In vitro study on the transfer of volatile oil components

Amended Safety Assessment of Chamomilla recutita-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics

The Chamomilla recutita-derived ingredients in this assessment are reported to function mostly as fragrance ingredients and skin conditioning agents in cosmetic products. Because final product formulations may contain multiple botanicals, each containing the same constituents of concern, formulators are advised to be aware of these constituents and to avoid reaching levels that may be hazardous to consumers. Additionally, industry should continue to use good manufacturing practices to limit impurities that could be present in botanical ingredients. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel concluded that the Chamomilla recutita-derived ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in the safety assessment when formulated to be nonsensitizing.

Mexican migrant ethnopharmacology: pharmacopoeia, classification of medicines and explanations of efficacy

This paper describes the ethnopharmacological knowledge of women in an urban Mexican migrant community in Athens, GA, USA. Data were collected using free-list, pile-sort and semi-structured interviews. The pharmacopoeia of this community includes herbal remedies, over-the-counter medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and prescription medicines. Multi-dimensional scaling analysis of pile-sort data revealed that Mexican women living in Athens classify medicines into four categories: herbal remedies, salves, pastillas (pills-both prescription and non-prescription) and other commercial preparations. Herbal remedies are viewed as natural and safe while pastillas are thought to be dangerous and potentially addictive. Comparisons of Mexican explanations for the actions of five medicines (Matricaria recutita L. [Asteraceae], Mentha spp. L. [Lamiaceae], Ruta spp. L. [Rutaceae], Ocimum basilicum L. [Lamiaceae] and paracetemol) with the pharmacological literature show several similarities and confirm that migrant women use these medicines effectively. Mexican migrant women use medicinal plants in combination with commercially produced medicines, but most have a strong preference for the herbal remedies that they make themselves, over drugs prescribed by physicians. Some of their descriptions of the actions of medicines are supported by the pharmacological literature, but ethnopharmacologists have not fully investigated all of the attributes that migrant women ascribe to them.

Inhibitory effects of the essential oil of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) and its major constituents on human cytochrome P450 enzymes

Chamomile extracts and tea are widely used herbal preparations for the treatment of minor illnesses (e.g. indigestion, inflammation). In this study the inhibitory effect of chamomile essential oil and its major constituents on four selected human cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4) was investigated. Increasing concentrations of the test compounds were incubated with individual, recombinant CYP isoforms and their effect on the conversion of surrogate substances was measured fluorometrically in 96-well plates; enzyme inhibition was expressed as IC50 and Ki value in relation to positive controls. Crude essential oil demonstrated inhibition of each of the enzymes, with CYP1A2 being more sensitive than the other isoforms. Three constituents of the oil, namely chamazulene (IC50 = 4.41 microM), cis-spiroether (IC50 = 2.01 microM) and trans-spiroether (IC50 = 0.47 microM) showed to be potent inhibitors of this enzyme, also being active towards CYP3A4. CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 were less inhibited, only chamazulene (IC50 = 1.06 microM) and alpha-bisabolol (IC50 = 2.18 microM) revealed a significant inhibition of the latter. As indicated by these in vitro data, chamomile preparations contain constituents inhibiting the activities of major human drug metabolizing enzymes; interactions with drugs whose route of elimination is mainly via cytochromes (especially CYP1A2) are therefore possible.

Study on the transfer of components of Aetheroleum carvi and Aetheroleum foeniculi oils

The transfer through a membrane of the main organic components and mineral elements of Carum carvi and Foeniculum vulgare volatile oils was studied. The transfer was studied from buffer solution pH 1.1 (stomach) and pH 6.5 (intestine) to pH 7.5 (plasma) in a Sartorius model. The transferred components were measured by GC-MS for volatile components and ICP-OES for inorganic elements. The main components (trans-anethole and fenchone from F. vulgare, carvone and D-limonene from C. carvi), as well as some mineral elements (Ca, Mg, S, Zn), transferred through the membrane.

Aromatherapy practice in nursing: literature review

BACKGROUND

The use of aromatherapy in nursing care continues to be popular in many settings. Most of the nursing literature relates to the use of essential oils in low doses for massage or use of the oils as environmental fragrances. Information from the wider literature may add to the evidence base for use of this therapy in nursing.

AIM

This paper reports a literature relating to the use of aromatherapy by nurses and critically evaluates the evidence to support this practice.

METHOD

Medline, CINAHL, MANTIS and EBSCO Host databases were searched for papers related to use of essential oils and/or aromatherapy. Papers were also obtained through cross-checking of reference lists. A total of 165 articles have been included in this review. Nursing papers were published since 1990 were included, but some references from 1971 onwards relating to scientific research conducted on essential oils were also included. These remain valuable as they are probably the only reference available for a specific oil or property, or show the development of knowledge in this area. Papers were excluded if they consisted only of brief case studies presented in abstract form. The review covers key professional issues and the principal areas of clinical practice where aromatherapy is used.

FINDINGS

Despite calls for more research in the 1980s and 1990s, there is still little empirical evidence to support the use of aromatherapy in nursing practice beyond enhancing relaxation. Its popularity needs to be balanced against the potential risks related to allergies, safety and inappropriate use by inexperienced users.

CONCLUSIONS

There is great potential for more collaborative research by nurses to explore the clinical applications in greater detail and to move beyond the low dose paradigm of application of essential oils.