본 연구는 박하(Mentha arvensis) 식물 유래 향료의 향기성분을 구명하고, 향기성분들이 인간의 뇌파에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 이해하고자 수행하였다. 초임계추출기를 이용하여 박하 식물(Mentha arvensis L. f. piperascens)로부터 에센셜오일을 얻었으며, 최적 회수율은 $70^{circ}C$, 200 bar 조건에서 2.38%이었다. 박하 에센셜오일에 함유되어 있는 향기 화합물을HS-SPME/GC-MS로 분석한 결과, 총 32종의 화합물이 검출되었는데 alcohol 류가 6종(67.11%), hydrocarbon 류가 13종(17.05%), ester 류가 9종(11.50%), ketone 류가 2종(7.16%), oxide가 1종(2.77%) 그리고 aldehyde가 1종(0.56%)이었다. 박하 에센셜오일에 함유된 주된 향기 화합물은 (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrien-1-ol (50.06%), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone (7.50%)과 3,4-dihydro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1H-2-benzopyran-1-one (6.60%) 이었다. 총 20명의 피험자(남녀 각 10명)를 대상으로 박하 에센셜오일 향기 흡입 전과 흡입 중에 뇌파분석을 수행한 결과, 향기를 흡입 중에는, 흡입 전과 비교하여, relative fast alpha power spectrum이 유의성 있게 증가하는 반면(p<0.05), gamma power spectrum과 spectral edge frequency 90% 지표는 유의성 있게 감소하는 결과를 얻었다(p<0.05). 본 연구의 결과들은 박하의 향기성분이 정신적 긴장을 완화시킨다는 것을 시사하여 준다.
The aim of this work was to determine the chemical composition of essential oil from aerial partsof Mentha arvensis L. f. piperascens (MAO) and to evaluate the effect of its fragrant chemicals on electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of human brain. The MAO was obtained by supercritical $CO_2$ extraction. The maximum yield was 2.38% at conditions of $70^{circ}C$ and 200 bar. There were 32 volatile chemicals with 6 alcohols (67.11%), 13 hydrocarbons (17.05%), 9 esters (11.50%), 2 ketones (7.16%), 1 oxide (2.77%), and 1 aldehyde (0.56%). The major components were (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrien-1-ol (50.06%), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone (7.50%), and 3,4-dihydro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1H-2-benzopyran-1-one (6.60%). Results of the EEG study showed that inhalation of MAO significantly changed the EEG power spectrum values of relative gamma, relative fast alpha, and spectral edge frequency 90%. During the inhalation of MAO, the value of relative fast alpha was significantly increased (p<0.05). On the other hand, the values of gamma and the spectral edge frequency 90% were significantly decreased (p<0.05). The present study suggests that fragrant chemicals of essential oil of M. arvensis reduce the level of mental stress and that they could be used in the treatment of psychophysiological disorders.
