OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder. The essential oil of Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson, usually known as ylang-ylang oil (YYO), is often used in aromatherapy as a mood-regulating agent, sedative, or hypotensive agent. In the present study, the effects and mechanisms of YYO in alleviating anxiety, social and cognitive behaviors in autism-like rats were investigated. METHODS: The prenatal valproic acid (VPA) model was used to induce autism-like behaviors in offspring rats. The effectiveness of prenatal sodium valproate treatment (600 mg/kg) on offspring was shown by postnatal growth observation, and negative geotaxis, olfactory discrimination and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. Then three treatment groups were formed with varying exposure to atomized YYO to explore the effects of YYO on the anxiety, social and cognitive behaviors of the autistic-like offspring through the elevated plus-maze test, three-chamber social test, and MWM test. Finally, the monoamine neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine and their metabolites, in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the rats were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Offspring of VPA exposure rats showed autism-like behaviors. In the VPA offspring, medium-dose YYO exposure significantly elevated the time and entries into the open arms in the elevated plus-maze test, while low-dose YYO exposure significantly enhanced the social interaction time with the stranger rat in session 1 of the three-chamber social test. VPA offspring treated with YYO exposure used less time to reach the platform in the navigation test of the MWM test. YYO exposure significantly elevated the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine in the PFC of VPA offspring. CONCLUSION YYO exposure showed the effects in alleviating anxiety and improving cognitive and social abilities in the offspring of VPA exposure rats. The role of YYO was related to the regulation of the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine. Please cite this article as: Zhang N, Wang ST, Yao L. Inhalation of Cananga odorata essential oil relieves anxiety behaviors in autism-like rats via regulation of serotonin and dopamine metabolism. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 205-214.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Rats ; Animals ; Autistic Disorder/drug therapy* ; Oils, Volatile/therapeutic use* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Cananga/metabolism* ; Dopamine ; Anxiety/drug therapy* ; Valproic Acid/pharmacology* ; Plant Oils ; Disease Models, Animal

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aromatherapy on stress responses, autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, and blood pressure in patients hospitalized to receive coronary angiography (CAG). METHODS: A non-equivalent control group with a pretestposttest design was used. The subjects were patients admitted to the day angiography room to receive CAG at E University Hospital (34 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group). The experimental group treatment was inhalation of the aroma oil blended with lavender, ylang-ylang, and neroli at a ratio of 4:2:1 twice before and after CAG. The measurements of stress index, ANS activity, and blood pressure were performed 5 times as follows: at admission, at pre-CAG after treatment I, at post-CAG, 2 hours after treatment II, and 4 hours after treatment II. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test and repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Significant interactions in the high frequency of ANS (F=5.58, p=.005) were observed between group and time. Stress index (z=2.14, p=.016), systolic blood pressure (z=4.14, p < .005), and diastolic blood pressure (z=3.28, p=.001) were significantly different between the experimental and control groups after 4 hours of treatment II. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that aromatherapy was not effective before CAG, but was effective after CAG. Therefore, aromatherapy can be used as a nursing intervention for patients receiving CAG.
Angiography ; Aromatherapy ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Blood Pressure ; Cananga ; Coronary Angiography ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lavandula ; Nursing

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on blood pressure, heart rate variability, aortic pulse wave velocity and the aortic augmentation index of essential hypertensive patients. METHODS: Using a coin toss, 22 participants were assigned to the experimental group and 20 to the control. The experimental group was given a blend of oils of lemon (Citrus limonum), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) which were prepared in the ratio of 2:2:1, respectively. The control group was given an artificial lemon fragrance of Limonene (35 cc) and Citral (15 cc) mixture. The experiment, inhalation, was conducted for 3 weeks (2 min per inhalation, 2 times per day) to both groups. RESULTS: There was a noticeable difference in systolic blood pressure between the groups (p=.001), however the difference in diastolic blood pressure between the two groups was not significant. There was a notable difference in sympathetic nerve system activity of heart rate variability (p=.047). However, the differences in aortic pulse wave velocity or the aortic augmentation index were not significant. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy is effective in lowering systolic blood pressure and sympathetic nerve system activity.
Adult ; Aorta/physiology ; *Aromatherapy ; Autonomic Nervous System/drug effects ; Blood Pressure/drug effects ; Cananga/chemistry ; Female ; Heart Rate/drug effects ; Humans ; Hypertension/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oils, Volatile ; Plant Oils

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aromatherapy on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension. METHOD: There were fifty-two subjects divided into an essential oil group, placebo group, and control group by random assignment. The application of aromatherapy was the inhalation method of blending oils with lavender, ylangylang, and bergamot once daily for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects of aromatherapy, blood pressure and pulse were measured two times a week and serum cortisol levels, catecholamine levels, subjective stress, and state anxiety were measured before and after treatment in the three groups. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square-test using the SPSS 10.0 program. RESULTS: The blood pressure, pulse, subjective stress, state anxiety, and serum cortisol levels among the three groups were significantly statistically different. The differences of catecholamine among the three groups were not significant statistically. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the inhalation method using essential oils can be considered an effective nursing intervention that reduces psychological stress responses and serum cortisol levels, as well as the blood pressure of clients with essential hypertension.
Adult ; Aged ; *Aromatherapy ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blood Pressure ; Cananga ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/nursing/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oils, Volatile/*therapeutic use ; Plant Oils/therapeutic use ; Stress, Psychological/*therapy

