell Reinfusions: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND:: For over 2 decades, oncology nurses at a regional comprehensive cancer center offered sliced oranges to patients during the reinfusion of autologous hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) to relieve symptoms associated with the preservative dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). OBJECTIVES:: This randomized pilot study examined feasibility and efficacy of sliced orange intervention (OI), orange aromatherapy intervention (OAI), or deep breathing (control) to address unpleasant adverse effects during HPC infusion. METHODS:: Orange intervention sniffed or tasted a quartered orange, OAI sniffed orange aromatherapy, and control took deep breaths. Perceived "symptom intensity" for tickle/cough urge, nausea, retching, and perceived "relief" were measured on 0- to 10-point numerical scales. RESULTS:: Sixty of 72 eligible patients consented to participate and were randomized to OI (n = 19), OAI (n = 23), or control (n =18). Study personnel successfully administered study procedures. Over the course of 2 bags of cells infused, the OI group reported significantly greater relief with the intervention (P = .032). Among participants less than 90 kg, OI group reported significantly lower symptom intensity (P = .012). CONCLUSIONS:: Results suggest a feasible protocol and potential efficacy of sliced oranges for treating symptoms associated with DMSO-preserved stem cells. Study procedures provide a tested protocol for future studies. Follow-up study is warranted to confirm these findings and evaluate other treatment options. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:: Oranges offer a simple, noninvasive intervention for relieving symptoms associated with DMSO preservative during autologous HPC infusion.

Cancer Nurs. 2011 Mar 2. Potter P, Eisenberg S, Cain KC, Berry DL. Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, University of Portland, Portland, Oregon (Dr Potter); Infusion Services, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, Washington (Mr Eisenberg); Department of Biostatistics and Office for Nursing Research, Seattle, Washington (Dr Cain); Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Berry).

AIM: To evaluate the effects of a new aromatherapy intervention introduced within an acute cancer care setting in the UK. BACKGROUND: Aromatherapy is a popular complementary therapy within oncology settings and is known to help relieve patients' anxiety. A new method of delivering aromatherapy to patients was adopted by a complementary therapy service at a UK hospital; aromasticks are similar in design to the Vicks® Vapour Inhaler®, with the intention of helping patients manage anxiety, nausea and sleep disturbance. DESIGN: A retrospective service evaluation. METHOD: Patients referred to the complementary therapy service were, if appropriate, offered an aromastick. If the offer was accepted patients' details were captured on an evaluation form. One week later the patients were followed up by a different therapist. Frequency of using the aromastick and perceived benefits were documented. A total of 160 patients were included in this evaluation. RESULTS: 77% (n = 123) of all patients reported deriving at least one benefit from the aromastick. In anxious patients, 65% reported feeling more relaxed and 51% felt less stress. 47% of nauseous patients said that the aromastick had settled their nausea and 55% of those experiencing sleep disturbances felt that aromastick helped them sleep. The results also suggest that the effects of the aromastick may be directly proportional to the frequency of their use. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Evidence demonstrating physiological changes associated with aroma inhalation plus the data presented in this paper highlight the potential for aromasticks within the clinical setting. Although the results of this evaluation of patient perspectives are not controlled, the data does underline the worth of further investigation. Future research is needed to show that aromasticks represent a tool patients can use to self-manage their own symptoms and help them retain an internal locus of control.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 May;17(2):116-21. Stringer J, Donald G. The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, United Kingdom. jacqui.stringer@christie.nhs.uk

This study investigated the potential for the aromas of the essential oils of Salvia species to affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. Research has demonstrated that orally administered Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia are capable of modulating cognition and mood. The active compounds in the herbal products might also be present in the aromas and so produce similar effects. In an independent groups design, three conditions, S. officinalis aroma, S. lavandulaefolia aroma and no aroma were employed. One hundred and thirty-five healthy volunteers acted as participants, with 45 in each condition. Cognitive performance was assessed via the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) System. Bond-Lader mood scales measured the participants' mood on three dimensions before and after the cognitive tasks. Data analysis revealed that the S. officinalis aroma group performed significantly better than the control group on the quality of memory and secondary memory primary outcome factors from the test battery. The Alert mood measure displayed significant differences between both aromas and the control condition. These findings suggest that the aromas of essential oils of Salvia species reproduce some but not all of the effects found following oral herb administration, and that interesting dissociations occur between subjective and objective responses.

