JAPAN: Aromatherapy really works

Monica Dobie 02 August 2009

Cosmetics and natural oils producers will be able to commercially exploit new Japanese research suggesting that aromatherapy, the use of fragrant oils to promote health and well- being, does have scientific credibility in that certain scents really do decrease stress levels.

Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry is the first to find certain fragrances have the power to alter gene activity and blood chemistry in ways that can reduce stress levels in rats.

Akio Nakamura and his colleagues at the department of applied biological chemistry at the graduate school of agricultural and life science, University of Tokyo, along with researchers at Japanese food manufacturing company T. Hasegawa Co saw major changes in the blood and gene levels of stressed rodents that inhaled scents such as citrus, mango and lavender.

Linalool, a chemical compound with a floral scent found in teas and foods such as oranges, tomatoes and basil, returned stress-elevated levels of neutrophils and lymphocytes, key parts of the immune system, to near-normal levels.

Inhaling linalool also reduced the activity of more than 100 genes that go into overdrive in stressful situations.

The research study's abstract said: "Significant changes on the stress-induced variations were induced by inhalation in 115 gene expression levels. Of those, 109 genes were down-regulated whereas the remaining six were up-regulated."

It said the researchers had wanted to investigate anecdotal wisdom that such scents really did cause positive psychological effects: "It has been empirically known from ancient times that some odorants bring about psycho-physiological effects, such as sedative, stimulative, antistress, anti-inflammatory, and anticonvulsant effects; for example, an antidepressant effect is provided by lemon odour and a sleep-enhancing effect by valerian."

monica.dobie@uw-news.com

Comment:
I would be very grateful if you could publish more articles related to aromatherapy and its effect on pain.This article was quite knowledgeble, especially for my studies

Jain K Paul

Receive UWN's free weekly e-newsletters

Sponsored Article

Getting to net zero, one community at a time

University of Victoria staff

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation is a University of Victoria-led collaborative initiative that brings together over 40 partners, including Indigenous knowledge keepers and community leaders, to create innovative place-based solutions for energy system transformation.

Promoted by the University of Victoria.

Sponsored Article

Africa pays a premium for global climate change sluggishness

Stellenbosch University staff

Africa needs to stop paying the price for the rest of the world’s recalcitrance to act fast enough in response to the irrefutable conclusions that climate change is real and that the impact of global warming could be devasting, says Professor Guy Midgley, interim director of the School for Climate Studies at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Innovations to ensure energy savings in a hot, arid climate

UAE University staff

Researchers from the United Arab Emirates University have shown that the potential benefits of building energy savings and a cooler indoor environment, as well as improved cooling effect on air temperature at pedestrian level, strongly indicate that a cool roof with high solar reflectance and albedo is a promising strategy for buildings in regions with hot, arid climates.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.

Sponsored Article

A new global university ranking with an ethical mission

Aftab Dean

A new university ranking system aims to serve as a catalyst for positive transformation in higher education, ensuring that universities create an environment grounded in integrity and sustainability that inspires and supports students and staff in the development of novel solutions to global challenges.

Promoted by Globethics.net.

Sponsored Article

SDG progress report launches university into new territory

University of Pretoria staff

In the publication of its first progress report on its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the University of Pretoria is navigating new territory at the same time as it is acknowledging its clear stewardship role in protecting the environment and biodiversity.

Promoted by the University of Pretoria.