Research Paper : Effect of Inhalation of Origanum majorana Essential Oil on Brain Waves

Lim, Mi Hye

Journal of the Korean Society of Cosmetology 2011;17(5):953-961.
Published online October 31, 2011.

마조람(Origanum majorana) 향유 흡입이 뇌파에 미치는 영향

임미혜

Research Paper : Effect of Inhalation of Origanum majorana Essential Oil on Brain Waves

Mi Hye Lim

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the effect of Origanum majorana essential oil on brain waves by inhalation for 3 minutes. Electroencephalography (EEG) with the international 10-20 system on 8 channels was used to identify and characterize the brain regions that were active during and after inhalation and the results were as followed. 1. Variation of mean value of 8 channels were analyzed for relative delta and alpha wave respectively. During inhalation of majoram the relative delta value was increased (p>.05) and the relative alpha value was decreased (p<.01) and all 10 subjects were slept. This result indicate that inhalation of majoram is related to sleep of subjects. After majoram inhalation relative delta value was decreased (p>.05) relative alpha value was increased again. 2. Variation of relative delta value by 8 channels after inhalation of majoram showed statistical difference only at right temporal lobe (p<.01). 3. Variation of relative alpha value by 8 channels after inhalation of majoram showed statistical differences at right and left prefrontal, frontal and temporal lobe respectively (p<.01). 4. As a result of analysis for variation of relative alpha-1 and alpha-2 value, the increase of relative alpha value after inhalation was caused by relative alpha 1-value but they did not show any statistical differences. Consequently, this study suggested that inhalation of majoram can induce sleep and relax through brain stress. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanism of induction of sleep for majoram and this results will be available in resources for aromatherapy in part of relaxation for stress.

Key Words: Majoram, Relaxation, EEG, Alpha wave