All wound up? You could pop a valium…or simply stop and smell the Jasmine

Hundreds of species of jasmine, the lovely, flowering shrub and vine that grows throughout the tropics and subtropics of the east, have been used by traditional folk healers as a sedative, pain killer, to lower blood pressure, as an antidote for headaches and rheumatism, and more. Our “gift from God” is a member of the olive family and is the national flower of Indonesia, Pakistan and the Phillipines.

Jasmine tea, commonly imbibed in China, is recommended by natural healers to help us lose weight, to regulate circulation and arterial tension, and simply calm us down. The French use Jasmine to make syrup, and in the U.S. the syrup is sometimes used to make jasmine scones. In aromatherapy, the essential oil of Jasmine is used as a sedative. Extracted either chemically or via enfleurage, it requires millions of jasmine flowers to make a single kilo of essential jasmine oil. Apparently it is worth the effort. 

The scientists weigh in
A newly published study demonstrates that simply inhaling the essential oil of jasmine has the same biochemical impact as common prescription sedatives…but without the side effects. When Dr. Olga Sergeeva and Prof. Helmut Hass, working with a research team at Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum led by Prof. Hanns Hatt, exposed mice to hundreds of fragrances, it was the aroma of jasmine that left the mice peacefully hanging out in the corners of their cages. Brain scans of the exposed mice showed enhanced activity on nerve receptors, inhibiting the neurotransmitter GABA, similar to the effect of barbiturates and anesthetics. For comparison, a “control group” of mice with genetically modified receptors was also exposed to both the anesthetic propofol (branded Diprivan by AstraZeneca) and the fragrance. Whereas both propofol and jasmine affected the normal mice, neither affected the behavior nor the brain scans of the genetically-modified control mice, confirming their findings. (1)

Aromatherapy -- it’s all in your head
The German study follows on earlier studies in Japan, with both rats and humans, which demonstrated the sedative effects of linalool, a chemical compound found in numerous fragrances, including Jasmine, used in aromatherapy and natural perfumes. (2) (3)Apparently, after jasmine’s fragrance molecules are absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs, they are transported to the brain where they activate sleep-associated receptors. The German study showed five times the normal receptor activity, giving it the same impact as prescription anesthetics.According to Prof. Hatt, "The results can also be seen as evidence of a scientific basis for aromatherapy." (1)



(1) Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum (2010, July 9). Intoxicating fragrance: Jasmine as valium substitute. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/07/100708104320.htm
(2) American Chemical Society (2009, July 23). Stop And Smell The Flowers -- The Scent Really Can Soothe Stress. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 11, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/07/090722110901.htm
(3) Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005 Oct;95(2-3):107-14. Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Kyoto, Japan