Hum Psychopharmacol. 2010 Jul;25(5):388-96. Moss L, Rouse M, Wesnes KA, Moss M. Department of Psychology, Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

Full Title: A systematic review on the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy on rodents under experimentally induced anxiety models.

PURPOSE: We reviewed studies from 1999 to 2009 on anxiolytic effects of different essential oils toward rodents in anxiety-related behavioral models. METHOD: Journal papers that evaluated the anxiolytic effects of essential oils for rodents were extracted from available electronic data bases. RESULTS: The results based on 14 studies showed that different rodent species were recruited including ICR mice and Swiss mice. Most of studies applied the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) as the animal behavioral model. Lavender oil was the most popular within the 14 studies. Lavender and rose oils were found to be effective in some of the studies. Only one study reported the underlying neurophysiological mechanism in terms of concentrations of emotionally related neuro-transmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and their derivatives, in various brain regions. CONCLUSION: Some essential oils are found to be effective to induce anxiolytic effect in rodents under different animal anxiety models. However, more standardized experimental procedures and outcome measures are needed in future studies. Translational research to human subjects is also recommended.

Rev Neurosci. 2010;21(2):141-52. Tsang HW, Ho TY. Neuropsychiatric Rehabilitation Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Honk Kong. rshtsang@inet.polyu.edu.hk

Lavenders and their essential oils have been used in alternative medicine for several centuries. The volatile compounds that comprise lavender essential oils, including linalool and linalyl acetate, have demonstrative therapeutic properties, and the relative abundance of these metabolites is greatly influenced by the genetics and environment of the developing plants. With the rapid progress of molecular biology and the genomic sciences, our understanding of essential oil biosynthesis has greatly improved over the past few decades. At the same time, there is a recent surge of interest in the use of natural remedies, including lavender essential oils, in alternative medicine and aromatherapy. This article provides a review of recent developments related to the biosynthesis and medicinal properties of lavender essential oils.

Planta Med. 2011 Jan;77(1):7-15. Woronuk G, Demissie Z, Rheault M, Mahmoud S. Irving K. Barber School of Arts & Sciences Unit 2, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada.

Olfactory stimuli are used in aromatherapy to enhance mood, well-being and work efficiency. Nevertheless, the impact of fragrances on cognitive performance in humans is not well understood. The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of 1,8-cineol, jasmine absolute ether, linalyl acetate and peppermint essential oil on human vigilance performance. The odorants were administered by means of inhalation and, except for peppermint essential oil, were tested at 2 different dosages. Performance in a standard visual vigilance task was measured in terms of speed and accuracy and subjective ratings of the odorants were assessed in terms of pleasantness, intensity, arousal and stress. We hypothesized that 1,8-cineol, jasmine absolute ether and peppermint essential oil would improve vigilance performance, whereas linalyl acetate would impair such performance. Comparison of the performances of the seven independent experimental groups with that of a control group did not show any of the expected effects. In contrast, inhalation of linalyl acetate decreased reaction times. Within-group analyses, however, revealed significant interactions between subjective ratings of the odorants and task performance. The results of the present investigation emphasize the high impact of subjective factors on the modulation of attentional functions by olfactory stimuli in humans.

Nat Prod Commun. 2010 Sep;5(9):1441-6. Heuberger E, Ilmberger J. Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Diagnostics, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria. eva.heuberger@univie.ac.at

In concert with growing public interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), these therapies and products have been increasingly studied over the past two decades for the treatment of sleep disorders. While systematic reviews have been conducted on acupuncture and valerian in the treatment of insomnia, to date no comprehensive review has been conducted on all major CAM treatments. We sought to address this via a rigorous systematic review of hypnotic CAM interventions, including herbal and nutritional medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, tai chi, massage, aromatherapy and homoeopathy. The electronic databases MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, PsycINFO, and The Cochrane Library were accessed during late 2009 for CAM randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the treatment of chronic insomnia. Sixty-four RCTs were identified, of which 20 studies involving eight CAM interventions met final inclusion criteria. Effect size calculations (where possible) and a quality control analysis using a modified Jadad scale were undertaken. Many RCTs lacked methodological rigor, and were commonly excluded due to small sample size or an inadequate control condition. Among the studies that met inclusion criteria, there was evidentiary support in the treatment of chronic insomnia for acupressure (d=1.42-2.12), tai chi (d=0.22-2.15), yoga (d=0.66-1.20), mixed evidence for acupuncture and L-tryptophan, and weak and unsupportive evidence for herbal medicines such as valerian. Surprisingly, studies involving several mainstream CAM therapies (e.g., homoeopathy, massage, or aromatherapy) were not located or did not meet basic inclusion criteria. If CAM interventions are to be considered as viable stand-alone or adjuvant treatments for sleep disorders, future researchers are urged to use acceptable methodology, including appropriate sample sizes and adequate controls. RCTs evaluating other untested CAM therapies such as massage, homoeopathy, or osteopathy are encouraged, as is the exploration of using CAM therapies adjuvantly with conventional therapies.

