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| Reference | Location | Publication year | Subjects and gender | Age, y1 | Design | Intervention type | Duration (mo) | Outcome assessment tool | Outcomes | Findings | Notes about subjects |
| Intervention | Control |
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| (1) Heydari et al. | Iran | 2016 | A : 33
C : 33 | A : 22.48 ± 1.76
C : 21.84 ± 1.50 | Parallel | Citrus aurantium blossom essential oil (0.5%) (eye pad) | Odorless sweet almond oil | 2 (twice a day for 5 minutes for 5 days) | PSST | (i) Score of psychological symptoms
(ii) Score of physical symptoms
(iii) Score of social symptoms
(iv) Score of PMS | Total score of PMS and psychological symptoms decreased significantly after aromatherapy compared to the control group; however, aromatherapy had not significant effects on physical and social symptoms | 66 students with moderate PMS |
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| (2) Heydari et al | Iran | 2016 | A : 33
C : 31 | A:22.66 ± 3.41
C : 21.84 ± 1.50 | Parallel | Essential oils of Rosa damascena (4%) (eye pad) | Aromatherapy with 100% sweet almond oil | 2 (twice a day for 5 minutes for 5 days) | PSST | (i) Score of psychological symptoms
(ii) Score of physical symptoms
(iii) Score of social symptoms
(iv) Score of PMS | Total score of PMS, psychological, physical, and social symptoms decreased significantly after aromatherapy compared to the control group | 64 students with moderate PMS |
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| (3) Heydari et al | Iran | 2016 | A : 33
C : 33 | A:22.33 ± 2.38
C : 22.33 ± 2.38 | — | Citrus aurantium blossom essential oil (0.5%) (eye pad)
Essential oils of Rosa damascena (4%) (eye pad) | Sweet almond oil | 2 (twice a day for 5 minutes for 5 days) | PSST | (i) Anxiety/tension
(ii) Tearful/increased sensitivity to rejection
(iii) Depressed mood/hopelessness
(iv) Decreased interest in work activities
(v) Decreased interest in home activities and decreased interest in social activities
(vi) Difficulty in concentrating
(vii) Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
(viii) Fatigue/lack of energy
(ix) Overeating/food craving
(x) Insomnia
(xi) Hypersomnia
(xii) Physical symptoms: breast tenderness, headaches, joint/muscle pain, bloating, and weight gain
(xiii) Symptom interference with work efficiency or productivity
(xiv) Symptom interference with relationships with coworkers and friends
(xv) Symptom interference with relationships with family
(xvi) Symptom interference with social life activities
(xvii) Symptom interference with home responsibilities | Psychological symptoms were significant between the three groups except for the variables of anxiety, interest in work activities, and social activities and insomnia; the aromatherapy with Citrus aurantium compared to placebo significantly reduced the score of symptoms such as tearful/increased sensitivity to rejection, feeling overwhelmed, or out of control; aromatherapy with Rosa damascena compared to placebo significantly reduced the anger/irritability, tearful/increased sensitivity to rejection, depression, hopelessness, difficulty in the concentration, and hypersomnia
Rosa damascena had a significant effect on physical variables, such as fatigue and lack of energy, breast tenderness, headache, muscle and joint pain, bloating, and weight gain, but the effect of Citrus aurantium was not significant on any of the physical variables
Aromatherapy with Citrus aurantium had a positive effect only on the relationship between the coworkers and friends, but Rosa damascena in addition to effect on this variable had a positive effect on family relationship, social life activities, and home responsibilities | 66 students with moderate PMS |
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| (4) Lotfipur-Rafsanjani et al. | Iran | 2018 | A : 37
C : 38 | 18–29 yrs | Parallel | Geranium 2% in almond oil + massage (30 min/week) | Sweet almond oil + massage (30 min/week) | 2 (30 min/week) | PMS score | (i) Psychological symptoms
(ii) Physical symptoms | Aromatherapy massage decreased the PMS physical and mental symptoms significantly compared to the massage therapy | 75 students with PMS |
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| (5) Matsumoto et al. | Japan | 2016 | A : 9
C : 8 | 20.6 ± 0.2 | Crossover | Fragrance from yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) (diffuser) | Lavender | 1 (35 min) | POMS | (i) Tension and anxiety
(ii) Depression and dejection
(iii) Anger and
hostility
(iv) Vigor
(v) Fatigue
(vi) Confusion
(vii) High-frequency power | Tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, and fatigue improved in the aromatherapy group compared to the control group; however, other symptoms did not change significantly | 17 women with moderate PMS |
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| (6) Matsumoto et al. | Japan | 2016 | A : 9
C : 8 | 21.7 ± 0.8 | Crossover | Lavender (diffuser) | Water | 1 (35 min) | POMS | (i) Tension and anxiety
(ii) Depression and dejection
(iii) Anger and hostility
(iv) Vigor
(v) Fatigue
(vi) Confusion
(vii) High-frequency power | Depression-dejection and confusion declined significantly in the aromatherapy group; however, other symptoms did not change significantly | 17 women with moderate PMS |
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| (7) Uzuncakmak et al. | Turkey | 2018 | A : 40
C : 37 | — | Crossover | Lavender (steam inhalation) | — | 3 (5 sessions on average for each cycle) | ACOG | (i) Anxiety
(ii) Depressive effect
(iii) Fatigue
(iv) Nervousness
(v) Pain
(vi) Appetite change
(vii) Sleep-related changes
(viii) Swelling
(ix) Depressive thought
(x) PMS scale | Aromatherapy improved the PMS scale and subdimensions of anxiety, depressive affect, nervousness, pain, bloating, and depressive thought mean scores compared to the control group | 87 students with PMS |
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| (8) Geethanjali et al | India | 2020 | A : 30
C : 30 | 18–35 | Parallel | Clary sage (Salvia sclerae) (diffuser) | Water | 1 (20 min) | PSST | (i) High-frequency power | Aromatherapy increased high-frequency power significantly compared to the control group | 60 women with PMS |
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