精油對神經系統的作用（二）

下面我要解釋芳香精油在大腦和神經系統中的運行。首先，嗅覺神經是唯一從外部進入大腦的途徑。嗅覺神經將精油傳導到大腦深層。

我們聞精油的時候，精油分子粘附在我們鼻腔粘膜組織中嗅覺神經上的纖毛，這些粘附在嗅受體細胞上的化學分子經由嗅球和嗅莖傳輸到大腦內層的邊緣系統內，然后分落在邊緣系統中的各個部位，如下丘腦、丘腦、腦垂體、海馬體和扁桃體（杏仁體）。下丘腦—垂體是精油自中樞神經傳導到身體周圍神經系統的主要途徑，如：心臟、肝、胃、腸。精油可以激發自主神經系統、交感神經系統、副交感神經系統、內分泌系統和免疫系統。

所有的大腦內部環境，從大腦前額葉、額葉到運動區和感覺區，都相互傳導化學——神經元信號。

從邊緣系統傳遞到下丘腦的信號和信息，會影響人體的壓力、代謝和性功能。睡眠周期受這種機制的影響，失眠癥也以此機制來治愈。

而且精油還會激發腦皮質，讓人思維清晰，工作有條紊。

當精油達到腦干的時候，可以控制心跳和心率、大腸功能、血壓和呼吸。

大腦的邊緣系統是人類情感和行為產生的根源，也是人類價值觀和尊嚴的緣起。

精油的化學分子從中樞神經系統下降到周圍神經區域后，激發自在神經系統、交感神經系統和副交感神經系統，產生升降作用，從而出現情緒的升降或解決血壓升降、便秘和腹瀉問題。

在腦細胞中，神經元通過神經傳導物質將信號傳導到下一級神經元。每種神經傳導物質，都有其主導的情感范圍，例如：內啡肽產生興奮感，血清素產生幸福感，褪黑色素催眠，縮膽囊素產生滿足感，多巴胺產生愉悅感，催產素產生戀愛感等等。

精油作為神經影響因子（Neuropeptides)對大腦和神經系統有作用和影響。例如：香紫蘇（亦稱快樂鼠尾草）和依蘭依蘭精油作用在下丘腦，可以產生內啡肽，提高性欲和鎮痛；玫瑰和茉莉精油作用在丘腦時，產生腦啡肽，可以釋放壓力，增強自信；椒樣薄荷和迷迭香精油刺激海馬體，傳導腎上腺素，可加強專注度和記憶力；真薰衣草和洋甘菊類精油能影響中縫核(Raphe nuclei)，釋放血清素，讓頭腦冷靜。

精油包含很多不同化學成分，化學組分比例也不同。例如，相對于其他精油，真薰衣草含有高比例的乙酸芳樟醇酯（linalyl acetate），因此真薰衣草精油化學反應在人體上，有鎮靜和放松作用。

精油對免疫系統作用時，影響因子（cytokine）作用于下丘腦和腦垂體，產生諸如IL-1，IL2，IL6, TNF等前腦垂體激素，激活HPA軸（下丘腦-垂體-腎上腺皮質軸），抑制生長荷爾蒙。炎癥和壓力通常會誘發荷爾蒙的變化，例如：皮質醇增多癥（hypercortisolism)、正常甲狀腺病態綜合癥（euthyroid sick syndrome)、性腺功能減退癥（hypogonadism)、醛固酮增多癥減退癥（hypoaldosteronism，中文無準確譯名，譯者注）。

