Observation On The Effect Of Lemon Essential Oil On Motion Sickness

Objective:The aim of this study was to explored the effect of lemon essential oil on motion sickness(MS)and to compare the effects of different intervention methods on objective indexes,including blood pressure variability(BPV),heart rate variability(HRV),saliva volume and vomiting symptoms.We also explored the relationship between objective indexes and MS symptom score.Methods:It was a quasi-experimental and before-after control design study.A total of 109 students were selected as subjects.Using a random number table,the subjects were randomly divided into two groups:bus group(group A)and car group(group B),with 55 students in each group.The subjects of the two groups were tested with three different intervention methods.Intervention I(A1、B1)was set as blank control.There was no intervention before,during and after the trial,and the subjects traveled along the planned route until they reached the destination by bus or by car in a natural state.Intervention Ⅱ(A1、B2)was an ordinary face mask.The subjects wore the ordinary face mask when they traveled along the planned route to the destination by bus or by car.Intervention Ⅲ(A3、B3)was the lemon essential oil face mask.The subjects wore the lemon essential oil face mask when they traveled along the planned route by bus or by car,and the face mask could be removed after arriving at the destination.The general data and the susceptibility to MS of the subjects were collected before of the trial,and the following data such as diet,sleep condition,menstruation,weather,temperature,humidity and the start-midway-end time of the experiment were recorded on the same day.During the experiment,the blood pressure,heart rate and saliva volume were measured at the distance of 0 Kilometers(km),13km and 35km,respectively.The MS symptom diagnosis score scale was used to evaluate the subjects at the end of each trip.Results:In this study,109 subjects were enrolled,17 subjects drop out,92 subjects completed the trial.Among them,13(14.1%)were male and 79(85.9%)were female.The mean age of group A and group B was 20.21±1.99 and 19.96 ±1.93 years,respectively.Then the self-evaluation mean score was 43.76±17.89 and 43.76±17.89 in the two groups.In group A,MS symptom score of A3 was lower than that of A2(dij=-5.23,P<0.001)、and the MS symptom score of A2 was lower than that of A1(dij=-3.62,P<0.001).In group B,the MS symptom score of B3 was lower than that of B2(dij=-6.04,P<0.001)and B1(dij=-7.07,P<0.001).There was no significant difference between B2 and B1(P>0.05).Furthermore,there was an intra-subjective intervention effect in the score of MS(P<0.05),but no interaction between MS score and the main part of the group(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the inter-subjective effect of MS score between the two groups either.Interesting,the score of(A+B)3 was lower than that of(A+B)2(dij=-5.64).and the score of(A+B)2 was lower than that of(A+B)1(dij=-2.32),too.In addition,there was significant difference score of systolic BPV(SBPV)and vomiting symptoms among the three intervention methods(P<0.05).The SBPV score of(A+B)1,(A+B)2 and(A+B)3 were 10.0(4.0,18.0),9.0(4.0,17.0),and7.0(4.0,14.0),respectively.Similarly,the vomiting symptom score of(A+B)1,(A+B)2 and(A+B)3 were 3.0(2.0,8.0),4.0(2.0,8.0)and 0.0(0.0,4.0),respectively.However,there was no significant difference in diastolic BPV(DBPV),HBV and saliva volume(P>0.05).After correcting by the Bonferroni method,there was still a significant difference in the overall score of vomiting symptoms,but there was no significant difference in SBPV.SBPV was positively correlated with MS symptom score(b=0.121,P<0.05),while DBPV,HRV and saliva volume were not related to MS symptom score.Conclusion:Lemon essential oil was effectively relieve the symptom of motion sickness.This finding may provide a new treatment for motion sickness.