International Journal of Aromatherapy最新文献

This study presents the inhibitory activity of 31 essential oils tested by agar diffusion assay/aromatogramme on 658 vaginal microorganisms: 287 Candida albicans, 121 Escherichia coli, 114 Streptococcus group B (S. agalactiae), 80 Streptococcus group D (Enterococcus faecalis), 30 Staphylococcus aureus and 26 Staphylococcus epidermis.

Statistical analysis (reciprocal averaging) demonstrates high antimicrobial activity of certain essential oils: Coridothymus capitatus Reichb. (Spanish oregano), Cinnamomum zeylanicum Ness. (Ceylon cinnamon), Cinnamomum cassia Ness. (Chinese cinnamon), Thymus vulgaris L. (Thyme), Satureja hortensis L. (savory), Thymus serpyllum L. (creeping thyme) and Pinus pinaster Ait. (turpentine resin).

The agar diffusion assay/aromatogramme ensures a more effective aromatherapy treatment. A prescription with essential oils avoids over use of antibiotics. Furthermore, in some cases essential oils can be combined with antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases, giving faster and longer-lasting results.

Olfactory and visual effects of lavender fragrance and cut flower arrangements on cognitive performance of university students (34 females and 32 males) were examined by measuring their performance of completing a mental arithmetic task (calculating speed and calculating accuracy). For female participants, olfactory effects of the lavender fragrance tended to enhance calculating speed and calculating accuracy, and visual effects of the cut flower arrangements significantly improved calculating speed. For male participants, visual effects of the cut flower arrangements tended to improve calculating accuracy. The combined olfactory and visual treatment did not show positively additive effects to benefit cognitive performance for either gender.

Although research evidence does exist for many of the most common essential oils used in the relief of joint pain, stiffness and inflammation, the purpose of this paper is to outline a terrain-based approach to the aromatic treatment of rheumatic conditions – an approach that is defined by the principles of Oriental medicine. The purpose behind this is not to offer an alternative therapeutic methodology, but one that is complementary to that of science.

This study was designed to investigate the physical properties and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil hydrodistilled from leaves of Lippia multiflora (lippia oil) in order to develop the oil to a pharmaceutical standard. The values of the physical parameters of the oil were weight-per-millilitre: 0.8762 ± 0.0041 g, refractive index: 1.468 ± 0.001, optical rotation range: from +46.55° to +57.60°, residue on evaporation: 3.85 ± 0.96%, pH: 4.75 ± 0.24, kinematic viscosity: 5.46 ± 0.02 cSt and surface tension: 29.20 ± 0.04 dyn/cm at 28 °C. Lippia oil was soluble in 1 volume of ethanol (80%) at 28 °C, with the solution becoming opalescence on addition of 4 or more volumes of the ethanol. The oil is highly volatile at temperatures above 37.7 °C. While fungi were more susceptible to the lippia oil than bacteria, the oil was found to be more effective against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria, with clinical isolates showing more resistance than type strains. The potential application of the physical properties and antimicrobial activities of lippia oil in its formulation as a drug product is discussed.

Dermatophilosis is a bacterial infection of both animals and man that is difficult to treat. The potential of Allium sativum, Lavandula angustifolia and Thymus vulgaris essential oils as effective therapeutic agents was investigated in vitro using standard techniques. It was demonstrated that the essential oils were more effective than the standard povidone–iodine treatment. The results of this in vitro study are very promising with regards to possible treatment of dermatophilosis and form a sound basis for further research.

The chemical constituents of the volatile oil of mature flowering twigs of wild Hyptis swaveolens growing widely in northern India were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Forty one compounds consisting of 77.75% of the oil were identified. The major constituents of the oil were sabinene (14.18%), β-caryophyllene (12.52%), caryophyllene oxide (10.50%), abietatriene (6.42%), terpinen-4-ol (4.88%), limonene (4.42%), cis-sabinene hydrate (3.52%), spathulenol (3.14%), α-terpinolene (2.75%), β-pinene (2.42%), p-cymen-8-ol (1.76%), trans-sabinene hydrate (1.33%) and abietadiene (1.01%).

The discipline of aromatherapy appears to be based on a history of traditional use and anecdotal reports: there is unfortunately little scientific evidence for many of the claims made in aromatherapy. This is notable in the case of immune function, an area of common and clinically significant dysfunction. Starting with the commonly accepted views in the field of aromatherapy may provide further information on how investigations into the possible effects of essential oils on the immune system in humans may be directed. The aim of this study was to ascertain from the aromatherapy profession in Australia which essential oils are commonly recognised as having immune modulating properties, and how they may be utilised. Aromatherapy educators, as experts in their field, were chosen to respond in the form of a structured telephone survey. Almost half of the eleven respondents named tea tree as a prominent immune stimulating oil, while seven rated German chamomile as anti-inflammatory. Aside from that, there seemed to be limited consensus, and views of the aromatherapy educators did not always reflect the findings of the few published scientific studies. This lack of agreement and the paucity of studies outline the need for more research in this area.