Sleep Med Rev. 2010 Jun 5. Sarris J, Byrne GJ. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, 130 Church St. Richmond 3121, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, 400 Burwood Rd, Hawthom 3123, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind. It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties viz. German Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Essential oils of chamomile are used extensively in cosmetics and aromatherapy. Many different preparations of chamomile have been developed, the most popular of which is in the form of herbal tea consumed more than one million cups per day. In this review we describe the use of chamomile in traditional medicine with regard to evaluating its curative and preventive properties, highlight recent findings for its development as a therapeutic agent promoting human health.

Mol Med Report. 2010 Nov 1;3(6):895-901. Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Department of Urology & Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.

Full Title: Effects of aromatherapy on changes in the autonomic nervous system, aortic pulse wave velocity and aortic augmentation index in patients with essential hypertension.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on blood pressure, heart rate variability, aortic pulse wave velocity and the aortic augmentation index of essential hypertensive patients. METHODS: Using a coin toss, 22 participants were assigned to the experimental group and 20 to the control. The experimental group was given a blend of oils of lemon (Citrus limonum), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) which were prepared in the ratio of 2:2:1, respectively. The control group was given an artificial lemon fragrance of Limonene (35 cc) and Citral (15 cc) mixture. The experiment, inhalation, was conducted for 3 weeks (2 min per inhalation, 2 times per day) to both groups. RESULTS: There was a noticeable difference in systolic blood pressure between the groups (p=.001), however the difference in diastolic blood pressure between the two groups was not significant. There was a notable difference in sympathetic nerve system activity of heart rate variability (p=.047). However, the differences in aortic pulse wave velocity or the aortic augmentation index were not significant. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy is effective in lowering systolic blood pressure and sympathetic nerve system activity.

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2010 Oct;40(5):705-13. [Article in Korean] Cha JH, Lee SH, Yoo YS. Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) on the use of aromatherapy during labour as a care option that could improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. DESIGN: RCT comparing aromatherapy with standard care during labour. SETTING: District general maternity unit in Italy. SAMPLE: Two hundred and fifty-one women randomised to aromatherapy and 262 controls. METHODS: Participants randomly assigned to administration of selected essential oils during labour by midwives specifically trained in their use and modes of application. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intrapartum outcomes were the following: operative delivery, spontaneous delivery, first- and second-stage augmentation, pharmacological pain relief, artificial rupture of membranes, vaginal examinations, episiotomy, labour length, neonatal wellbeing (Apgar scores) and transfer to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). RESULTS: There were no significant differences for the following outcomes: caesarean section (relative risk [RR] 0.99, 95% CI: 0.70-1.41), ventouse (RR 1.5, 95% CI: 0.31-7.62), Kristeller manoeuvre (RR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.64-1.48), spontaneous vaginal delivery (RR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.75-1.3), first-stage augmentation (RR 1.01, 95% CI: 0.83-1.4) and second-stage augmentation (RR 1.18, 95% CI: 0.82-1.7). Significantly more babies born to control participants were transferred to NICU, 0 versus 6 (2%), P = 0.017. Pain perception was reduced in aromatherapy group for nulliparae. The study, however, was underpowered. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that it is possible to undertake an RCT using aromatherapy as an intervention to examine a range of intrapartum outcomes, and it provides useful information for future sample size calculations.

