JP2006257023A - Mitigator of premenstrual and/or intermenstrual, physical and/or mental unpleasant condition - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To readily mitigate premenstrual and/or intermenstrual, physical and/or mental unpleasant condition. <P>SOLUTION: The mitigator of the premenstrual and/or intermenstrual, physical and/or mental unpleasant condition contains an essential oil selected from clary sage oil, fennel oil and melissa oil, and the mitigation of the condition is carried out by the inhalation of the volatilized essential oil. Preferably, the administration is carried out by the inhalation of the volatilized essential oil at 10-4,000 μg/m<SP>3</SP>concentration for 4-8 hr per day while asleep. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an agent for alleviating physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation such as premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea.

  Physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation is a complaint that many premenopausal women complain of, to varying degrees, such as premenstrual syndrome (hereinafter referred to as PMS) and Represented by dysmenorrhea.

  PMS refers to a physical symptom group or a mental symptom group that develops about one week before menstrual period (luteal phase) first reported by Frank in 1931. It is defined as “physical and psychological symptoms that start from the day before and decreases or disappears with the onset of menstruation” and is also called premenstrual tension. Typical symptoms of PMS are physical symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, lower abdominal tension, headache, stiff shoulders, cold limbs, increased appetite, diarrhea, constipation, swelling, breast ache, breast Examples include tension, easy acne, rough skin, fatigue, and sleepiness. In addition, mental symptom groups include irritated, angry, aggressive, depressed, tearful, and anxious.

  Dysmenorrhea is generally defined as something that causes abnormally strong pain or systemic damage to menstruation, and that makes it impossible to bed or work, and is also called menstrual pain. As typical symptoms of dysmenorrhea, pain such as lower abdominal pain and back pain and various physically unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headache have been reported. It is a frequent disease.

 As women's advancement into society continues to increase, some scholars have pointed out the relationship between women's labor productivity and PMS. Physical and mental health before and during menstruation, represented by PMS and dysmenorrhea. It is thought that it is a big social problem to alleviate and reduce the sexual discomfort symptoms and improve the quality of life (QOL) of women.

  The use of essential oils for improving various diseases and mental states is known as “aromatherapy” and has also been proposed as a method for reducing PMS and dysmenorrhea (for example, Non-Patent Document 1). . However, the benefits of aromatherapy are based on experience, and few have been scientifically confirmed to be effective or safe. Aromatherapy, as is known by methods such as massage and bathing, is generally a method of giving physical stimulation to the body while bringing essential oils into direct contact with the body. Moreover, there is a clinical trial report that fennel oil, which is one of essential oils, is effective in reducing dysmenorrhea, but this is due to oral administration (Non-patent Document 2).

  In addition, it has been disclosed that β-caryophyllene is inhaled in order to improve discomfort caused by premenstrual tension, maternity blue, and menopause, but there is a demand for a substance that exhibits a higher effect (Patent Document 1). ).

Christine Westwood "Latest Aromatherapy Guidebook" Fragrance Journal, 1995, p.133-141 International Journal of Gynecolology and Obsterics (Int. J. Gynecol. Obstet.), 2003, 80 (2), p.153-7 JP 2004-339191 A

  The object of the present invention is to easily and safely relieve physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation, especially without giving physical stimulation to the body and not orally. There is.

  A relieving agent for physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation, comprising at least one essential oil selected from Clary Sage Oil, Fennel Oil and Melissa Oil. A relief agent for physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation, which is caused by inhalation of the essential oil.

  According to the present invention, physical and mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation can be alleviated by a simple means of inhaling a specific essential oil, for example, at bedtime.

The above essential oil refers to a liquid or pasty substance obtained by pressing, steam distillation, or solvent extraction of a plant body.

