Table 1.
Summary of Neuropharmacological studies conducted on essential oils and bioactive components.
| Plant/Source | Part used | Study design | Results | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polygonum hydropiper | Leaves, Flowers EOs |
AChE, BChE assays DPPH, ABTS, H2O2 assays |
↓ AChE, BChE activity ↓ DPPH, ABTS, H2O2 radicals |
Ayaz et al. (2015) |
| Rumex hastatus D. Don | Leaves EOs |
AChE, BChE assays DPPH, ABTS, H2O2 assays |
↓ AChE, BChE activity ↓ DPPH, ABTS radicals |
Ahmad et al. (2016) |
| Narcissus poeticus L. | EOs | AChE, BChE inhibition | ↓ AChE, BChE activity | Okello et al. (2008) |
| Salvia leriifolia Benth. | EOs | AChE, BChE inhibition DPPH assay Anti-inflammatory assay |
↓ BChE activity ↓ DPPH, free radicals ↓ LPS-induced NO production |
Loizzo et al. (2009) |
| Marlierea racemosa Vell. | EOs | AChE inhibition assay | ↓ AChE activity | Souza et al. (2009) |
|
Cistus creticus, Cistus monspeliensis, Cistus salvifolius, C. villosus, C. libanotis |
EOs | AChE, BChE inhibition β-carotene bleaching FRAP assay |
↓ AChE activity ↓ BChE activity ↓ Lipid peroxidation ↑ Reduced Fe3+-TPTZ |
Loizzo et al. (2013) |
|
Eucalyptus globulus Labill. Lavandula angustifolia Mill. |
EOs | Sustained attention Tasks | ↑ Vigilance ↓ Reaction time |
Shimizu et al. (2008, 2009) |
|
Rosmarinus officinalis L. Mentha piperita |
Memory tasks Locomotor tasks | ↑ Locomotor activity ↑ Motivate vigor ↑ Cortex stimulation ↑ Mood relaxation, Alertness |
Hongratanaworakit (2009) | |
| Orange, Coffee, Lavender, Liquorice | EOs/Fragrance | Visual attention | ↑ Attention | Seo et al. (2010) |
| Jasminum sambac L | EOs | Topical application of EOS Aromatherapy effects on autonomic nervous system (ANS) | ↑ Blood oxygen saturation ↑ Breathing rate ↑ Blood pressure ↑ Attention ↑ Behavioral arousal |
Hongratanaworakit (2010) |
| Ginger EOs | 6-gingerol | Aβ25–35 induced oxidative, nitrosative cells death in SH-SY5Y cells |
↓ Aβ25–35 mediate cytotoxicity ↓ Apoptotic cell death ↓ DNA fragmentation ↓ Caspase-3 activity ↑ Bax/Bcl-2 ratio ↑ Iimmune glutathione |
Lee et al. (2011) |
| SuHeXiang Wan | EOs | Administration of Aβ1–42 Oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells |
↓ Aβ1–42 mediated JNK ↓ p38 ↓ Tau phosphorylation ↓ Apoptosis, ROS |
Jeon et al. (2011) |
| Thymol, Carvacrol | EOS components | MWM test Aβ25–35 induce dysfunction | ↓ Cognitive hypofunction ↑ Escape latency in MWM |
Azizi et al. (2012) |
| Coriandrum sativum var. microcarpum | EPM, FST Reduced glutathione Antioxidant activity | ↑ Locomotor activity ↓ Swimming, Iimmobility times ↑ Glutathione activity in HC |
Cioanca et al. (2014) | |
| Zataria multiflora Boiss. | EOs | Inj Aβ25–35 in CA1 region of HC, MWM task | ↑ Escape Latency ↓ Quadrant entries |
Majlessi et al. (2012) |
| Lavandula angustifolia Lavandula hybrida Rev. | EOs | Antioxidant, Anti-apoptotic study | ↑ Superoxide dismutase (SOD) ↑ Glutathione per-oxidase ↑ Catalase (CAT) ↓ Reduced glutathione (GSH) ↓ lipid per-oxidation |
Hancianu et al. (2013) |
| Thyme, Clove, Basil, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon leaf, Juniper, Chamomile | EOs, Thymol, Carvacrol | Antioxidant studies | ↑ Free radicals scavenging effects | Tomaino et al. (2005), El-Ghorab et al. (2008) and Wei and Shibamoto (2010) |
| Achillea millefolium | EOs | Ex vivo anti-radicals | ↓ lipid peroxidation | Candan et al. (2003) |
| Lavandula angustifolia Mill. and Melissa officinalis L. | EOs | Receptors binding study in dementia Sedative effects | ↓ Radioligands binding to M1, 5HT2A, H3 and GABAA receptors ↓ agitation |
Elliott et al. (2007) |
| Lavandula angustifolia Mill. | EOs, | Electrophysiological tasks CCMAI, CNPI tasks | ↓ TBPS binding to GABAA ↔ AMPA, NMDA, AMPA receptors ↔ Cholinergic, nicotinic receptors ↓ CCMAI Score, CNPI ↓ Agitation behavior |
Lin et al. (2007) and Huang et al. (2008) |
| Lavandula angustifolia Mill | Linalool | EPM Serum catecholamine Serum corticosterone | ↔ GABAA mediated anxiolysis ↑ Locomotor activity ↑ Motor functions |
Cline et al. (2008) |
| Lemon EOs | Limonene, Perillyl alcohol | passive avoidance test Open field test | ↑ Memory ↓ Dopamine ↓ AChE, BChE |
Zhou et al. (2013) |
| Cananga odorata | EOs | Anxiety models | ↓ Anxiety ↓ dopamine levels ↑ 5-HT |
Gaydou et al. (1986) and Zhang et al. (2016) |
| Silexan capsules | Lavender EOs | HAM-A total score | ↓ HAM-A sub-scores ↓ somatic, psychic anxiety |
Woelk and Schläfke (2010) |
|
Citrus aurantium L. Citrus sinensis L. Melaleuca alternifolia Nigella sativa L. |
EOs | FST, Locomotor tasks Anxiety Animal models |
↓ Anxiety ↑ Locomotor activity ↓ Escape latency |
Chen et al. (2008), Murakami et al. (2009), Perveen et al. (2009) and Faturi et al. (2010) |
| Crocus sativus L. | Safranal | PTZ induced SE model | ↓ GABAA receptors ↓ Convulsions |
Pathan et al. (2009) |
| Ocimum basilicum L. | EOs | Animal depression model PTZ and picrotoxin seizure tests |
↓ Spontaneous activity ↓ Ataxia, Sedation, Ptosis ↑ Latency of convulsions episodes |
Oliveira et al. (2009) |
| Myristica fragrans Houtt. | MES PTS seizures models |
↓ Convulsions ↓ Onset of strychnine induced seizures ↔ Locomotor activity ↓ Partial, grand mal seizures ↔ Myoclonic, absence seizures |
Wahab et al. (2009) |
↑: Increase/activate, ↓: Decrease/inhibit, ↔: No effect/not modulate. CCMAI, Cohen–Mansfield Agitation Inventory; CNPI, Chinese Neuropsychiatric Inventory; EOs, essential oils; 5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine; EPM, elevated plus maze; FST, forced swimming test; HC, Hippocampus; HAM-A total score, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; PTZ, pentylene tetrazole; MWM, Morris water maze.