Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2002; 7: 96
The effects of hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata) odour on mood and anxiety were investigated in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis. In addition, the psychophysiological effects of hiba odour were evaluated by the contingent negative variation (CNV), which reflects arousal level.
After a control period (1 week, natural hospital odours), 14 female inpatients were consecutively exposed to odourless, control, lavender, control and hiba conditions for a week. The effects of odour were measured using Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA). Eight healthy females participated in the CNV recording in the three conditions (hiba, lavender, and no odorant) in random order. CNV was obtained with a foreperiod of 2 s in the click-flash paradigm.
In the hiba odour condition, the mean scores of HAMD and HAMA significantly decreased, and in the lavender condition the mean scores of HAMA significantly decreased regardless of the presence of physical complications such as diabetes mellitus. In CNV measuring, the amplitude of CNV was significantly larger in the hiba condition than in the control and the lavender conditions.
The CNV results show that hiba odour has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, in contrast to lavender which has sedative effect. HAMD and HAMA data indicate that hiba odour has both antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects in chronic haemodialysis patients while lavender has anxiolytic effects in such patients.
