Aromaterapi, hastalıkları tedavi etmek ya da vücudun genel iyilik hâline katkıda bulunmak için uçucu yağlar ve bitki özlerinin kullanıldığı bir yöntemdir. Günümüzde kronik ağrı, depresyon, anksiyete ve uyku bozukluğu tedavisinde, bilişsel fonksiyonları iyileştirmek, stresi azaltmak ve diğer psikolojik ve fizyolojik durumlarla ilgili bozuklukları tedavi etmek için kullanılmaktadır. Bu derlemede amacımız sedatif ve anksiyolitik etkili aromaterapötiklerin 2011 Ocak-2023 Haziran yılları arasında yapılmış klinik çalışmalar üzerinden etkilerinin değerlendirilmesidir. Bu çalışmada PubMed veritabanı kullanılarak ''aromatherapy anxiety'', ''aromatherapy anxiolytic'' ''aromatherapy sedation'', ''aromatherapy sedative'', ''clinical trial'' kelimeleri ile 2011-2023 yılları arasındaki makaleler taranmıştır. Toplam 107 makaleye ulaşılmıştır. Tam metnine ulaşılamayan, tam metni İngilizce olmayan, tam metin içinde anahtar kelimeler yer almayan makaleler çıkarılmıştır. Toplam 50 makale derlemeye dâhil edilmiştir. Farklı hastalık gruplarında ya da sağlıklı gönüllülerde aromaterapinin inhalasyon veya masaj uygulamalarının sedatif ve antianksiyete etkileri, 2011-2023 yılları arasında yapılan klinik çalışmalarla sunulmuştur. Çalışmalarda, özellikle etki ve güvenilirlik açısından tıbbi lavanta uçucu yağı sıklıkla kullanılan aromaterapötik olmuştur. Ayrıca gül, papatya, bergamot uçucu yağları lavantayı takip etmiş, ıtır, neroli, mercanköşk, portakal, limon, yuzu, osmantus, tatlı portakal, phlai, melisa, ardıç, biberiye, safran uçucu yağları da çalışmalarda müdahale gruplarında ya da kontrol, plasebo gruplarında kullanılan aromatik yağlar olmuştur. Sağlıklı bireylerde ya da bazı hastalıklarda stresi ve anksiyeteyi azaltıcı ve rahatlatıcı etkileriyle uçucu yağların ve aromaterapinin katkıları gösterilmiştir. Çoğunlukla kullanımı güvenli olan bu yağların, uygun doz ve oranlarda, uzman bir aromaterapi uygulayıcısı ile farklı hastalıklarda sedatif, anksiyolitik etkileri açısından tamamlayıcı veya bazı durumlarda da hassas ve istekli bireylerde sentetik ilaçlara alternatif kullanımı önerilebilir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Aromaterapi; anksiyolitik; sedatif
Aromatherapy is a method in which essential oils and plant extracts are used to treat diseases or contribute to the general well-being of the body. Today, it is used to treat chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder, improve cognitive functions, reduce stress, and treat disorders related to other psychological and physiological conditions. In this review, our aim is to evaluate the effects of sedative and anxiolytic aromatherapeutics through clinical studies conducted in the years between 2011 January and 2023 June. In this study, PubMed database was searched by using the keywords, "aromatherapy anxiety", "aromatherapy anxiolytic", "aromatherapy sedation", "aromatherapy sedative", and "clinical trial" in between 2011 and 2023 years. A total of 107 articles were reached. The articles, which cannot be found in full text, or whose full texts were not in English, and that did not include keywords in the full text were removed. Finally, a total of 50 articles were included in this review. The sedative and antianxiety effects of aromatherapy inhalation or massage applications in different disease groups or healthy volunteers were presented in clinical studies conducted between 2011 and 2023. Lavender essential oil was the most frequently used aromatherapeutic in these studies, especially in terms of efficacy and safety. In addition, especially rose, chamomile, bergamot essential oils, geranium, neroli, marjoram, orange, lemon, yuzu, sweet olive, sweet orange, phlai, lemon balm, juniper, rosemary, saffron essential oils were used as intervention, control or, placebo groups in studies. Aromatherapy has been shown in studies to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy individuals or in some diseases, and have relaxing effects. These oils, which are mostly safe to use, can be recommended to apply as complementary in terms of sedative and anxiolytic effects in different symptoms/diseases with an expert aromatherapist at appropriate doses and proportions. Moreover, the selected oils can be used as alternative to synthetic drugs for sensitive and willing individuals.
Keywords: Aromatherapy; anxiolytic; sedative
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