  Clary sage (scientific name: Salvia sclarea L.) used in the present invention is a plant belonging to the genus Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean coast, and is widely cultivated in southern France, Italy, Romania, Morocco, United Kingdom and North America. Clary sage oil is obtained in a yield of 0.1 to 0.15%, for example, by steam distillation of flowering spikes or whole plants. The main components of Clary Sage Oil are linalool and linalyl acetate, both accounting for about 80% of the oil.

  Fennel (scientific name: Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) Is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Aceraceae, native to Europe. It has been used as a medicinal herb since prehistoric times. It came to Japan during the Heian period and is now widely cultivated all over the world. Fennel oil is obtained in a yield of 6 to 7%, for example, by steam distillation from fruit having aroma and sweetness. The main component of fennel oil is anethole, which has a unique sweet aroma. In addition, aroma components such as anisaldehyde, camphor, foncon, α-pinene, limonene, and methyl kabicol have been found, but the aroma specific to fennel oil is attributed to anethole.

  Melissa (scientific name: Melissa officinalis L.) is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Melissa, native to the Mediterranean coast, and as the lemon balm is known, its leaves have a strong lemon-like scent. Melissa oil can be obtained as a 0.1% essential oil of hay, for example by steam distillation of stems or leaves. The main components of Melissa oil are geraniol, linalool, citronellol, citronellal, citral, and the like, and the content of citronellal and citral in the essential oil may reach 40%.

  These essential oils may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In order to adjust the intensity of odor, dilute with odorless water or organic solvent such as triethyl citrate, dipropylene glycol, ethanol, benzyl benzoate, isopropyl myristate, diethyl phthalate, liquid paraffin, glycerin, etc. May be used. Moreover, as long as the effect of this invention is not impaired, you may mix and use for another fragrance | flavor for fragrance | flavor.

In addition, the essential oil of the present invention is used as it is or in a diluted state, using a porous material such as cloth, non-woven fabric or cotton, ceramic, silk gel, porous cellulose particles or the like; a natural polymer material such as gelatin, agar or methyl cellulose. Water-based gels: Polyacrylic compounds, polymethacrylic acid compounds, melamine resins, urea resins and other synthetic polymer materials, wood chips, clay materials, higher fatty acid esters, higher waxes, oily materials, etc. Good.

  Furthermore, the mitigating agent for unpleasant symptoms of the present invention can be formulated or commercialized in combination with the essential oil as an active ingredient, if necessary, in combination with auxiliary ingredients. In addition to fragrance products such as perfumes, colons, and room fragrances, creams, emulsions, body lotions, body powders, hair creams, hair lotions, hair sprays, deodorants, sanitary products, inhalants, etc. It may be in any form such as fiber or clothing.

  The blending amount of the essential oil of the present invention in these preparations may be appropriately determined in consideration of the purpose of use, etc., and may be an amount that can sufficiently obtain an effect of alleviating unpleasant symptoms by inhalation. It varies depending on the use form and the selected essential oil, but is preferably 0.001 to 50% by weight, more preferably 0.001 to 30% by weight, and still more preferably 0.01 to 10% by weight. When preparing the essential oil which concerns on this invention as an indoor air freshener, it is preferable to prescribe 0.05-20 mass%.

Palliative discomfort of the invention, as essential oil component concentration volatilized, preferably, 10~4000μg / ^{m 3,} more preferably 50~2000μg / ^{m 3,} more preferably used at 100-1000 / ^{m 3.} Moreover, it is preferable to use it while sleeping for 4 to 8 hours per day.

  Evaluate the alleviation of these symptoms by exposing the fragrance during sleep for one month using the essential oil impregnated fragrance of the present invention for women complaining of PMS symptoms and letting them inhale naturally. did.

That is, Clary sage oil, fennel oil and Melissa oil were each appropriately diluted with triethyl citrate, which is an unscented solvent, so that the odor intensity is constant, and a plastic container with a lid ( Soaked in 1.5 g of cosmetic cotton in a 5 cm diameter, 3 cm high / wide mouth bottle MC-30 Takemoto container) with the mass shown in Table 1, distributed to subjects as a bedroom fragrance, and used for one month. I got it. Three weeks after the start of the test, a new fragrance was used in consideration of the volatilization of essential oil.