PURPOSE: In cases of overactive bladders, especially hyperreflexic neurogenic bladders, that arise in patients with spine disorder above sacral micturition center, current primary treatment modalities include the administration of anticholinergics and the intermittent catheterization. Because anticholinergics have many side effects including dry mouth, the demand for new agents has been rising. This study was designed to investigate the effects of ylang-ylang (YY) essential oil, which is currently used in aromatherapy, on the relaxation of urinary bladder muscle in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isometric tension changes of isolated rat bladder muscle strips were recorded in an organ bath using a pressure transducer. Effects of YY oil were assessed on resting tension, electrical field stimulation(EFS)-, bethanechol-, ATP- and KCl-induced contraction. In order to determine the mechanism of YY oil, effects of YY oil on above all stimulations were assessed in the presence of methylene blue, L-NAME(N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) and N-ethylmaleimide. RESULTS: The contractility of strips pre-treated with YY oil was significantly decreased on all stimulation-induced contractions. There was no statistically significant difference between treated group only with YY oil and pre-treated group with YY oil and methylene blue. Similar findings were obtained when L-NAME(another NOS inhibitor) was used. When N-ethylmaleimide(c-AMP inhibitor) was employed, there was a statistically significant decrease in the rate of contraction induced by EFS, bethanechol, KCl and ATP applications. CONCLUSION: From the obtained data, the results of this study indicate that YY essential oil has relaxing effect on the bladder, and such mechanism is thought to be brought about by a pathway mediated by c-AMP.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Aromatherapy ; Baths ; Bethanechol ; Cananga* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cholinergic Antagonists ; Ethylmaleimide ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Mouth ; Muscles* ; Rats* ; Relaxation* ; Spine ; Transducers, Pressure ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urination

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of inhalation method using essential oils on the preoperative anxiety of hystrectomy patients, and to provide effective and holistic nursing care to them. The research design was a nonequivalent control group non synchronized design. The data were collected from February 1 to March 31, 2002 at D Medical Center in Busan. The subjects were forty one patients that were operated on under general anesthesia for hystrectomy. They were assigned to two groups, twenty one subjects in the experimental group and twenty subjects in the control group. The tool of the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) was used to anxiety on all patients the day before surgery and the preoperative period Then systolic and diastolic blood pressure. pulse rate levels were measured the day before surgery and the preoperative period. The experimental group received two treatments of inralation method using essential oils of with lavender, ylang ylang, and bergamot oil. The data were analyzed by be chi test and the independent t-test The results of this study were summarized as follows: 1. Hypothesis 1: It has been supported that the experimental group received inhalation method using essential ons might cause lower level of the preoperative VAS anxiety than that of the control group(t = -2. 93. p = .006) 2. Hypothesis 2: It has been rejected that the experimental group received inhalation method using essential oils might cause lower level in the preoperative systolic blood pressure than the control group(t=-.120, p= .905). It has been rejected that the experimental group received inhalation method using essential oils might cause lower level in the preoperative diastolic blood pressure than the control grouP.(t=1.766, p=.085). 3. Hypothesis 3. It has been supported that the experimental group received inhalation method using essential oils might cause lower level in preoperative pulse rate than the control group(t=5.853, p=.000) According to these results. inhalation method using essential oils can be considered an effective nursing intervention that relieves the preoperative anxiety of hysterectomy patients and stabilizes vital sign partially.
Anesthesia, General ; Anxiety* ; Blood Pressure ; Busan ; Cananga ; Heart Rate ; Holistic Nursing ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Inhalation* ; Lavandula ; Nursing ; Oils, Volatile* ; Preoperative Period ; Research Design ; Vital Signs

Since the standard recommendation by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group, day 2 and day 4 patch test readings have been performed by most dermatologists. However, nearly half of positive reactions can be observed only either on day 2 or on day 4 and the interpretation of these reactions is a problem. We compared the patch test reaction according to the reading time in 754 patients who had been performed patch test with standard battery and in 367 patients who had been performed patch test with various cosmetic allergens including cosmetics as is. The study result is summoized as follows : 1. Persistent reactions were observed in 59.8% patients tested with standard battery, however transient reactions were observed in 20.8% and delayed reaction in 19.4%. 2. Frequent allergens which showed transient reaction were carba mix, paraben mix, tego, imidazolidinyl urea, in order of frequency. Frequent allergens which showed late reactions were neomycin sulfate, quinidine mix, farmaldehyde, and imidazolidinyl urea. 3. Persistent reactions were observed in 47.1% patients. tested with cosmetics as is, however transient reactions were observed in 29.4% and delayed reactions in 23.5%, Facial skin care products showed the i,.st high positivity. 4. Persistent reactions were observed in 41.0% patients tested with cosmetics ingredients, however transient reactions were observed in 38.7% and delayed reactions in 23.0%. Frequent cosmetic allergens were cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic aldehyde, ylang ylang oil, sandawood oil, and benzyl salicylate. In conclusion, the reaction pattern in general was similar to the dats of others. However, the individual allergens showed transient reaction were somewhat different. Higher rate of transient reactions were observed in patch test positive reactions with cosmetic ingredients than standard battery and cosmetics as is.
Allergens ; Cananga ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Neomycin ; Patch Tests* ; Quinidine ; Reading ; Skin Care ; Urea