TAKARA BELMONT announces research results on the effects of 8 essential oils on the autonomic nervous system at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Physiological Anthropology
~ The effects of smelling the same scent differ depending on the palatability and the state of the autonomic nervous system ~
TAKARA BELMONT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City Central Rise into beauty, Walk into life. deals with commercial equipment, cosmetics, and space design for barbers, beauty salons, esthetic salons, dental clinics, and medical clinics Ward, Chairman and President: Hidetaka Yoshikawa), the effect on the autonomic nervous system by smelling the scent of essential oils differs depending on the individual's preference for the scent and the state of the autonomic nervous system. We found that the way the differences are affected is different. This research presentation was presented at the poster session at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Physiological Anthropology (October 29-31, 2021, held online).
Focusing on the influence of individual differences in taste and autonomic nervous system on the effects of scent inhalation Essential oils are known to have not only psychological effects but also physiological effects, and many have been reported. research has been conducted. However, there are few examples of verifying the effects of multiple types of essential oils on the same subject. In addition, since the taste of fragrance differs from person to person, and the state of the autonomic nervous system is not always constant even for the same person, we thought that these differences would affect the effect of inhaling the scent.
Therefore, subjects in their 20s to 50s were targeted, and changes in autonomic nerves and psychological states that occurred when eight types of essential oils were inhaled were measured. As a result of analyzing the obtained data based on individual differences in scent preference and autonomic nervous state, differences were observed in how individual differences affect the type of scent.
As an example, we will introduce the verification results for the scent of two types (marjoram and geranium) out of eight types of essential oil experiments.
■ Marjoram: The effect differs depending on the taste of the fragrance.
Focusing on CVI, an index of parasympathetic nerve activity, when inhaling the scent of marjoram essential oil, CVI increased in the group of subjects with a high preference for scents (Like group), and increased in the group of subjects with a low preference for scents (Unlike group). A decreasing trend was observed. In addition, there was a correlation between preference and the amount of change in CVI. In addition, the Like group showed an improvement in "stability" in the psychological index. In other words, the higher the preference for the scent of marjoram, the more activation of the parasympathetic nerves and the relaxation effect can be expected.
■ Geranium: The effect differs depending on the state of the autonomic nervous system when inhaling the scent.
When inhaling the scent of geranium essential oil, subjects with low CVI and CVR-R values, which are indicators of parasympathetic nerves, increased after inhalation, while those with high CVI and CVR-R values decreased after inhalation. Similar changes were also confirmed in the sympathetic index (CSI). In other words, inhaling the scent can be expected to have the effect of adjusting the activity of the autonomic nervous system so that it does not become too high or too low. On the other hand, unlike marjoram, there was no difference in the effect depending on palatability.
* Supplementary material: Verification method
[Experiment participants] 20 healthy people in their 20s to 50s who agreed to this study
[Experimental procedure]
1: We took 5 minutes of rest time in a soundproof private room for verification adjusted to a constant environment, and performed ① to ③ as pre-verification measurements.
2: We installed the measuring devices ④ to ⑥, measured for 5 minutes after the numerical value stabilized, and then measured for 5 minutes under the condition of sucking essential oil. Suction was performed by attaching an aroma seal with or without essential oil to the mask.
3: After the end of suction, ① to ③ were performed again as post-verification measurements, and a survey of ⑦ was conducted on the palatability of essential oils.
[Essential oils used]
Eight kinds of fragrances, orange sweet, lemongrass, geranium, lavender, rosemary, marjoram, peppermint, and ylang ylang, are widely used not only for aromatherapy but also for cosmetics and miscellaneous goods.