An Australian university has claimed that the use of essential oils may induce mood-enhancing, anxiolytic properties, improving brain health.
Published in the journal Neurochemistry International, the findings consider essential oils and aromatherapy as a potential approach for treating a wide range of mental health problems, with future research warranted.
“In this study, we demonstrate the significant in vitro capacity of ascorbate to produce H2O2 in the presence of oxygen at physiological pH values, peaking at ∼400 μM for ascorbate levels of 1.0 mg/mL,” the study reads.
According to researchers at Monash University, aromatherapy under certain conditions may enhance mood, including a reduction in anxiety and depression. Additionally, researchers in their study explained how the interaction between essential oils and high levels of vitamin C in the brain may induce anti-oxidant effects needed to improve mood.
“For the first time, this work paves the way to select and classify essential oils according to their mechanistic properties and to potentially develop inexpensive but effective therapies for the brain,” the authors stated in their findings.
“We are working towards developing EOs for a range of applications including: treating depression and anxiety, infection, inflammation and potentially even cancer,” the authors claimed.
The findings were published online on August 9th, 2021.
