Using therapeutic essential oils to support the management of anxiety

A review on essential oils: A potential tonic for mental wellbeing in the aging population?

Mental wellbeing is crucial to a good quality of life. With progression in life, mental health can deteriorate, leading to multiple disorders, such as depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Essential oils, from various sources, have a long history of use in aromatherapy. Herein, we review the current literature related to the psychological effects of essential oils, emphasizing their impact on mood regulation, stress reduction, sleep disturbances, and cognitive function. Various mechanisms, such as alterations to the neurotransmitter system, endocrine changes, and anti-oxidant activity are reviewed. The non-invasive nature of essential oils suggests they have a promising role as adjuncts to conventional therapies for improving the mental health of the aging population.

Use of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil as a complementary therapy in adult health care: A scoping review

Background

In addition to its low toxicity risk, Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil is recognised worldwide for its sedative, antidepressant, antiseptic, antifungal, relaxing, and antiemetic properties. Thus, the action mechanism of lavender oil has attracted significant attention from researchers interested in improving the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients.

Objective

To investigate the scope of knowledge regarding the use of L. angustifolia essential oil as a complementary therapy in adult health care.

Methods

A scoping review was carried out using a PRISMA-ScR checklist followed by a critical assessment being performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute level of evidence. The following databases were used: SCOPUS, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, SCIELO, Cochrane Library, LILACS, Wiley Online Library, CAPES, and FIOCRUZ Dissertations.

Results

Eighty-three articles published between 2002 and 2022 were selected for the analysis; More articles came from Iran than from any other country and most articles reported clinical trials. The applicability of lavender essential oil and its route of administration in different clinical situations were the main topics addressed in the articles.

Conclusions

Most studies demonstrate the efficacy of L. angustifolia Mill. essential oil in relieving pain and decreasing anxiety. Few studies evaluated the anti-psoriatic, anti-toxoplasmotic, and wound healing properties and the protective actions against cerebral ischemia. One study reported on its safety, specifically the allergenic potential of linalool, the main chemical component of L. angustifolia essential oil. However, most studies did not involve the extensive investigations on this topic or report the safe quantities of this oil for human treatment, meaning further research into the safety of this treatment is required.

Revisiting the Therapeutic Effects of Essential Oils on the Oral Microbiome

The extensive use of antibiotics has resulted in the development of drug-resistant bacteria, leading to a decline in the efficacy of traditional antibiotic treatments. Essential oils (EOs) are phytopharmaceuticals, or plant-derived compounds, that possess beneficial properties such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, bacteriostatic, and bactericidal effects. In this review, we present scientific findings on the activity of EOs as an alternative therapy for common oral diseases. This narrative review provides a deeper understanding of the medicinal properties of EOs and their application in dentistry. It not only evaluates the effectiveness of these oils as antibacterial agents against common oral bacteria but also covers general information such as composition, methods of extraction, and potential toxicity. Further nonclinical and clinical studies must be conducted to determine their potential use and safety for treating oral diseases.

The Efficacy of Lavender Aromatherapy in Reducing the Overcrowding-Related Anxiety in Health Care Workers

In general, emergency departments (EDs) are stressful workplaces with excessive workloads and time pressures. Crowding, which is an important problem worldwide disrupting ED functions, leads further increases in the stressors which health care workers are exposed to. Long-term exposure to stressors can lead to anxiety in health care workers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aromatherapy on crowding-related anxiety in ED health care workers. Crowding was measured simultaneously with the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Scale objectively and the Health Care Workers' Crowding Perception Evaluation Form subjectively. The state-trait anxiety level was measured at each crowding level according to the health care workers' perception. When perceived crowding was at severely overcrowding level, lavender oil aromatherapy was applied. Anxiety level was measured before and after aromatherapy. Aromatherapy was repeated 3 times on different days. A significant positive correlation was found between state anxiety level and perceived crowding (r = 0.415, p < 0.001). Aromatherapy was found to have a significant correlation in reducing the overcrowding-related anxiety in health care workers (p < 0.05). This study showed that there is a significant correlation between anxiety level and perceived crowding, and aromatherapy is related to a decrease in overcrowding-related anxiety. In EDs, lavender oil aromatherapy can be used as a complementary method in reducing the overcrowding-related anxiety. But further researches are needed to verify that aromatherapy has a causative effect on reducing overcrowding-related anxiety.

Effect of Geraniol and Citronellol Essential Oils on the Biophysical Gating Properties of AMPA Receptors

Essential oils have been advertised endlessly to be very beneficial for the health of humans, and an extensive amount of research examines the validity of such claims. In contribution, the current study evaluates the neuroprotective properties of Citronellol and Geraniol essential oils (EOs). In relationship to the biophysical gating properties of different the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunits, the EOs were administered to HEK293 (Human embryonic kidney 293) cells and examined for any inhibition and effect on desensitization or deactivation rates, using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Our results demonstrated the highest levels of inhibition from Citronellol oil by four-fold on all AMPARs subunits. Likewise, Geraniol oil had a similar inhibiting impact on the receptors, and both oils decreased the desensitization and deactivation rates of the inhibited receptors. Thus, the examined EOs of this study portray neuroprotective qualities by targeting AMPARs activation and reducing desensitization and deactivation rates. Finally, the results of the current study entail a better understanding of AMPARs, provides a natural template for future drug synthesis to treat neurological diseases associated with excessive AMPAR activation, and offers a possible mechanism by which these essential oils deploy their ‘calming’ effect.