Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, Northumbria University, NE1 8ST Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Medical School, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Nutrients. 2018 Aug 7;10(8):1029. doi: 10.3390/nu10081029.
Extracts of several members of the monoterpene-rich Lamiaceae sub-family Nepetoideae, including those from the (sage), () and (rosemary) genera, evince cognitive and mood effects in humans that are potentially related to their effects on cholinergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. To date, despite promising in vitro properties, the cognitive and mood effects of the closely related (spearmint) and (peppermint) remain unexplored. This study therefore assessed the human cognitive/mood effects of the essential oil with the most promising, brain-relevant in vitro properties according to pre-trial in vitro screening. Organic spearmint and peppermint () essential oils were pre-screened for neurotransmitter receptor binding and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced cross-over study, 24 participants (mean age 25.2 years) consumed single doses of encapsulated placebo and 50 µl and 100 µl of the most promising essential oil (peppermint with nicotinic/GABAA receptor binding and AChE inhibitory properties, that increased calcium influx in a CAD cell neuronal model). Psychological functioning was assessed with mood scales and a range of standardised, cognitively demanding tasks pre-dose and at 1, 3 and 6 h post-dose. The highest (100 µL) dose of essential oil improved performance on the cognitively demanding Rapid Visual Information Processing task (RVIP) at 1 h and 3 h post-dose and both doses attenuated fatigue and improved performance of the Serial 3 s subtraction task at 3 h post-dose. Peppermint () essential oil with high levels of menthol/menthone and characteristic in vitro cholinergic inhibitory, calcium regulatory and GABA/nicotinic receptor binding properties, beneficially modulated performance on demanding cognitive tasks and attenuated the increase in mental fatigue associated with extended cognitive task performance in healthy adults. Future investigations should consider investigating higher doses.
几种富含单萜的唇形科 Nepetoideae 亚科成员的提取物，包括来自 （鼠尾草）、 （迷迭香）和 （百里香）属的提取物，在人体中表现出认知和情绪效应，这些效应可能与它们对胆碱能和 GABA 能神经传递的影响有关。迄今为止，尽管具有有希望的体外特性，但密切相关的 （薄荷）和 （留兰香）的认知和情绪效应仍未得到探索。因此，这项研究评估了具有最有前途的体外脑相关特性的 根据预先的体外筛选， 精油对人类的认知/情绪的影响。 对有机薄荷和留兰香 （）精油进行了神经递质受体结合和乙酰胆碱酯酶 （AChE）抑制的预筛选。在一项双盲、安慰剂对照、平衡交叉研究中，24 名参与者（平均年龄 25.2 岁）服用了封装安慰剂和 50 µl 和 100 µl 最有前途的精油（薄荷，具有烟碱/GABAA 受体结合和 AChE 抑制特性，可增加 CAD 细胞神经元模型中的钙内流）的单剂量。在给药前和给药后 1、3 和 6 小时，使用情绪量表和一系列标准的、认知要求高的任务评估心理功能。 最高（100 µL）剂量的精油可改善认知要求高的快速视觉信息处理任务 （RVIP）在 1 小时和 3 小时给药后的表现，并且两种剂量均能减轻疲劳并改善 3 小时给药后串行 3 秒减法任务的表现。 薄荷 （）精油具有高水平的薄荷脑/薄荷酮和特征性的胆碱能抑制、钙调节和 GABA/烟碱受体结合特性，可有益地调节健康成年人对高要求认知任务的表现，并减轻与长时间认知任务表现相关的精神疲劳的增加。未来的研究应考虑更高的剂量。
