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Applied Psychology. Health and... May 2022Modern society is reviving the practice of aromatherapy, and lavender is reported being the most worldwide purchased plant for essential oil (EO) extraction. Since... (Review)
Review
Modern society is reviving the practice of aromatherapy, and lavender is reported being the most worldwide purchased plant for essential oil (EO) extraction. Since recent studies reported cognitive enhancing effects of lavender besides the hypno-inducing effects, a literature review is needed. Considering EO quality and diffusion devices, we conducted a systematic review on the effects of lavender EO inhalation on arousal, attention and memory in healthy subjects. Starting from this new multidisciplinary perspective, cognitive effects were reviewed to link outcomes to effective and reproducible protocols. A systematic search on MEDLINE, ERIC, PsycInfo, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases using Cognitive Atlas and plant-related keywords was conducted. Among the 1,203 articles yielded, 11 met eligibility criteria. Subjects administered with lavender EO displayed arousal decrease and sustained attention increase. Controversial results emerged regarding memory. Lack of EO quality assessment and protocols heterogeneity did not allow assessing whether different EO composition differentially modulates cognition and whether placebo effect can be discerned from EO effect itself. However, GABAergic pathway modulation exerted by linalool, a major lavender EO constituent, might explain cognitive functions empowerment. We speculate aromatherapy could be a burgeoning cognition enhancing tool, although further investigation is required to reach robust conclusions.
Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Aromatherapy; Cognition; Humans; Lavandula; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 34611999
DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12310 -
Evidence-based Complementary and... 2017. Depression is one of the greatest health concerns affecting 350 million people globally. Aromatherapy is a popular CAM intervention chosen by people with depression.... (Review)
Review
. Depression is one of the greatest health concerns affecting 350 million people globally. Aromatherapy is a popular CAM intervention chosen by people with depression. Due to the growing popularity of aromatherapy for alleviating depressive symptoms, in-depth evaluation of the evidence-based clinical efficacy of aromatherapy is urgently needed. . This systematic review aims to provide an analysis of the clinical evidence on the efficacy of aromatherapy for depressive symptoms on any type of patients. . A systematic database search was carried out using predefined search terms in 5 databases: AMED, CINHAL, CCRCT, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Outcome measures included scales measuring depressive symptoms levels. . Twelve randomized controlled trials were included and two administration methods for the aromatherapy intervention including inhaled aromatherapy (5 studies) and massage aromatherapy (7 studies) were identified. Seven studies showed improvement in depressive symptoms. . The quality of half of the studies included is low, and the administration protocols among the studies varied considerably. Different assessment tools were also employed among the studies. . Aromatherapy showed potential to be used as an effective therapeutic option for the relief of depressive symptoms in a wide variety of subjects. Particularly, aromatherapy massage showed to have more beneficial effects than inhalation aromatherapy.
PubMed: 28133489
DOI: 10.1155/2017/5869315 -
Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing Jun 2022The purpose of this systematic review was to examine aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women, and to determine the effectiveness of these... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women, and to determine the effectiveness of these interventions on fatigue.
METHODS
Six national and international databases were reviewed to retrieve and collect studies published up to September 7, 2021, describing randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials of aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women's fatigue. Of the 323 articles initially identified, 64 duplicates were excluded and 259 were screened. After further excluding 216 articles not related to PICO framework, 10 were selected for review. Two reviewers independently selected studies and conducted data extraction and quality appraisal using Cochran's Risk of Bias and Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies.
RESULTS
The quality of the 10 selected studies was overall satisfactory. A meta-analysis of three studies showed that aromatherapy with lavender oil? produced a 0.75-point reduction in postnatal mothers' fatigue when compared to control groups. Sleep quality was also analyzed as a secondary outcome of fatigue. A meta-analysis of four studies using lavender and/or orange peel oil found that aromatherapy produced a 0.98-point improvement in postnatal mothers' quality of sleep. Although a meta-analysis could not be conducted to synthesize the findings for fatigue in pregnant women, inhalation and massage therapy using lavender oil showed positive effects on prenatal fatigue and sleep quality.
CONCLUSION
Aromatherapy using lavender oil and orange peel oil is effective in improving prenatal and postnatal fatigue and sleep quality.
