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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 8 No. 2 May-August (Supplement) 2010 Ú˜

OP-10

Stimulating effect of jasmine oil on humans

Tapanee Hongratanaworakit

Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon-nayok 26120. Thailand.

Rationale: Aromatherapy is now increasingly being treated more as a complementary rather than alterna-
tive medicine, but many claims of the effects of aromatherapy are made in aromatherapy books regarding
essential oils and the metaphysical, which have no scientific collaborative evidence.
Objective: To investigate the effect of jasmine oil (Jasminum sambac L., Oleaceae) on human autonomic
parameters and emotional responses in healthy humans following transdermal absorption.
Methodology: In the present study jasmine oil was administered transdermally to healthy subjects. Auto-
nomic parameters, i.e. systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse rate (PR), blood
oxygen saturation (BOS), breathing rate (BR), and skin temperature (ST), were recorded as indicators of the
arousal level of the autonomic nervous system. Subjects had to rate their emotional condition in terms of
relaxation, vigor, calmness, attentiveness, mood, and alertness in order to assess subjective behavioral arousal.
Forty healthy volunteers took part in the experiments. Subjects were tested in individual sessions and randomly
assigned to either the control group or the jasmine oil group according to random numbers. In the experimental
group, 1 ml of a 20% (w/w) solution of jasmine oil in sweet almond oil was applied to the skin of the lower
abdomen of each subject. In the control group, 1 ml of the placebo oil, pure sweet almond oil, was used. The
experimental protocol consisted of two trials of 20 min each. In the first trial, which served as a control for
influences of the experimental setup, the placebo substance was administered to all subjects. In the second trial
the placebo was again administered to the control group, whereas in the experimental group the appropriate
fragrance was administered. The SPSS version 11.5 was used for statistical analysis. Mann-Whitney-U-Test
analysis of variances was used in this study. The effects of fragrance on autonomic parameters and ratings of
emotional responses were determined by comparing the difference scores between the control group and the
jasmine oil group.
Results: Transdermal absorption of jasmine oil increased the level of arousal of the autonomic nervous
system, i.e. increases of SBP and DBP, BR, and BOS (P<0.05). Moreover, massage of jasmine oil led to activation
at the behavioral level, i.e. subjects feel more vigorous, more alert and less relaxed than before the administra-
tion of the oil (P<0.05). This finding points towards an increase of arousal in terms of self-evaluation. Thus, the
effects of jasmine oil by massage may be characterized by the concept of stimulating/activating effects, which
has also been described for kaffir lime oil, rosemary oil, sandalwood oil, and sweet orange oil. Our findings
clearly support previous studies indicating the stimulating effect of jasmine oil. Although our findings agree
with other reports, it is important to assess further biochemical measures (e.g., noradrenaline), as these would
further confirm the presence of a stimulating/activating effect.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrated the stimulating/activating effect of jasmine oil and provide evi-
dence for its use in aromatherapy for the relief of depression and uplifting mood in humans.