  The exposure time was set to bedtime in order to keep the exposure time constant between subjects. That is, a night exposure test was conducted in which a container containing essential oil was placed at the bedside, the lid of the container was opened before going to bed, and the container was closed when waking up.

  The female subjects were divided into 3 groups of 4 people, each using one different essential oil at bedtime for 1 month, at the start and end of the study, in the control period (1 month of untreated before the start of the study) and A questionnaire survey was conducted on each symptom in the study period. That is, for each symptom shown in Tables 2 to 4 described in the PMS memory, the score of each symptom entered by each subject in the questionnaire survey was added to obtain a PMS score, and the effect was determined. In this evaluation, the degree of each symptom was evaluated for the luteal phase, that is, from about 10 days before the start of menstruation to the start, and during the menstrual period, that is, from the start of menstruation to the end of menstruation.

  PMS memory was developed by the Menstrual Liaison Council and the Japan Family Planning Association for the diagnosis of PMS. A list of symptoms associated with menstruation (accompanied symptoms) that are common among Japanese women is attached. This is a diary-type booklet created so that the subject himself records the daily symptoms and degree. The symptom list includes 25 physical symptoms (Table 2), 15 mental symptoms (Table 3), and 12 social symptoms (Table 4). The degree of symptom is recorded with a score of 1: no symptoms, but a little but no influence on daily life, 2: an extent that affects daily life, and 3: vigorous.

  Table 5 shows the results of calculating the average value of the PMS scores for each group from the PMS scores of each subject and comparing the PMS scores in the control period and the test period. In any of the examples, the PMS symptom of the subject was remarkably reduced, and the PMS score in the test period was decreased as compared with the control period, and it is clear that the essential oil of the present invention has an excellent PMS symptom relieving effect It became.

  In addition, Table 6 shows the results of comparison between the control period and the test period for physical symptoms, mental symptoms, and social symptoms in the PMS symptom list. In any of the examples, the PMS score of each symptom in the test period was decreased as compared with the control period, and the fragrance of the present invention not only relieves mental discomfort, but also reduces physical discomfort. It became clear to have.

  Furthermore, Table 7 shows the results of comparing the respective PMS scores in the luteal phase and menstrual phase between the control period and the test period. In any of the Examples, the PMS score in the test period was decreased as compared with the control period, and the fragrance of the present invention not only relieved physical and / or mental discomfort before menstruation (luteal phase) but also menstruation. It became clear that these unpleasant symptoms in the middle (menstrual period) had an effect of relieving.

  For this reason, the fragrance of the present invention is not only effective in alleviating the symptoms of PMS, but also the symptoms of dysmenorrhea and menstrual pains complaining during menstruation widely before and / or during menstruation. It has been found that it has an effect of alleviating mental discomfort.

  Moreover, the following impressions were mentioned from the test subject about the relief effect of the symptom of PMS during a test period. In other words, as physical symptoms, such as better sleep, deep sleep, tiredness was lost, back pain was much easier, skin condition was better than usual, etc. Social symptoms such as being able to relax both physically and mentally, feeling relaxed, calming, etc., made me feel more comfortable.

Claims (4)

  A relieving agent for physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation, which contains one or more essential oils selected from Clary Sage Oil, Fennel Oil and Melissa Oil, Relief of physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation, which is due to inhalation of volatilized essential oils.   One or more essential oils selected from Clary Sage Oil, Fennel Oil and Melissa Oil are carried on a carrier, and alleviate physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation Relief agent for physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation by inhalation.   The agent for relieving physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the agent is inhaled while sleeping.   A method for alleviating physical and / or mental discomfort before and / or during menstruation by inhaling a volatile component of one or more essential oils selected from Clary Sage Oil, Fennel Oil and Melissa Oil.