芳香按摩和水療對于緩解疲勞、緊張和壓力，（和通過嗅覺）一樣，對人體有效果。芳香淋巴排毒按摩，對于水浮腫非常有效；瑞式指壓對于增強循環效果好。

因此，芳香療法依托不同的代謝途徑，對人體健康有益。例如：如果是心理狀況，用吸入法或香薰法；如果是身體疼痛，用精油混合乳霜和植物油，使用按摩方法。

利用芳香療法治療一些疾病，已經在醫院里廣泛應用。在美國紐約的SLOAN KATTERING癌癥中心，就使用很多包括芳香療法在內的替代療法。

許多精神障礙，如失眠癥、焦慮癥、恐慌癥，都可以用芳香療法進行有效治療。

身體疾病方面，芳香療法也起到很好的作用。譬如心臟手術后，結合芳香療法可以很快從手術后遺癥中恢復。

我可以介紹幾種有代表性的精油，這些精油可以影響神經系統，對于醫治精神和身體障礙有幫助。

橘皮精油對于失眠、壓力、抑郁有效；

茶樹精油有很強的殺菌作用，也是我們熟識的精油，能加強免疫力和調養提振神經系統；

羅馬洋甘菊精油是最棒的緩解失眠和抑郁的精油，同時又放松和減緩壓力的作用；

真薰衣草精油是最為人熟知也非常安全的精油。其化學組分非常安全，幾乎無毒性，可以用于精神和身體障礙的治療。孕婦和兒童都可以放心使用；

甜牛至（馬郁蘭）精油對于神經系統有很深的影響，能令精神極度放松；

還有很多精油，如杜松莓、檀香、檸檬、依蘭依蘭、玫瑰等等，由于時間不夠，就不多介紹了。

我們使用精油的時候，一定要考慮精油的毒性和使用的安全性。

有許多精油，它們的普通名都一樣，但是植物學名卻不同。

舉薰衣草為例。

有很多種薰衣草，至少超過10種，普通名都是薰衣草，但是植物學名卻不同。

真薰衣草的植物學名是Lavandula augustifolia，這個品種的化學組分很均衡，有足夠的乙酸芳樟醇酯含量，有毒性的樟腦的含量很低；而穗花薰衣草的植物學名是Lavandula latifolia，乙酸芳樟醇酯含量低，而且樟腦含量高。

所有芳療師在使用精油時，要注意所選用的精油安全性。

最后說下我自己的芳香療法從業經歷

我一直在用芳香療法治療病人的精神障礙問題。我或者單獨使用精油，或者和西藥結合，或者和其他的替代療法結合，取得了很多成功的案例。

我開的精油藥方，用于診治不同的精神障礙：

抑郁癥

焦慮癥

失眠癥

注意缺陷多動障礙癥（ADHD)

恐慌癥

偏頭痛

孤獨癥

社交恐懼癥

創傷后應激障礙癥（PTSD)

癡呆癥

強迫癥

值得注意的是，一些精神障礙，如創傷后應激障礙癥、恐慌癥、社交恐懼癥、強迫癥和焦慮癥，背后都隱藏著抑郁癥。因此，在治療這些精神障礙的時候，都可以加入能治療抑郁的精油。

失眠癥是現代社會中最常見的由于壓力而產生的精神障礙。如果不及時治療，加重的話會造成嚴重的疾病；

注意缺陷多動障礙癥在臨床中多見于學生、學生父母和中小學校內。使用芳香療法很有益，但是有時也要結合其他的方法；

恐慌癥目前在韓國成了社會問題，這主要是因為社會壓力和職業壓力造成的；

偏頭痛、孤獨癥、癡呆、創傷后應激障礙癥都和神經系統出現問題有關，已經成為社會和家庭的問題。

余下部分是吳博士的從業經歷照片介紹，在此忽略。

以下為原稿

Now I will explain how aromatic essential oils work at brain andnervous system.First of all, olfactory nerve is only and unique way to inner brain fromoutside. It carries essential oil into deep place of brain

When we smell evaporated aromatic essential oils, it is inhaled into our nose and invisible micro particles attached to cilias of olfactory nerve in mucosal membrane of nasal cavity. These chemical components in olfactory receptor cells are carried through olfactory bulb and olfactory stalk to limbic system in inner part of brain. Then these neurochemicals are distributed over each parts of limbic systems, like hypothalamus, thalamus, pituitary gland, hippocampus and amygdala. Hypothalamus-pituitary gland pathway is the main route of transportation of essential molecular chemicals from central nervous system to peripheral areas, like each organs, heart, liver, stomach and intestine. It stimulates autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, endocrine hormonal system and immune system.

All of internal brain milieu, from prefrontal, frontal to motor and sensory areas, exchanges chemico- neuronal informations as signals to each others.

Signals and informations generated from limbic system to hypothalamus influenced stress, metabolism and sexual function of our body. Sleep cycles is influenced by this mechanism and case of insomnia is recovered.

Also it stimulates cortical brain to make conscious thought and When it reaches to brain stem then it controls heart rate and rhythm, intestinal function, blood pressure and breath.

So limbic system of brain is like a birth place and root of human emotion and behavior. It is a site for living worthy of human dignity hand over from God.

Essential molecular chemicals descend from central nervous system to peripheral areas. It stimulates autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves and rising or depressing its functions. So it is expressed as angry or relaxed, rising or falling down of blood pressure, constipation or diarrhrea.

