Jasmine for Mood

Several clinical trials and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the potential impact of jasmine on mood. Jasmine, known for its fragrant blossoms, has been explored as a potential complementary or adjunctive therapy for mood-related conditions. This exploration stems from its established relaxing and potentially mood-boosting properties, suggesting a possible role in improving mental well-being. Further research is needed to fully elucidate its efficacy and mechanisms of action.

Protocols Studied in Research

[1] Facebook usage on young women's mood and body image. (Cited by: 89) (pmid: 25615425)

• Protocol: 112 women were randomly assigned to browse Facebook, a fashion magazine website, or a neutral website for 10 minutes. Mood, body dissatisfaction, and appearance discrepancies were measured before and after. Appearance comparison tendency was also assessed.
• Outcome: Facebook use led to more negative mood compared to the control. Women with high appearance comparison tendency showed increased facial, hair, and skin-related discrepancies after Facebook exposure, compared to the control.

[2] Aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil for assessing autonomic and subjective arousal levels. (Cited by: 11) (pmid: 20184043)

• Protocol: A randomized controlled trial with 40 healthy volunteers compared aromatherapy massage using jasmine oil versus a placebo. Jasmine oil was topically applied to the abdomen. Autonomic parameters (blood pressure, pulse, etc.) and subjective emotional states were measured.
• Outcome: Jasmine oil significantly increased autonomic arousal (breathing rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure) and subjective arousal (alertness, vigor), suggesting a stimulating effect, potentially useful for treating depression or uplifting mood.

[3] Inhalation of various essential oils (1,8-cineol, jasmine absolute ether, linalyl acetate, peppermint) to assess their impact on human vigilance performance. (Cited by: 6) (pmid: 20923005)

• Protocol: A controlled study comparing seven experimental groups (exposed to different essential oils at varying dosages) with a control group using a standard visual vigilance task. Participants' subjective ratings of the odors were also collected.
• Outcome: Contrary to hypotheses, most essential oils showed no significant effect on vigilance. However, linalyl acetate inhalation decreased reaction times. Subjective odor ratings significantly interacted with task performance, highlighting the importance of individual perception.

Research Interpretation: Summary and Conclusion

Three studies explored the effects of different interventions related to "Jasmine" on mood, employing diverse methodologies. One study investigated the impact of Facebook use (not directly related to Jasmine) on mood, finding increased negativity compared to a control group. Another RCT utilized aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil, demonstrating a significant increase in both autonomic and subjective arousal, suggesting a potential mood-lifting effect. A third study examined various essential oils (including unspecified Jasmine use, if any), revealing no consistent impact on vigilance, though individual odor perception influenced performance. The studies' methodologies varied significantly, hindering direct comparison. While one study indicated a positive mood effect from jasmine aromatherapy, this is not consistently supported by the other studies. Further research with standardized protocols and direct comparison of Jasmine's effects is needed to draw robust conclusions regarding its impact on mood.

Publications

[1] Fardouly J; Diedrichs PC; Vartanian LR; Halliwell E (2015). Social comparisons on social media: the impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns and mood Body image 13 :38-45.

[2] Hongratanaworakit T (2010). Stimulating effect of aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil Natural product communications 5 (1) :157-62.

[3] Heuberger E; Ilmberger J (2010). The influence of essential oils on human vigilance Natural product communications 5 (9) :1441-6.