BJOG. 2007 Jul;114(7):838-44. Epub 2007 May 16. Burns E, Zobbi V, Panzeri D, Oskrochi R, Regalia A. School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. eburns@brookes.ac.uk

OBJECTIVE: Behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) are common and distressing to both patients and carers. The use of antipsychotics to treat BPSD is associated with a high burden of side-effects and alternative strategies are required. Aromatherapy is an option that has been recommended for use in dementia. We aimed to review the evidence supporting the use of aromatherapy in BPSD. METHODS: We searched Medline, Cochrane and EMBASE for randomised controlled trials of aromatherapy in patients with dementia. RESULTS: Eleven prospective randomised studies of aromatherapy in BPSD were identified. The aromatherapy oils tested, method of administration and outcome measures used varied widely across the studies. Most of the studies included very small numbers of patients and were designed in such a way that made interpretation of the findings difficult. CONCLUSION: Data supporting the efficacy of aromatherapy are scarce; available studies reported positive and negative consequences for both people with dementia and their carers. The side-effect profile of commonly used oils is virtually unexplored. Although a potentially useful treatment for BPSD, the expectations of clinicians and patients with respect to the efficacy and tolerability of conventional medicines should equally apply to aromatherapy.

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2008 Apr;23(4):337-46. Nguyen QA, Paton C. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Dartford, Kent, UK. Quynh-Anh.Nguyen@oxleas.nhs.uk

Full Title: Expectancies, not aroma, explain impact of lavender aromatherapy on psychophysiological indices of relaxation in young healthy women

OBJECTIVES: In aromatherapy, lavender aroma is reputed to assist with relaxation. However, while there is much anecdotal evidence to that effect, the empirical literature is very inconsistent. Failure to employ adequate placebos, proper blinding, objective measures, or screening of prior beliefs about aromatherapy means that many previous findings could have been influenced by expectancy biases. The present study sought to establish whether lavender aroma and/or expectancies affect post-stress relaxation. DESIGN: A double-blind, 3 (aroma) x 3 (instruction) x 10 (time in minutes) mixed-factorial placebo-controlled trial. METHOD: In a laboratory, 96 healthy undergraduate women were exposed to lavender, placebo, or no aroma during physiologically assessed relaxation after an arousing cognitive task. Where an aroma was presented, an instructional priming procedure was used to manipulate participants' expectancies about the aroma's likely impact on their ability to relax. RESULTS: Results showed no effect of aroma on galvanic skin response during relaxation. However, the nature of instructional prime was associated with relaxation patterns: when expecting the aroma to inhibit them, participants relaxed more; when expecting facilitation, participants relaxed less. The effect was not seen with regard to self-reported relaxation (as represented by changes in state anxiety) and was independent of ratings of attitudes towards aromatherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings imply that the previous associations of lavender aroma with assisted relaxation may have been influenced by expectancy biases, and that the relevant expectancies are easily manipulable.

Br J Health Psychol. 2008 Nov;13(Pt 4):603-17. Epub 2007 Sep 7. Howard S, Hughes BM. National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

Preoperative anxiety is prevalent in surgical patients who may require anxiety medications, thus impacting preoperative teaching and patient satisfaction. No studies were found in a comprehensive search on the effect of essential oils on anxiety in the preoperative setting. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate whether the essential oil lavandin is more effective than standard care in reducing preoperative anxiety. A convenience sample of 150 adult patients were randomly assigned to either control (standard care), experimental (standard care plus essential oil lavandin), or sham (standard care plus jojoba oil) groups. Visual analog scales were used to assess anxiety on admission and OR transfer. Controlling for baseline anxiety and pain, the lavandin group had significantly lower anxiety on OR transfer, suggesting that lavandin is a simple, low-risk, cost-effective intervention with the potential to improve preoperative outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. Future studies should test the effects of lavandin in the postoperative phase and in specific populations with documented high anxiety.

J Perianesth Nurs. 2009 Dec;24(6):348-55. Braden R, Reichow S, Halm MA. United Hospital, St Paul, MN, USA.

OBJECTIVES: To review the effect of lavender scent on anticipatory anxiety in dental participants. METHODS: In a cluster randomized-controlled trial, patients' (N = 340) anxiety was assessed while waiting for a scheduled dental appointment, either under the odor of lavender or with no odor. Current anxiety, assessed by the brief State Trait Anxiety Indicator (STAI-6), and generalized dental anxiety, assessed by the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) were examined. RESULTS: Analyses of variance (anovas) showed that although both groups showed similar, moderate levels of generalized dental anxiety (MDAS F((1,338)) = 2.17, P > 0.05) the lavender group reported significantly lower current anxiety (STAI: F((1,338)) = 74.69, P < 0.001) than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Although anxiety about future dental visits seems to be unaffected, lavender scent reduces state anxiety in dental patients.

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2010 Feb;38(1):83-7. Epub 2009 Nov 23. Kritsidima M, Newton T, Asimakopoulou K. King's College London, Dental Institute, Denmark Hill, London, UK.

