EFFECT OF PEPPERMINT AND EUCALYPTUS OIL PREPARATIONS ON NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALGESIMETRIC HEADACHE PARAMETERS

The effects of peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil preparations on neuro physiological, psychological and experimental algesimetric parameters were investigated in 32 healthy subjects in a double-blind, placebo-co ntrolled, randomized cross-over design. Four different test preparatio ns were applied to large areas of the forehead and temples using a sma ll sponge and their effect was evaluated by comparing baseline and tre atment measure. The combination of peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil and ethanol increased cognitive performance and had a muscle-relaxing and mentally relaxing effect, but had little influence on pain sensitivity . A significant analgesic effect with a reduction in sensitivity to he adache was produced by a combination of peppermint oil and ethanol. Th e essential plant oil preparations often used in empiric medicine can thus be shown by laboratory tests to exert significant effects on mech anisms associated with the pathophysiology of headache.