Aromatherapy for Anxiety and Depression
As we know, anxiety and depression are serious conditions and affect a large percentage of people. Medication of these conditions can lead to drug abuse, dependence, tolerance, and delay of therapeutic effect.
Aromatherapy has been traditionally used for mood improvement and anxiety relief, and the use of essential oils in the therapy is free from these disadvantages. In-vivo studies on animal models have confirmed that certain essential oils have an anti-anxiety effect, and interact with central nervous system receptors.
As quoted in the paper:
“Therefore, it seems reasonable to argue that the modulation of glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter systems are likely to be the critical mechanisms responsible for the sedative, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant proprieties of linalool and essential oils containing linalool in significant proportions. Popular anxiolytic essential oils are generally rich in terpenoid alcohols like linalool, geraniol and citronellol, and the monoterpene limonene (or citral). Therefore, other essential oils or formulations that contain these terpenoids as major components may serve as important aromatherapeutics for relief of anxiety.” (Agatonovic-Kustrin et al, 2020)
Agatonovic-Kustrin S., Kustrin E., Gegechkori V., Morton D.W. (2020) Anxiolytic Terpenoids and Aromatherapy for Anxiety and Depression. In: Guest P. (eds) Reviews on New Drug Targets in Age-Related Disorders. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1260. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42667-5_11