Herbal Science Research - aromatherapy

The effect of gender and ethnicity on children's attitudes and preferences for essential oils: a pilot study.

Site Editor — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:12:49 -0700

The effect of gender and ethnicity on children's attitudes and preferences for essential oils: a pilot study.: Explore (NY). 2007 Jul-Aug;3(4):378-85 Authors: Fitzgerald M, Culbert T, Finkelstein M, Green M, Johnson A, Chen S

CONTEXT: Aromatherapy is frequently recommended for children but children's preferences for specific essential oils are not well documented. OBJECTIVE: To measure preferences of school aged children for essential oils based on gender and ethnicity. DESIGN: Descriptive study measuring children's responses to and preferences for selected essential oils. SETTING: Pediatric integrative medicine clinic in a Midwestern children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy school-age children of Latino (N = 39) and non-Latino Caucasian (NLC) (N = 48) ethnicity, 41.7% of the NLC group and 59.0% of the Latino Group were males. INTERVENTION: Participants smelled single essential oils, answered three forced choice questions and one open ended question, order of exposure was varied. OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants evaluated each scent's effect on mood and energy, stated their preferences, indicated if scents evoked particular thoughts and selected a favorite essential oil. RESULTS: Females were more likely to feel happy when smelling sweet orange (p = .043). Female Latinos were more likely than NLC females to find sweet orange calming (56.2% vs. 18.5%). Male Latinos were more likely (65.2%) to describe peppermint as "energetic" than male NLC (30%). Children chose an essential oil that they rated as "making them feel happy" (72.6%) and/or as "liking the most" (64.3%). Other results that approached statistical significance were: females felt more energetic with spearmint (p = .055). Latinos preferred spearmint over NLC (p = .075), and all males felt more energetic when smelling ginger (p = .091). Ginger and lavender were the least preferred. Results indicate that children have specific essential oil scent preferences. There is trend toward differences based on gender and ethnicity.

PMID: 17681258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils.

Site Editor — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 06:09:51 -0800

In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils.:
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006;6:39 Authors: Prabuseenivasan S, Jayakumar M, Ignacimuthu S

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of 21 plant essential oils against six bacterial species. METHODS: The selected essential oils were screened against four gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris) and two gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus at four different concentrations (1:1, 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20) using disc diffusion method. The MIC of the active essential oils were tested using two fold agar dilution method at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 25.6 mg/ml. RESULTS: Out of 21 essential oils tested, 19 oils showed antibacterial activity against one or more strains. Cinnamon, clove, geranium, lemon, lime, orange and rosemary oils exhibited significant inhibitory effect. Cinnamon oil showed promising inhibitory activity even at low concentration, whereas aniseed, eucalyptus and camphor oils were least active against the tested bacteria. In general, B. subtilis was the most susceptible. On the other hand, K. pneumoniae exhibited low degree of sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Majority of the oils showed antibacterial activity against the tested strains. However Cinnamon, clove and lime oils were found to be inhibiting both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Cinnamon oil can be a good source of antibacterial agents.

Rosmary and Myrrh Aqueous Alcoholic Extract On Acute And Chronic Liver Injury In Albino Rats: Some Pharmacological, Histologica

rhosny55 — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 09:59:38 -0800

The field was aromatherapy