Int Poster J Dent Oral Med 2012, Vol 14 No 1, Poster 579

Psycho-Aromatherapy: A Review
Language: English

Authors:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Santosh Shanbhog Vrishabhendraiah, M.B.B.S., M.D.,
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Basaveshwara Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Department of Psychiatry,
Chitradurga, Karnataka, India
Reader Dr. Shilpa Busnur Jayadevappa,
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, S.J.M. Dental College and Hospital, Department of Oral medicine and Radiology,
Chitradurga, Karnataka, India
Date/Event/Venue:
16-01-2011 to 19-01-2011
63rd Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society.
The Ashok Hotel, Delhi

Introduction
Aromatherapy is defined as "the art of healing of Mind, Body and Spirit" with the essential oils (EO's), the scented natural remedies
found in aromatic plants. It is a form of complimentary alternative medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as EO's and
other aromatic compounds of plants for the purpose of affecting a persons mood or health. AMA classifies aromatherapy as "Psycho-
Somatic". Aromatherapy is currently used worldwide in the management of psychiatric disorders like chronic pain, depression, anxiety
and, some cognitive disorders, bipolar disorders, stress-related disorders and sleep disorders. Aromatherapy is not a cure but it can
improove mood and decrease stress.
History:

It dates back thousands of years, and was initially used as a spiritual practice.
Ancient Chinese, Indian,Greek, Roman and Egyptian cultures used aromatic scents and oils to attract gods and ward off evil
spirits.
Valnet essential oil was used on wounds in Indo-China war.
Rene-Maurice Gattefosse in 1920 coined the term "Aromatherapy".
In 19th century, citrus plant oil was used for mood alteration in china.
In late 20th century, Basil oil was used for strghthening and supporting nervous system, Bergamot oil was used to relieve
depression and for relaxation.

Material and Methods

Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy that uses plant extract essential oils that are either inhaled, used as massage oil, or
occasionally ingested. The concentrated oils are aromatic and volatile. They are extracted, usually by steam distillation, from flowers,
leaves, roots, grasses, peel, resin or bark. There are over 400 essential oils extracted from plants all over the world. Popular oils used
include chamomile, lavender, rosemary and tea tree. Aromatherapy carrier oils are used for mixing blends of essential oils in order to
make bath oils or massage oils. They are mainly extracted from nuts and seeds.

Results
The pharmacology of the essential oils and/or their single chemical constituents, therefore, remains largely undiscovered. However,
accumulating evidence that inhaled or dermally applied essential oils enter the blood stream and, in relevant molecular, cellular or
animal models, exert measurable psychological effects, indicates that the effects are primarily pharmacological. Two basic mechanisms
explains the mechanism of action of aromatherapy:
1. Influence of aroma on brain especially the limbic system through the olfactory system (Figure 1).
2. Direct pharmocological effects of essential oils.

Fig. 1: Mechanism of action via Limbic

System through Olfaction
Popular essential oils used for Psycho-Aromatherapy were as follows:

Fig. 2: Basil Oil – It sharpens concentration, Fig. 3: Bergamot Oil – It relieves depression
has uplifting effect in depression. It relieves and has calming properties
headache and migraine

Fig. 4: Black Pepper – It has stimulating Fig. 5: Chamomile Oil – It relieves

effect and it relieves muscular pain depression, insomnia and stress

Fig. 6: Clary Sage – It is muscle relaxer, Fig. 7: Fennel – te relieves hicups

relieves pain
Fig. 8: Frankincence – Reduces anxiety and Fig. 9: Geranium Has cooling and calming
nervous tension effect for anxiety and tension

Fig. 10: Ginger – It enhances memory, Fig. 11: Lavender Oil – It relieves
cheers one up and relieves pain. Has depression, stress, headache, musucleache,
uplifting effect in depression musucle spasm and insomnia

Fig. 12: Lemon Oil – Relieves stress and has Fig. 13: Marjoram – Effective for headache,
uplifting effect in depression musucleache, musucle spasm, sprain and
strains
Fig. 14: Peppermint Oil – It relieves Fig. 15: Rosemary Oil – Reduces depresion,
headache, musucle pain and migraine relieves pain, improoves memory skills and
concentration

Fig. 16: Tarragon Oil – It calms nerves and Fig. 17: Valerian – It is muscle relaxer,
relieves stress and menstrual and relieves sleeplessness
menopausal symptoms

Fig. 18: Ylang-Ylang – It relieves depression, Fig. 19: Rose Oil, Jasmine, Sandal Wood –
insomnia, tension and relaxes nervous Reduces depression and sadness. It is
system aphrodisiac

Conclusions
Aromatherapy provides a potentially effective treatment for a range of psychiatric disorders especially pycho-somatic disorders. In
today's stressfull life, people are choosing alternative and complimentary therapies like Aromatherapy to enhance their health care and
well being. In addition, taking into account the available information on safety, aromatherapy appears to be without the adverse
effects of many conventional psychotropic drugs. Since there is very little information about this topic in literature, contribution is
needed by everyone of us to get it into day-to-day life.

Literature
1. Kessler R C et al. The use of complimentary and alternative therapies to treat anxiety and depression in United States. Am J
Psychiatry 2001; 158; 289-294.
2. Andreescu C et al. Complimentary and alternative medicine in the treatment of bipolar disorder – A review of the evidence.
Journal of Affective Disorders 2008; 110; 16-26.
3. Wilkinson S M et al. Effectiveness of aromatherapy massage in the management of Anxiety and Depression in patients with
cancer: A multicenter randomised controlled trial. J Clin Oncol 2007; 25(5); 532-539.
4. Holmes C and Ballard C. Aromatherapy in dementia. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2004; 10; 296-300.
5. Perry et al. Aromatherapy in the Management of Psychiatric disorders: Clinical and Neuropharmacological perceptives. CNS
Drugs.2006;20(4) ; 257 -280.
6. Buckle, Jane RN. Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential oils in practice, 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone, NY,2003, 59-101.
7. Aromatherapy: web Encyclopedia.

Abbreviations
EO's - Essential oils

This Poster was submitted by Assist. Prof. Dr. Santosh Shanbhog Vrishabhendraiah.

Correspondence address:
Dr. Santosh Shanbhog Vrishabhendraiah
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences
Basaveshwara Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Department of Psychiatry
National Highway - 4 Bypass
Chitradurga-577501
Karnataka
India
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