Research reports

摘要

Autonomic nervous activity has been implicated in the mechanism of obesity and the inhalation of grapefruit essential oil had previously been shown to affect sympathetic activity. A Japanese team (Shen et al., 2005) therefore, investigated whether the scent of grapefruit could affect energy metabolism by modulating the activity of autonomic nerves. A suspension of Citrus paradisii essential oil in water was added to a filter paper disc within a beaker and the noses of anaesthetised rats placed inside the vessel for 10min. Their neural activity was examined electrophysiologically. Filter paper soaked in water was used as the control. The experiment was repeated using a local anaesthetic (xylococaine) on the nasal mucosa to cause anosmia.