Plants played an important role in the life of ancient people. They decorated homes, made ornaments, and were used for oiling and fumigating rooms. Throughout the African continent, people covered their skin with aromatic oils to protect it from heat and drying out, the Egyptians embalmed the dead, and the Greeks took them with them to the baths to cleanse the body. In the east, whole philosophical doctrines were created around the plant world. It was believed that only a knowledgeable person, morally and psychologically prepared, could practice herbal medicine. But science has been doing this relatively recently. The term “aromatherapy” was coined in the 1920s by the French chemical engineer Rene-Maurice Gattefosse. Despite the growing popularity of aromatherapy in the second half of the 20th century, there was little research in the medical literature until the 1990s. Since about that time, there has been a growing interest among scientists in studying the effects of aromas on the physiological and psychological state of a person. What is aromatherapy? — In complementary medicine, it is the use of the beneficial properties of plant essential oils to improve emotional, spiritual and physical well-being. Aromatherapy is good because it is inexpensive and non-invasive for patients. It can be performed with standard medical treatments, as well as with other additional procedures such as massage or acupuncture. Aromatherapy is used and considered beneficial for a wide range of conditions, from treating acne to relieving painful symptoms caused by radiation therapy for cancer. With the help of aromatherapy, specialists strive to improve the quality of life of patients, reduce their stress levels, reduce anxiety, pain, and nausea and vomiting. Recently, there has also been evidence of the effectiveness of essential oils to slow down the aging process. How does aromatherapy work? Essential oils released from plants contain volatile organic compounds that enter the body in several ways.:

• through indirect inhalation — when the patient breathes vapors in the air, for example, by spraying oils with an aroma diffuser or by placing drops on a cloth, paper or cotton wool;
• through direct inhalation — when the patient breathes directly through a special inhaler;
• through the skin — when essential oils are diluted and rubbed into the skin by massage or added to a bath, for example.

In the first two methods, the inhaled substance stimulates areas of the brain through olfactory receptors located in the olfactory epithelium of the nose. After inhalation, the receptors transmit a signal through a special pathway to the olfactory bulb, and from there to the subcortical centers (amygdala, etc.) and the cortical olfactory center of the brain (temporal region). As soon as the signal reaches the brain, neurotransmitters are released, which initiate a chain of biochemical reactions in the body. For example, certain odors can trigger the release of serotonin, which affects a person’s emotional state. In direct contact with the skin, essential oils easily penetrate through the integuments and quickly enter the systemic bloodstream. However, the skin can also absorb oils from the air. The receptors in it react to volatile substances, which also triggers a signaling pathway in the body.

The safety check of essential oils shows very few side effects and health risks. Most of them are approved by regulatory authorities such as the FDA or CE, however, marked “GRAS”, meaning that the substance is generally safe. It is not recommended by specialists to take or swallow large amounts of essential oils for other purposes. Possible negative effects (especially with prolonged exposure) include allergic reactions, hypersensitivity and irritability of the skin.

