Biological effects of herbal foot bath additive produced from Tohki extract in Yamaguchi Prefecture : The viewpoints of relaxation and blood-circulation improving effects

山口県産当帰入浴剤の生体に及ぼす効果 : 足浴によるリラックス効果及び血行促進効果の視点から

Biological effects of herbal foot bath additive produced from Tohki extract in Yamaguchi Prefecture : The viewpoints of relaxation and blood-circulation improving effects

Creators Mitani Akemi

Creators Tanaka Kazuko

Creators Urayama Akimi

Creators Ota Tomoko

Creators Harikae Naomi

現在、「元気創出やまぐち！未開拓チャレンジプラン」において、薬用作物の導入が位置づけられ山口県産当帰が生産されている。そこで本研究において、山口県産当帰の茎による入浴剤を用いて足浴を行い、リラックス効果および血行促進効果を検証した。対象は、健康な女性11 名である。リラックス効果としての比較検討項目は、心理学的指標として心理尺度(Profile of Mood states

Yamaguchi Prefecture has been conducting the project, “Active promotion of Dynamic Yamaguchi! Challenge Plan to Pioneer Unexplored Fields,” which encourages the introduction of herbal plant strategy. An herbal medicine, Tohki, angelica acutiloba, which is endemic or indigenous to Yamaguchi Prefecture, has been produced under this project. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of Tohki to be used as a medical foot bath additive. Subjects were eleven healthy females. Materials were caulines of Tohki as foot-bathing medicine to examine relaxation effects and blood-circulation-romoting effects. Items of comparison were examinations of relaxation effects, which were measured by Profile of Mood states (POMS) as a psychological index, and two more scales for assessment of mood, which were established in our own manner. As physiological indexes, the skin surface temperature of the crus and dorsum of the feet were measured by a thermograph, and axillary temperature was measured by an electronic thermometer.As results of POMS analysis, there was no significant difference recognized in the relaxation effects between water containing Tohki bath additives and plain water, although data of foot baths displayed a relaxing effect. Contrarily, the data analysis of scales for subjective indexes, which were independently established, indicated that the research participants had positive feelings when having a foot bath containing the Tohki extract. Data of the physiological index showed the change rate in deep body temperature elevated immediately after the completing the foot bath. It was expected that phthalides, which are a component of Tohki caulis, would have acute effects of being absorbed from the skin surface of crus. Furthermore, the data of the thermograph showed that the change rate in skin surface temperature on the crus and dorsum of the feet, which lowered after the foot bath, tended to be mild and gradual, which indicated that the temperature loss was slow. Therefore, it was expected that the Tohki component would have temperature-keeping effects.

[ISSN]2189-4825