Geranium Inhalation Aromatherapy for Reducing Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

December 5, 2025 updated by: Fahrun Nur Rosyid, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

Geranium Inhalation Aromatherapy: An Alternative Therapy to Alleviate Nausea & Vomiting in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remain among the most distressing side effects experienced by cancer patients and can significantly affect treatment tolerance and quality of life. Geranium essential oil has been proposed as a complementary, non-pharmacological therapy that may help reduce nausea and vomiting through its calming and antiemetic properties.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the potential effectiveness of geranium inhalation aromatherapy in reducing nausea and vomiting among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Ninety participants undergoing intravenous chemotherapy will be enrolled and randomly assigned to either the geranium aromatherapy group or the control group. The intervention group will receive inhalation of geranium essential oil, while the control group will receive no aromatherapy.Nausea and vomiting will be measured using the validated Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR) before chemotherapy and 12 hours afterward. This study is designed to explore whether geranium inhalation aromatherapy may serve as a supportive complementary therapy to enhance comfort and overall quality of life for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Chemotherapy is a primary treatment modality for many types of cancer but is frequently accompanied by adverse effects, particularly nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are triggered by complex interactions between neurotransmitters and receptors in both the gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. Although antiemetic medications have improved over the years, many patients continue to experience discomfort that negatively affects their quality of life. Complementary therapies such as aromatherapy are increasingly explored as supportive approaches to help alleviate these symptoms. Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens) possesses calming, anti-inflammatory, and potential antiemetic properties. Inhalation aromatherapy is thought to reduce nausea by stimulating olfactory pathways associated with relaxation and autonomic regulation. This study aims to investigate the potential benefit of geranium inhalation aromatherapy as an adjunct to standard chemotherapy care. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) involves 90 cancer patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy at a public hospital in Surakarta, Indonesia. Participants are selected through simple random sampling. Inclusion criteria include patients aged under 65 years, with a BMI of 18.5-22.9 kg/m², receiving chemotherapy regimen 1, and willing to provide informed consent. Participants will be randomized into two groups: a treatment group receiving geranium inhalation aromatherapy and a control group receiving no aromatherapy. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics-including age, gender, education level, occupation, body mass index, duration of illness, cancer stage, hemoglobin levels, leukocyte and platelet counts, kidney function, liver function, and chemotherapy status-will be recorded to ensure comparability between groups. Geranium aromatherapy will be administered through inhalation, a method known to deliver rapid olfactory stimulation and promote relaxation. Nausea and vomiting will be assessed using the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR), a reliable and widely used instrument for evaluating chemotherapy-related gastrointestinal symptoms. Measurements will be collected at baseline and 12 hours after chemotherapy. This study is expected to provide additional insight into the feasibility, safety, and potential role of aromatherapy-specifically geranium essential oil-in supporting the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as part of a holistic approach to cancer care.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

90

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Indonesia
    • Centre Java
      • Surakarta, Centre Java, Indonesia, 57126
        • RSUD Dr. Moewardi Surakarta

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Diagnosed with cancer.
  2. Currently undergoing intravenous chemotherapy regimen 1.
  3. Aged under 65 years.
  4. Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 22.9 kg/m².
  5. Able and willing to provide informed consent.
  6. Able to communicate and follow study instructions.

Exclusion Criteria:

Known allergy or sensitivity to essential oils or fragrances

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Geranium Aromatherapy
Participants in this arm received geranium essential oil inhalation aromatherapy during chemotherapy. The aromatherapy was administered by allowing patients to inhale geranium essential oil through a controlled inhalation method. This intervention was provided during the chemotherapy session, and nausea/vomiting levels were assessed before and 12 hours after chemotherapy using the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR).
Other: Geranium Inhalation Aromatherapy
Participants received inhalation aromatherapy using geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens). The essential oil was administered through controlled inhalation during the chemotherapy session. Patients inhaled the aroma directly, allowing olfactory stimulation intended to reduce nausea and vomiting. The intervention was applied according to a standardized protocol, and nausea/vomiting were assessed before and 12 hours after chemotherapy using the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR).
Other Names:
  • Aromatherapy with Geranium Oil
  • Geranium Essential Oil
No Intervention: Control (No Aromatherapy)
Participants in this arm did not receive any aromatherapy or additional supportive intervention. They underwent chemotherapy according to the standard hospital protocol. Nausea and vomiting were assessed at baseline and 12 hours after chemotherapy using the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Nausea and Vomiting Score (INVR)
Time Frame: Baseline to 12 hours after chemotherapy
The primary outcome is the change in nausea, vomiting, and retching severity measured using the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR). INVR scores are collected before chemotherapy (baseline) and 12 hours after chemotherapy. The measure evaluates the effectiveness of geranium inhalation aromatherapy in reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Baseline to 12 hours after chemotherapy

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)
Time Frame: 12 hours after chemotherapy
The secondary outcome is the proportion of participants experiencing nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy, assessed using INVR categorical scores. This measure compares differences in symptom incidence between the geranium aromatherapy group and the control group
12 hours after chemotherapy

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Faculty of Health Sciences FIK UMS, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 23, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 5, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

December 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

December 18, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 5, 2025

Last Verified

December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • UMS-GERANIUM-RCT2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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