Effects of Fragrance Components of Abies holophylla Max. on Stress Relief and Improvement of Vascular Function

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the fragrance of Abies holophylla Max., which is known to contain α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene, etc., on stress relief, vascular function and autonomic nervous system. In this crossover design study, 15 healthy workers without otolaryngologic disease (37.6 ± 6.8 years old) were randomized to either (1) plant fragrance inhalation or (2) odorless air inhalation by an experiment coordinator. Compared with odorless air inhalation, plant fragrance inhalation decreased brachial SBP (117.64±4.89 to 108.36± 3.92 mmHg, p=.001), brachial DBP (75.00±3.21 to 71.71±2.30 mmHg, p=.004), central SBP (104.86±4.22 to 97.21±3.28 mmHg, p=.001), central DBP (75.00±3.14 to 71.93±2.43 mmHg, p=.015), and heart rate (66.57±1.84 to 63.00±1.72 bpm, p