Department of Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry named after Arzamastsev of the Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia.
School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC, Australia.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1260:283-296. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-42667-5_11.
In our society, anxiety and depression are serious health issues that affect a large proportion of the population. Unfortunately, drug therapies are not always effective and can lead to drug abuse, delay of therapeutic effect, dependence, and tolerance. Traditionally, aromatherapy has also been used for anxiety relief and mood improvement. The use of essential oils, in relieving anxiety and depression, does not have the disadvantages associated with currently used drug therapies. In-vivo studies on animal models have verified the anxiolytic effects of these essential oils and the interactions of their major components with central nervous system receptors. 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.
在我们的社会中，焦虑和抑郁是严重的健康问题，影响着很大一部分人口。不幸的是，药物治疗并不总是有效，而且可能导致药物滥用、治疗效果延迟、依赖和耐受。传统上，芳香疗法也被用于缓解焦虑和改善情绪。使用精油缓解焦虑和抑郁并没有目前使用的药物治疗方法所带来的缺点。在动物模型的体内研究中，已经验证了这些精油的抗焦虑作用，以及它们的主要成分与中枢神经系统受体的相互作用。因此，有理由认为，调节谷氨酸和 GABA 神经递质系统可能是沉香醇和含有沉香醇的精油具有镇静、抗焦虑和抗惊厥特性的关键机制。常用的抗焦虑精油通常富含醇类萜烯，如沉香醇、香叶醇和香茅醇，以及单萜柠檬烯（或柠檬醛）。因此，其他含有这些萜烯作为主要成分的精油或配方可能作为重要的芳香疗法，用于缓解焦虑。