Anxiety and depression. Researchers from the charity Marie Curie Cancer Care (UK) investigated the effects of conventional massage and aromatic (using chamomile essential oil) on cancer patients. 103 patients participated. After two weeks of therapy, the subjects who received aromatic massage showed a significant decrease in anxiety. No such improvement was observed in patients who received regular massage. The study, which was jointly conducted by scientists from Iran, Norway and the United States, involved 90 elderly women with heart disease. One group received the usual treatment, and the second group also received an aromatic massage with lavender essential oil. The results showed that anxiety and depression levels decreased to a greater extent in the latter, as well as blood pressure and pulse rate returned to normal. Japanese researchers from Toyama University have been investigating the effects of the well—known Ayurvedic oil therapy shirodhara as a remedy for anxiety. They divided the volunteers into three groups, the first of which received shirodhara with sesame essential oil, the second — the same oil, but with the addition of lavender, the third was regarded as a control. The second group achieved a greater effect: participants noted a decrease in anxiety, an increase in leg temperature, a normalization of heart rate, and an altered state of consciousness. Scientists have concluded that shirodhara treatment using lavender essential oil can have a good psychophysiological effect. A systematic review of 12 studies conducted by specialists from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PRC) covered a total of 1,226 patients of both sexes aged 21 to 73 years. All participants received inhalation or massage aromatherapy in addition to the main treatment. Lavender essential oils were most often used, less often bergamot and, in particular, yuzu, petitgrain, cedar, rosehip and others. An analysis of studies has shown that aromatherapy, both in the form of inhalations and in the form of massage, was effective in relieving stress, anxiety and depression. Dream. A study by German scientists from the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim (Germany) has shown that dreams largely depend on the smells that a person inhales during the day or at night. It turned out that unpleasant odors, such as rotten eggs, can cause nightmares, but, for example, floral scents promote pleasant dreams, which ensures good sleep. In another study conducted by American scientists, 50 adult patients with cancer (acute myeloid leukemia) who complained of sleep problems underwent inhaled aromatherapy sessions. For three weeks, they inhaled essential oils of lavender, mint and chamomile through a diffuser. At the end of therapy, participants reported not only improved sleep quality, but also a lack of drowsiness during the day, decreased fatigue, depression, anxiety, as well as increased appetite and overall well-being. Pain. Aromatherapy has also proven itself in relieving pain. For example, scientists from Iran and Scotland performed aromatherapy and aromatic inhalation procedures on patients with burns. One group received massage with lavender and almond essential oils, the other group received inhalations with rose and lavender oils, and the third group was a control group. All three groups suffered approximately equally from pain, and also had equal indicators of anxiety levels. After the end of therapy, patients in the first and second groups showed a significant decrease in pain and anxiety, in contrast to the control group. Experts from the Universities of Hasettepe and Gazi (Turkey) have also found that aromatherapy massage with essential oils of rosemary, geranium, lavender, eucalyptus and chamomile can effectively reduce the level of neuropathic pain, often resulting from various diseases. Aging. Neurodegenerative diseases, in particular, Alzheimer’s disease, are most often diagnosed in people over 65 years of age. Disorders developing in the body can also be accompanied by other pathologies such as dementia, emotional instability, problems with speech and mobility, as well as other diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and others. In addition to pharmacological drugs, it is very important to have additional tools in your arsenal to maintain health and general well-being throughout your life. And although there is currently no cure for aging, scientists suggest that aromatherapy methods can help slow down the development of negative age-related changes. For example, Korean researchers have proven that lavender essential oil improves cognitive function in the elderly with Alzheimer’s, regulates emotions and reduces aggressive behavior. Scientists from Australia have found out that lemon balm oil has the same properties, in addition to lavender. But Russian, Malaysian and Australian experts have concluded that aromatherapy with essential oils of plants of the Jasnaceae family (peppermint, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender), coupled with the consumption of these herbs in food, can have a neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease. An analysis of studies has shown that the common components of these essential oils have an antioxidant effect, and they can also inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase, which increases the concentration of acetylcholine in the brain, which improves memory and learning functions in patients. In turn, Romanian and Moroccan scientists have identified the beneficial properties of Aleppo pine essential oil: aromatherapy reduced the accumulation of toxic beta-amyloids in the brains of mice, which had a positive effect on animal memory. Rejuvenation. Some essential oils have shown their effectiveness in reversing aging processes. A team of biologists from Italy and Bahrain studied various studies and found that bergamot oil can increase bone volume, reduce psoriatic plaques, increase collagen content in the skin and promote hair growth, but so far only in mice. One can only hope that in future studies, aromatherapy with bergamot will have the same effect on humans. In turn, dermatologists from the Royal Infirmary of Aberdeen conducted massage aromatherapy sessions for patients with alopecia areata (alopecia areata) for seven months. The volunteers were given essential oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender and cedar, as well as mixtures of jojoba and grape seeds. As a result, 44% of patients had noticeable hair growth. Interestingly, some scents can create the illusion of youth. Alan Hirsch, a well-known American neurologist and psychiatrist who has been studying the sense of smell and how odors affect health for decades, conducted a study to find a way to make women visually younger. During the experiment, the female volunteers applied different scents to the body: perfumes with essential oils of broccoli, banana, mint, lavender and others. But only the smell of red grapefruit had the desired effect. The men rated the women smelling this fragrance as about seven kilograms smaller and eight years younger than they actually were. However, as the author of the experiment notes, this effect only works on the female body.

Various other studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of aromatherapy in the treatment of neurological disorders, chronic renal failure, wounds, eczema, itching and etc. Reducing negative symptoms and conditions, including postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain during childbirth, urge to smoke and more. Based on all of the above, it can be concluded that aromatherapy can be very effective for improving mental and physical health, as well as for improving a person’s quality of life. Photo: shopify.com