Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

Chapter 15 / Aromatherapy and CVD 249
With Citronella nardus (citronella), the blood pressure and blood
flow did not change significantly; however, the R-R internal increased
during inhalation and increased significantly at 10 min. GSC significantly
decreased immediately after inhalation; however, citronella produced
complicated effects on the autonomic nervous system that varied
greatly. This divergence was directly related to whether the subject liked
or disliked the smell of citronella. Citronella is a common aroma used in
candles to deter mosquitoes.
Nathan (31), an American midwife, found that both lavender and rose
helped to reduce pregnancy-induced hypertension. Either essential oil
was chosen and offered to the women an inhalation, or diluted, or topical
application in the “m” technique ® .
Rose may also be effective in hyperlipidemia. Kirov et al. (32) conducted
a noncontrolled study on 32 patients with atherosclerosis with
hyperlipoproteinemia and arterial hypertension, who were not on antihypertensive
therapy. A total of 12 men and 20 women were given a
twice-daily dose of rose orally in the form of a gelatin capsule containing
68 mg of Bulgarian rose oil, 30,000 IU of vitamin A, and up to 250 mg
of sunflower seed oil. The mixture was called “girosital.” Standard urinary
and blood analysis were taken on days 1, 10, 20, 50, 80, and 110.
Patients took rose essential oil twice daily for 110 d. The rose essential
oil had a marked effect on total serum lipids that began on day 20.
Patients were divided into three groups, depending on their initial total
cholesterol. Basic hematological and biochemical parameters in the
blood, serum, and urine remained normal.
The investigator commented that the results were similar to the effects
of the drug Bezafibrate. Twenty years before Kirov’s study, Shipotshliev
(33) found that rose had a sedative effect on mice in various methods of
application.
Other essential oils believed to help in reducing hypertension are
lemon, mandarin, neroli, and clary sage (34). A British midwife, Tiran,
suggests that the following essential oils should be avoided in hypertension:
rosemary, sage, hyssop, and thyme. Although there is no concrete
evidence that rosemary, sage, hyssop, and thyme adversely affect hypertension,
anecdotal evidence, clinical experience, and Saeki and
Shiohara’s study indicate caution.
Fear
Many cardiac patients are anxious or fearful, and these feelings can
affect MI management and may be associated with sympathetic arousal
and cardiac arrhythmia. Vlay and Fricchione (35) reported on the emotional
disturbances of patients after infarction. Such emotional distur-