Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis
Published on: December 20, 2024
Adverse effects of aromatherapy: a systematic review of case reports and case series
Paul Posadzki1, Amani Alotaibi, Edzard Ernst
1Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Aim:
This systematic review was aimed at critically evaluating the evidence regarding the adverse effects associated with aromatherapy.
Method:
Five electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant case reports and case series.
Results:
Forty two primary reports met our inclusion criteria. In total, 71 patients experienced adverse effects of aromatherapy. Adverse effects ranged from mild to severe and included one fatality. The most common adverse effect was dermatitis. Lavender, peppermint, tea tree oil and ylang-ylang were the most common essential oils responsible for adverse effects.
Conclusion:
Aromatherapy has the potential to cause adverse effects some of which are serious. Their frequency remains unknown. Lack of sufficiently convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy combined with its potential to cause adverse effects questions the usefulness of this modality in any condition.
Related Concept Videos
Effects of Chemicals: Overview
Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Drug Toxicity: Overview
Aromatic Compounds: Overview
In 1825, Faraday isolated benzene...
Toxidromes: Clinical Features