A study on the effects of perilla essential oil on antibacterial effectiveness and the changes in skin moisture retention in nursing care

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We extracted the essential oils from natural perilla leaves and compared the bactericidal effect of these oils against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) with those of a commercial product made from the same oils. We added MRSA to the perilla essential oils and examined the bactericidal effectiveness. Both showed bactericidal effectiveness against MRSA within 15 to 30 minutes. The results indicated that the activity against MRSA depended on the reaction time and oil concentration. We then performed experiments with human subjects who soaked their feet and hands in foot baths and hand baths, respectively, containing perilla essential oils and examined the differences in skin moisture retention, antibacterial effectiveness, and relaxation effectiveness in this group with those in a control group. The results showed that the number of general bacteria on the skin after soaking in the hand bath and foot bath were decreased in the perilla essential oil group. After soaking, the skin moisture at the top of the hands and feet increased immediately in the perilla essential oil group compared with the control group. In addition, systolic blood pressure was signifcantly lower in the perilla essential oil group than in the control group. These results showed that the tested product increased skin moisture retention at the top of the hands and feet, lowered bacterial counts, and had effects on relaxation by lowering systolic blood pressure(foot bath), pulse(hand bath), and psychological test(POMS).