Central nervous system, essential oils effects

Celery is also used to cure a few nervous disorders (http //www.innvista.com/ health/herbs/celery.htm). An essential oil obtained from the plant has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Some of its constituents have antispasmodic, sedative and anticonvulsant actions. It has been shown to be of value in treating high blood pressure (Chavallier, 1996). Wild celery promotes restfulness and sleep in hysteria patients (Grieve, 1984) and is also used to lower blood pressure (Bown, 1995). 

Many of the world s population (more than 200 million people worldwide) chew betel nut quid, a combination of areca nut, betel pepper leaf (from Piper betle), hme paste, and tobacco leaf. The major alkaloid of the areca nut, arecoline, can produce chohnergic adverse effects (such as bronchoconstriction) (1) as well as antagonism of anticholinergic agents (2). The lime in the betel quid causes hydrolysis of arecohne to arecaidine, a central nervous system stimulant, which accounts, together with the essential oil of the betel pepper, for the euphoric effects of chewing betel quid. 

Koo, B.S., K.S. Park, J.H. Ha, et al. 2003. Inhibitory effects of the fragrance inhalation of essential oil from Acorus gramineus on central nervous system. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 26(7) 978-982. 

In contrast to lavender oil, scientific data are very rare for other essential oils used in aromatherapy. Some of them seem to have real pharmacological effects on the central nervous system, but the evidence is not as strong as in the case of lavender oil. Joint and mnscle pains can be relieved by massage-aromatherapy, but available evidence does not demonstrate anything more than just the result of improved blood circulation. As scientific stndies are seldom carried out on other essential oils, their application has no confirmed role in modem medicine. As this is a case of absence of evidence, and not evidence of the absence of effect, further and more detailed studies may change the current professional Zeitgeist. 

Documented effects It is an effective remedy to treat hypertension, atherosclerosis, kidney, liver, and epilepsy (Kovaleva 1971). It is a sedative for excitement of the central nervous system (Turova 1974). A decoction of the dried leaves and flowers is used to treat intestinal atonia and as an expectorant. The plant is a component of a diaphoretic tea and is added to baths. The leaves are used as a spice and in hquor production (Tsitsina 1962). The essential oil has shown antimicrobial, hypocholesteremic, and hypolipidemic activity (Nurahev and Zubaidova 1994 Takeda et al. 2008). 

Effects of Essential Oils in the Central Nervous System... 

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS OF ESSENTIAL OILS IN HUMANS... 

Freire, C. M., Marques, M. 0. M., and Costa, M. 2006. Effects of seasonal variation on the central nervous system activity of Ocimum gratissimum L. essential oil. 105 161-166. 

A number of attempts have been made to unravel the effects of natural essential oils (EOs) and fragrances on the human central nervous system (CNS). Among these attempts two major lines of research have been followed to identify psychoactive, particularly stimulating and sedative, effects of fragrances. On the one hand, researchers have investigated the influence of EOs and fragrances on brain potentials, which are indicative of the arousal state of the human organism by means of... 

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