At the level of brain cell, neurons are delivered neurotransmitters from one neuron to next neurons. Each neurotransmitters act some of its dominant emotions. For examples, endorphin makes our mind to excite. Serotonin induces happiness. Melatonin guides sleep. Cholecystokinine leads sufficiency. Dopamine generates joy. Oxytocin stimulates love feeling.

There are some known aromatic essential oils where and what neuropeptides working at and effecting on. For examples, clary and ylanylang oils work at hypothalamus and producing endorphin and to increase sexuality and pain control. Rose and jasmine oils act on thalamus and make enkephalin and to relieve depressive mood and increase self confidence. Peppermint and

rosemarry oils stimulate hippocampus to deliver adrenalin and lead to increase concentration and memory. Lavender and chamomile oils influence on raphe nuclei and release serotonin and to set mind balance and harmony.

Each aromatic essential oils has many chemical ingredients with different proportional ratios.

For examples, lavender essential oil has more highly linalyl acetate ratio than other oils.

It means lavender oil acts chemically on our body more sedating and relaxing effects.

Regarding to immune system, cytokine works on hypothalamus and pituitary gland and produce anterior pituitary hormone, like IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF and it activates HPA axis (hypothalamic- pituitary-thyroid) and inhibits growth hormone. Inflammation and other stress condition commonly induce hormonal changes, like hypercortisolism, hyperreninemia hypoaldosteronism,

euthyroid sick syndrome and hypogonadism. (M.R. Irwin / Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 22 (2008) 129-139)

Aromatherapy massage and spa has also same effects on body. It removes fatigue, tension and stress. Aromatic lymph drainage massage is much effective to edema state. Swedish massage generally helps to enhance circulation.

So aromatherapy is beneficial by depending on its metabolic pathway. For examples, if some mental condition, like insomnia or depression then to use oils by vaporization or inhalation. If it is necessary to relief bodily pain, then use oils by skin massages and lotions.

Aromatherapy is well used to cure some diseases in hospitals. Many modalities of Alternative medicine including aromatherapy have been used to treat patients at Sloan Kattering Cancer Center in N.Y

Most of mental disorders, like anxiety disorder, panic disorder are good indications for aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is also good for other physical disorders, like cardiac surgery as for fast recovery from surgical sequelaes.

I would like to introduce some representative aromatic essential oils useful to affect nervous system and helpful to cure mental and physical disorders.

Mandarin is common and easy oil to use for insomnia,stress and Depression.Melaleuca alternifolia, common name, Eucalyptus has highly strong antiseptic effects and also is very common and familial oil to energizing and neurotonic with enhancing immunity.

Roman Chamomile oil is one of best for insomnia and depression.Also it is good for relaxation and stress relief.

Lavender is most common and safe aromatic essential oil for mental problems also for physical sufferings.It is most safe oil chemically and very rare toxicity so it is easy to use for children and pregnant women.

Marjoram is very deeply working to functions of nervous system, so itinduces powerful and strong relaxation.

There are other more essentials, like Junifer berry, Sandalwood,Lemon, Ylanylang, Rose. But I have no time to explain it so I will skip

When we use aromatic essential oils in some medical conditions, wemust be attention of its toxicity and safety.

For examples, the general name, lavender is so many, may be over ten kinds, but its Latin name is different.

Latin name Lavandula anguistifolia(or true lavender) is one of best oil because of its chemical ingredient is well properly composed as you seeing in the picture, enough proportion of linalyl acetate and very few camphor which is toxin. But Latin name lavandula latifolia but same lavender in general name has not sufficient percentage of linalyl acetate and too much toxic

camphor in it. 

This is one of world wide famous certified essential oil mark. Organic and 100% pure eco oils should be chosen for avoiding danger 

So aromatherapist should be alert to check whether essential oils are safe or not.

Last part of this lecture,I will talk my experience of aromatherapy in my clinic. Here are cases of my practice of aromatherapy specially for mental disorders.

I have been used aromatic essential oils to my patients alone or combining with medication(drugs) and other alternative modalities.

I will show my prescriptions of aromatic essential oils for each conditions, like, Depression, Insomnia, ADHD(Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), Panic disorder and Migraine, Autism, Social phobia, PTSD, Dementia.

Depression is fundamental and common background of most mental problems, like PTSD, Panic disorder, Social phobia, OCD, Anxiety disorder. So essential oils for depression are also useful for other mental disorders.

Some oils among such essential oils are chosen with proper ratio for depression.

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