Study On EEG Reading Changes Led By Sniffing Lavender Essential Oil

In clinic and aromatherapy, lavender essential oil (EO) and its variousmixtures are claimed to be effective treatments for alleviating emotionalpressures. This thesis was aimed to clarify the mentioned efficacy oflavender EO, prescribed in forms of lavender-only and multi-herbs mixturerespectively. Electroencephalography (EEG) method was initiallyintroduced as a testing instrument and its feasibility was also discussed. Theexperiment matrix was decomposed in three parts as follows:Ⅰ Identifying chemical components of lavender EO, EO mixture of theabove (namely, compound EO).Ⅱ Screening for the most agreeable EO proportions to set up differenttesting groupⅢ Exploring human brain wave (specifically β wave) changes afterrespectively prescribing different EO formulas under natural sniffingcondition.Results were as well divided into three parts in accord: Ⅰ Lavender EO: principle in linalool (32.58%) and linalyl acetate(42.20%), along with α-terpineol, γ-terpinene, β-caryophyllene, ocimeneand terpinene-4-ol, etc. Compound EO: principle in linalool (17.41%),limonene (11.00%).Ⅱ3‰diluted lavender EO was utilized in lavender-only group while2‰diluted multi-herb EO was utilized in compound EO group.Ⅲ EEG readings indicated that, in comparison with blank control group,all volunteer’s β wave proportion decreased significantly in either treatment(p<0.05), with more evident influence within compound EO group (p<0.01).Females tended to be more sensitive than males. People seemed duller toEO formula changes during aging process.In conclusion, compound lavender EO formula performed better thanlavender-only group taking pressure-alleviating effect into consideration.EEG testing method was proved effective and accessible at the same time.These findings will provide sound technical support and theoreticalreference for both EO products development and planting design strategiesin healing gardens.