Aromaterapia inalatória com Lavandula x intermedia para redução da ansiedade: estudo de fase I e ensaio clínico controlado randomizado duplo-cego de fase II

Abstract

Anxiety is a natural emotional state that encompasses psychological and physiological aspects, and is present in anxiety disorders as an inappropriate response to stress, being disproportionate to the triggering situation and without a specific object. Although anxiolytics are effective in reducing anxiety, they have adverse effects and not all patients respond well to these treatments. Aromatherapy, as a form of alternative and complementary medicine, has been studied as an option for reducing anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inhalation aromatherapy with Lavandula x intermedia essential oil on anxiety reduction. The study consisted of a Phase I clinical trial and a double-blind, placebocontrolled Phase II randomized clinical trial. The sample consisted of young individuals aged 18 to 30 years. The intervention consisted of two daily inhalations of 15 to 20 minutes, over a period of four weeks. In Phase I, three groups of three individuals performed inhalations with dosages of two drops, four drops, or eight drops. In Phase II, the Placebo Group (n=21) inhaled coconut oil, and the Treated Group (n=20) inhaled 4 drops of Lavandula x intermedia essential oil. As a result, in Phase I, the group that inhaled 8 drops experienced adverse effects (redness, itching, headache, olfactory sensitivity, and nausea), and this dosage was excluded from the strategy for Phase II. The 2 and 4-drop groups showed no significant differences in the tests, with the 4-drop strategy being chosen for Phase II. The results of Phase II showed in the Student t-test that both groups reduced the scores of all psychological measures and did not differ from each other. However, in the follow-up analysis (ANOVA), the Treated Group significantly reduced trait anxiety (Idate-T) and anxiety (Dass-21) variables and maintained the reduction in follow-up, which did not occur with the Placebo Group. It is concluded that after a four-week intervention protocol, efficacy in reducing anxiety levels, both trait and state, as assessed by the Idate and Dass-21 instruments, was observed in the Treated Group. There was also a significant improvement in sleep quality, according to the Psqi-Br instrument, and a reduction in depression and stress levels, as evaluated by the Dass-21 instrument.