PubMed: 36312866
DOI: 10.4069/kjwhn.2022.05.15 -
The International Journal of... Mar 2014Smokeable herbal mixtures containing synthetic agonists of cannabinoid receptors, known under brand names such as Spice, K2 and Kronic, represent a relatively new type... (Review)
Review
Smokeable herbal mixtures containing synthetic agonists of cannabinoid receptors, known under brand names such as Spice, K2 and Kronic, represent a relatively new type of designer psychoactive drugs that has recently emerged on the recreational drug market. Although the Spice packages are labelled 'not for human consumption' or 'for aromatherapy only' and declared to be purely herbal, these herbal mixtures produce cannabis-like effects after smoking. This review surveys the current state of knowledge regarding the pharmacological properties of synthetic cannabimimetics and the prevalence and pattern of their use. Special emphasis is given to the negative consequences of using these products, including, among others, hallucinations, psychoses with delusions, seizures, cardiovascular symptoms and acute kidney injury.
Topics: Cannabinoids; Cannabis; Designer Drugs; Humans; Marijuana Abuse
PubMed: 24169044
DOI: 10.1017/S1461145713001247 -
The Journal of Chiropractic Education Mar 2023Test anxiety is a debilitating disorder that can impair cognitive performance and affect academic success. Aromatherapy is commonly used for relaxation therapy. The...
OBJECTIVE
Test anxiety is a debilitating disorder that can impair cognitive performance and affect academic success. Aromatherapy is commonly used for relaxation therapy. The primary aim of the study was to determine if nasal inhaler aromatherapy, utilizing a blend of rosemary and lavender essential oils, could be a useful strategy to reduce testing anxiety in students.
METHODS
This study recruited first trimester chiropractic students enrolled in both Neuroanatomy I and Biochemistry I. A randomized crossover design was utilized over 2 study days during final exams, with a 2-day wash-out period. Participants were randomly assigned into groups based on results of test anxiety analysis. On each day, students were given a nasal inhaler with either an aromatherapy blend of lavender and rosemary essential oils or distilled water as the control. Students completed pretest surveys and posttest surveys to rate their anxiety levels. Paired sample t-tests were performed to determine group differences in test anxiety. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were conducted.
RESULTS
Forty-five students were randomly assigned into the study, whereas only 38 completed per-protocol. Between group comparisons showed no statistically significant difference between change in anxiety scores between aromatherapy and control for both intention-to-treat (p =.10) and per-protocol (p =.07).
CONCLUSION
Use of personal inhalers and aromatherapy diffusers were not shown to reduce test anxiety in a chiropractic population under high-stakes examination. Other options should be explored for future research.
PubMed: 36306254
DOI: 10.7899/JCE-21-44 -
Journal of Physical Therapy Science Jul 2022[Purpose] Inhalational aromatherapy using lavender essential oil or essence is known to alleviate pain and anxiety during rehabilitation. However, the effects remain...
[Purpose] Inhalational aromatherapy using lavender essential oil or essence is known to alleviate pain and anxiety during rehabilitation. However, the effects remain unclear in individuals who are unaware of their pain and anxiety. In this study, we investigated the effects of lavender aromatherapy during sleep in females who did not experience pain or anxiety. [Participants and Methods] The study included 24 healthy females who were randomly allocated to control and aromatherapy groups. The control group used skin patches without aroma, and the aromatherapy group used lavender aroma-infused skin patches for seven consecutive nights. Psychological and physiological indices were measured before, during, and after the intervention. [Results] The lavender aroma-infused skin patches ameliorated a negative mood associated with fatigue and anxiety. However, neither group showed a change in pulse rate and salivary cortisol concentration upon waking. Furthermore, no significant intergroup difference was observed in sleep quality. [Conclusion] Lavender aromatherapy during sleep improved a negative mood associated with fatigue and anxiety in females who did not experience pain and anxiety; however, physiological indices remained unaffected.
