Aromatic ointments for the common cold: what does the science say?

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Sleep Science

Background:

• Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) affect billions globally, with symptoms impacting recovery via sleep disruption.
• Plant-derived aromatics have a long history of use in treating respiratory ailments.
• This review examines aromatic use for URTI symptom relief and its effect on sleep quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the use of aromatics for symptomatic relief of upper respiratory tract infections.
• To evaluate the impact of aromatic use on sleep quality in URTI patients.

Main Methods:

• Conducted literature searches using specific terms and screened results for relevance.
• Included additional references based on author expertise.
• Focused on studies investigating aromatic compounds like menthol, eucalyptus, and camphor.

Main Results:

• Essential oil mixtures of aromatics enhance URTI symptom relief and exhibit antitussive effects.
• Aromatic ointments (menthol, eucalyptus, camphor) improved subjective nasal cooling and decongestion.
• Patients using aromatic ointments reported significant improvements in sleep quality.
• Aromatic treatments did not alter objective nasal airway measurements.

Conclusions:

• Aromatics improve subjective sensations associated with the common cold, despite not affecting objective nasal measures.
• Enhanced sleep quality resulting from aromatic use likely aids in URTI recovery.
• Aromatics are a well-tolerated and effective option for managing URTI symptoms.