Sivamaruthi Bhagavathi Sundaram, Kesika Periyanaina, Sisubalan Natarajan, Chaiyasut Chaiyavat
Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Innovation Center for Holistic Health, Nutraceuticals and Cosmeceuticals, , Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
Mini Rev Med Chem. 2025;25(3):234-258. doi: 10.2174/0113895575315700240821054716.
Essential oils (EOs) are a volatile mixture of bioactive compounds extracted from aromatic plants. The composition of EOs varies, which majorly depends on the extraction methods and plant parts. Aromatherapy using EOs has been reported for its several beneficial effects in humans. Aromatherapy is considered a complementary and/ or adjuvant therapeutic approach for treating several illnesses, especially to improve mental health and well-being. The incidence of sleep disorders, specifically insomnia, is nowadays increased, possibly due to urbanization and lifestyle. The studies showed that EOs-based treatments using lavender EO, bergamot EO, cinnamon EO, and rosemary EO (alone or in combinations) could improve sleep quality, duration, and deprivation in healthy subjects and patients, those who suffer from sleep-related issues. The current manuscript details the outcomes of EO-based treatments on the sleep quality of humans and the possible mechanisms associated with the health-promoting properties of EOs. Also, the toxicity and adverse effects of EOs have been discussed. The study indicated that EOs are potent adjuvant therapeutic candidates to manage mood-associated complications in humans. Moreover, the aromatherapeutic field requires detailed studies on toxicity and dose determination, which could provide safe and effective therapeutic results.
精油（EOs）是从芳香植物中提取的具有生物活性的挥发性化合物混合物。精油的成分各不相同，这主要取决于提取方法和植物部位。据报道，使用精油进行芳香疗法对人体有多种有益效果。芳香疗法被认为是治疗多种疾病的一种补充和/或辅助治疗方法，特别是有助于改善心理健康和幸福感。如今，睡眠障碍尤其是失眠的发病率有所上升，这可能归因于城市化和生活方式。研究表明，使用薰衣草精油、佛手柑精油、肉桂精油和迷迭香精油（单独使用或混合使用）进行基于精油的治疗，可以改善健康受试者和患有睡眠相关问题的患者的睡眠质量、时长和睡眠剥夺情况。本手稿详细阐述了基于精油的治疗对人类睡眠质量的影响以及与精油促进健康特性相关的可能机制。此外，还讨论了精油的毒性和不良反应。该研究表明，精油是管理人类情绪相关并发症的有力辅助治疗候选物。此外，芳香疗法领域需要对毒性和剂量确定进行详细研究，以提供安全有效的治疗效果。