PubMed: 35784602
DOI: 10.1589/jpts.34.503 -
Iranian Journal of Immunology : IJI Jun 2024Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes a wide range of treatments that are gaining acceptance among the public. It is increasingly being recognized as a... (Review)
Review
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes a wide range of treatments that are gaining acceptance among the public. It is increasingly being recognized as a viable option for treating various diseases with minimal side effects. Common avenues of this therapy include herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy, dietary therapy, and homeopathy etc. Macrophages are highly heterogeneous cells that play multiple regulatory roles. Practices such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy and dietary therapy exert curative effects by modulating the polarization status and the secretory phenotype of macrophages directly. Furthermore, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and physical exercise influence the crosstalk between macrophages and other types of cells, including cancer cells and T cells. Mechanistically, herbal medicine and acupuncture produce curative effects in diverse diseases, including inflammatory diseases and tumors, mainly by influencing the phosphorylation of signaling proteins in macrophages. Therefore, targeting macrophages offers theoretical support for advancing the scientific understanding of this therapy and aids in identifying potential therapeutic options. Hence, in this review, we systematically summarize the different regulations of macrophages in herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy, dietary therapy and homeopathy, and further highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting macrophages in complementary and alternative medicine.
Topics: Humans; Macrophages; Complementary Therapies; Animals; Translational Research, Biomedical; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38770552
DOI: 10.22034/iji.2024.99943.2668 -
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2021Stroke is the second largest cause of death worldwide, causing disease with long-term consequences and considerable healthcare costs. The application of new nursing... (Review)
Review
Stroke is the second largest cause of death worldwide, causing disease with long-term consequences and considerable healthcare costs. The application of new nursing interventions aimed at reducing distressing behaviors and at increasing patient comfort is an important part of the care and, until now, there are no defined guidelines. Aromatherapy has been demonstrated to be efficient in several other neurological disorders for the treatment of somatic and emotional diseases and to promote patient health. In the management of stroke patients, aromatherapy is still in its infancy. The first evidence coming from animal models demonstrated a consistent and reliable neuroprotective effect in reducing cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. In the last few years, some preliminary data being to be collected in humans revealed significant influence in reducing patients' pain and emotional distress. In this perspective study, we sought to summarize, for the first time, the main findings emerging from this new field of study, discussing the future opportunities to be translated into primary care practice.
PubMed: 34955776
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.749353 -
Ochsner Journal 2018During the perioperative period for otolaryngologic surgical cases, complications and delays can occur as the result of anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting. Conventional... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
During the perioperative period for otolaryngologic surgical cases, complications and delays can occur as the result of anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting. Conventional methods used to treat these symptoms include medications that can be expensive and invasive or that can cause adverse effects. Because of the concerns about opioid use in the United States, providers might want to consider using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as adjunctive or primary treatment plans.
METHODS
To assess the current knowledge about the clinical effectiveness of CAM for patients undergoing otolaryngologic procedures, we searched the literature using MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar. We excluded studies published prior to 1990 and articles about surgeries that were unrelated to otolaryngology.
RESULTS
An analysis of the selected studies revealed that CAM therapies-acupuncture, aromatherapy, hypnosis, and music therapy-have been shown to be effective at reducing preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and postoperative nausea and vomiting. No adverse side effects were associated with CAM use in these studies.
CONCLUSION
The use of CAM in patients undergoing otolaryngologic surgeries may relieve common perioperative symptoms. While further study is warranted, otolaryngology providers might consider implementing CAM with patients electing surgery.
PubMed: 30275790
DOI: 10.31486/toj.18.0014 -
Evidence-based Complementary and... 2022Fatigue is a common symptom in adults that may cause physical and psychological problems and reduce quality of life. Aromatherapy could possibly provide relief for those... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Fatigue is a common symptom in adults that may cause physical and psychological problems and reduce quality of life. Aromatherapy could possibly provide relief for those suffering from fatigue. Here, we evaluated the effect of aromatherapy on fatigue in adults.
METHODS
We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature, SinoMed, Wanfang, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database databases for randomized controlled trials of aromatherapy treatment for fatigue in adults from their inception to June 2021. Two reviewers searched independently, extracted the characteristics of the studies, and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and Stata v. 14.0.
RESULTS
Nineteen studies were included in this systematic review. Aromatherapy had a significant effect on fatigue (standardized mean difference -0.64, 95% confidence interval-1.14, -0.15, I 94.4%, < 0.001). Subgroup analysis according to aromatic type, substance, frequency, treatment duration, intervention, outcomes measurement, and population type showed that aromatherapy had a significantly greater effect in the intervention group, compared to the control group. Funnel plots and Egger's test indicated no significant publication bias.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that aromatherapy ameliorates fatigue in adults who suffer from chronic diseases. A rigorous intervention program and larger randomized controlled trials are needed.
PubMed: 35463087
DOI: 10.1155/2022/1141411