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of aromatherapy on stress and stress responses in adolescents. METHODS: A two-group cross-over design was used for this study. The experimental treatment was aroma essential oil inhalation and the placebo treatment was carrier oil inhalation using a necklace. The sample included 36 female high school students. Fisher's exact test, t-test, and paired t-test using SPSS/WIN program were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Stress levels were significantly lower when the students received the aroma treatment compared to when they received the placebo treatment. The stress responses except salivary IgA levels were significantly lower when the students received the aroma treatment. CONCLUSION: Aroma inhalation could be a very effective stress management method for high school students. Therefore, it is recommended that this program be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for high school students.

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2009 Jun;39(3):357-65. Seo JY. Department of Nursing, Youngnam Foreign Language College, Gyeongsan, Korea. marseo@hanmail.net

OBJECTIVE: Recently, the importance of non-pharmacological therapies for dementia has come to the fore. In the present study, we examined the curative effects of aromatherapy in dementia in 28 elderly people, 17 of whom had Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: After a control period of 28 days, aromatherapy was performed over the following 28 days, with a wash out period of another 28 days. Aromatherapy consisted of the use of rosemary and lemon essential oils in the morning, and lavender and orange in the evening. To determine the effects of aromatherapy, patients were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Gottfries, Brane, Steen scale (GBSS-J), Functional Assessment Staging of Alzheimer's disease (FAST), a revised version of Hasegawa's Dementia Scale (HDS-R), and the Touch Panel-type Dementia Assessment Scale (TDAS) four times: before the control period, after the control period, after aromatherapy, and after the washout period. RESULTS: All patients showed significant improvement in personal orientation related to cognitive function on both the GBSS-J and TDAS after therapy. In particular, patients with AD showed significant improvement in total TDAS scores. Result of routine laboratory tests showed no significant changes, suggesting that there were no side-effects associated with the use of aromatherapy. Results from Zarit's score showed no significant changes, suggesting that caregivers had no effect on the improved patient scores seen in the other tests. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we found aromatherapy an efficacious non-pharmacological therapy for dementia. Aromatherapy may have some potential for improving cognitive function, especially in AD patients.

Psychogeriatrics. 2009 Dec;9(4):173-9. Jimbo D, Kimura Y, Taniguchi M, Inoue M, Urakami K. Department of Biological Regulation, School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil (Jasminum sambac L., Oleaceae) on humans. Human autonomic parameters, i.e. blood pressure, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, breathing rate, and skin temperature, were recorded as indicators of the arousal level of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, subjects had to rate their emotional condition in terms of relaxation, vigor, calmness, attentiveness, mood, and alertness in order to assess subjective behavioral arousal. Forty healthy volunteers participated in the experiments. Jasmine oil was applied topically to the skin of the abdomen of each subject. Compared with placebo, jasmine oil caused significant increases of breathing rate, blood oxygen saturation, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which indicated an increase of autonomic arousal. At the emotional level, subjects in the jasmine oil group rated themselves as more alert, more vigorous and less relaxed than subjects in the control group. This finding suggests an increase of subjective behavioral arousal. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the stimulating/activating effect of jasmine oil and provide evidence for its use in aromatherapy for the relief of depression and uplifting mood in humans.

Hongratanaworakit T. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Rangsit-Ongkharak Road, Nakhonnayok 26120, Thailand. tapanee@swu.ac.th

We examined how aromatherapy massage influenced psychologic and immunologic parameters in 12 breast cancer patients in an open semi-comparative trial. We compared the results 1 month before aromatherapy massage as a waiting control period with those during aromatherapy massage treatment and 1 month after the completion of aromatherapy sessions. The patients received a 30 min aromatherapy massage twice a week for 4 weeks (eight times in total). The results showed that anxiety was reduced in one 30 min aromatherapy massage in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test and also reduced in eight sequential aromatherapy massage sessions in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) test. Our results further suggested that aromatherapy massage ameliorated the immunologic state. Further investigations are required to confirm the anxiolytic effect of aromatherapy in breast cancer patients.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Mar;6(1):123-8. Imanishi J, Kuriyama H, Shigemori I, Watanabe S, Aihara Y, Kita M, Sawai K, Nakajima H, Yoshida N, Kunisawa M, Kawase M, Fukui K. Department of Microbiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. imanishi-micro@nifty.com.