RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LAVENDER AROMA COMPONENT AND AROMACHOLOGY EFFECT

Aroma of the essential oil of peppermint reduces aggressive driving behaviour in healthy adults

Aggressive driving is of increasing concern in modern society. This study investigated the potential for the presence of an ambient aroma to reduce aggressive responses in a simulated driving situation. Previous literature has demonstrated the beneficial effect of peppermint (Mentha piperita) aroma on driver alertness and we aimed to identify any impact on aggressive driver behaviour. Fifty volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (peppermint essential oil aroma and no aroma). Aggressive driving behaviours were measured in a virtual reality driving simulator. The analysis indicated that the peppermint aroma significantly reduced aggressive driving behaviours. The presence of the aroma also produced medium sized effects on some aspects of mood from pre-test levels. These results provide support for the use of ambient aromas for the modification of driving behaviours. It is proposed that applying peppermint into daily driving may be a beneficial for reducing driver aggression.

Essential Oils, Phytoncides, Aromachology, and Aromatherapy—A Review

Chemical compounds from plants have been used as a medicinal source for various diseases. Aromachology is a unique field that studies the olfactory effects after inhaling aromatic compounds. Aromatherapy is a complementary treatment methodology involving the use of essential oils containing phytoncides and other volatile organic compounds for various physical and mental illnesses. Phytoncides possess an inherent medicinal property. Their health benefits range from treating stress, immunosuppression, blood pressure, respiratory diseases, anxiety, and pain to anti-microbial, anti-larvicidal, anti-septic, anti-cancer effects, etc. Recent advancements in aromatherapy include forest bathing or forest therapy. The inhalation of phytoncide-rich forest air has been proven to reduce stress-induced immunosuppression, normalize immune function and neuroendocrine hormone levels, and, thus, restore physiological and psychological health. The intricate mechanisms related to how aroma converts into olfactory signals and how the olfactory signals relieve physical and mental illness still pose enormous questions and are the subject of ongoing research. Aromatherapy using the aroma of essential oils/phytoncides could be more innovative and attractive to patients. Moreover, with fewer side effects, this field might be recognized as a new field of complementary medicine in alleviating some forms of physical and mental distress. Essential oils are important assets in aromatherapy, cosmetics, and food preservatives. The use of essential oils as an aromatherapeutic agent is widespread. Detailed reports on the effects of EOs in aromatherapy and their pharmacological effects are required to uncover its complete biological mechanism. This review is about the evolution of research related to phytoncides containing EOs in treating various ailments and provides comprehensive details from complementary medicine.

Consumer Neuroscience as a Tool to Monitor the Impact of Aromas on Consumer Emotions When Buying Food

Building a unique USP sales argument (unique selling proposition) through various forms of in-store communication comes to the fore in a challenging competitive environment. Scent as a means to influence the purchase of goods or services has a long history, however, aromachology as field of in-store communication is a matter of the present. This new trend, the importance and use of which has grown in recent years, is the subject of a wide range of research. In order to increase the efficiency of these elements, it is necessary to familiarise ourselves with the factors that affect the customer, whether that be consciously or unconsciously. Consumer neuroscience is addressed in this area. This paper deals with the comprehensive interdisciplinary investigation of the impact of selected aromatic compounds on consumer cognitive and affective processes as well as assessing the effectiveness of their implementation in food retail operations. At the end of the paper, we recommend options for the effective selection and implementation of aromatisation of different premises, by which the retailer can achieve not only a successful form of in-store communication, but also an increase the retail turnover of the store.

[Analyses of Volatile Components of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia HIDCOTE and Lavandula x intermedia GROSSO) as Influenced by Cultivar Type, Part, and Growth Season]

Volatile components originating from Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote and Lavandula x intermedia Grosso plants cultivated in a medicinal plant garden of Hoshi University located in southern Tokyo were investigated using thermal desorption-GC-MS. Sampling of the flowers and herbs of the lavender was performed at different developmental stages, i.e., summer, autumn, and winter (herbs only) using solid phase micro extraction fibers. Linalool, linalyl acetate, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, α-ocimene, β-ocimene, and terpinen-4-ol were the predominant constituents originating from the flowers of both plants. Additional volatile compounds such as borneol, eucalyptol, and camphor were found in the Lavandula x intermedia flowers. The number of volatile compounds originating from the Lavandula angustifolia flowers in summer was greater than that in autumn. 3-Hexen-1-ol, 3-carene, and p-cymen-8-ol were volatile compounds characteristic of the herbs, and α-ocimene, allo-ocimene, and terpinen-4-ol were detected only from flowers. In comparing volatile compounds obtained from fresh herbs with those from dried herbs, camphor, β-caryophyllene, and borneol were absent in dried herbs. For people who visit the plant garden, smelling the fragrances of plants directly is believed to deliver not only pleasure but also beneficial therapeutic properties.

Aromatherapy: composition of the gaseous phase at equilibrium with liquid bergamot essential oil

This work compares the composition at different temperatures of gaseous phase of bergamot essential oil at equilibrium with the liquid phase. A new GC-MS methodology to determine quantitatively the volatile aroma compounds was developed. The adopted methodology involved the direct injection of headspace gas into injection port of GC-MS system and of known amounts of the corresponding authentic volatile compounds. The methodology was validated. This study showed that gaseous phase composition is different from that of the liquid phase at equilibrium with it.