ABSTRACT
Essential oils (EOs) possess various neuropharmacological properties and can be alternatively utilized to treat various complications such as anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, and pain. Various investigations have shown that EOs could be effectively utilized in relieving stress, anxiety, and pain in experimental animal models and individuals with various CNS complications. Several animal studies on EOs showed that the involvement of multiple neurotransmitter systems in the mode of action of EOs results in measurable physiological effects in the brain. However, EOs act via different pathways by involving various neurotransmitters (such as dopamine (DA), serotonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and acetylcholine) and influence their release-, uptake-, and availability-associated mechanisms to exert or regulate or to restore desirable or normal physiological effects such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, brain waves composition, and cortisol serum levels with concomitant psychological effects. EOs have been extensively utilized to treat depression, nervousness, sleeping disorders, tremor, as well as other neurological complications via inhalation. By influencing GABAergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic pathways, EOs can restore normal physiological effects and hence can be utilized for various brain-associated ailments.
