Although fragrances are often used in
aromatherapy for the treatment of
edema, few studies on their
diuretic and/or antiedematous activities have been performed. In this study, the effects of four types of fragrant ingredients (
d-limonene,
piperitone,
alpha-pinene, and
cinnamaldehyde) were examined in a mouse model of fluid retention. The mice were loaded with water
after treatment with
desmopressin (an
antidiuretic hormone). In addition,
zingerone, a pungent component of ginger which is considered to be effective in the treatment of
edema, was examined. Moreover, their effects were compared with those of
furosemide, a representative
diuretic. Among the five types of fragrant ingredients examined, all except for
cinnamaldehyde increased the urine volume in the fluid retention mouse model when administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg. In particular,
d-limonene and
zingerone significantly increased the urine volume. Thus the effects of these two ingredients were further examined at lower doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg.
d-Limonene significantly increased the urine volume in a dose-dependent manner.
Zingerone resulted in a significant increase in the urine volume only at a dose of 30 mg/kg. In normal mice,
d-limonene did not affect the urine volume at the same doses. In contrast,
zingerone significantly increased the urine volume in normal mice at a dose of 30 mg/kg.
Furosemide significantly increased the urine volume in both the fluid-retentive and normal mice. These results indicate that both
d-limonene and
zingerone exhibit
diuretic actions; however, the former fragrance only exerted an action in the fluid-retentive state. This different action suggests that
d-limonene might be promising for the treatment of
edema.