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Aromatherapy in the Management of Psychiatric Disorders

Clinical and Neuropharmacological Perspectives

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Abstract

Aromatherapy is currently used worldwide in the management of chronic pain, depression, anxiety, some cognitive disorders, insomnia and stress-related disorders. Although essential oils have been used, reputedly effectively, for centuries as a traditional medicine, there is very little verified science behind this use. The pharmacology of the essential oils and/or their single chemical constituents, therefore, remains largely undiscovered. However, accumulating evidence that inhaled or dermally applied essential oils enter the blood stream and, in relevant molecular, cellular or animal models, exert measurable psychological effects, indicates that the effects are primarily pharmacological.

This review includes evidence from the limited number of clinical trials that have been published of ‘psychoaromatherapy’ in relation to psychiatric disorders, together with evidence from mechanistic, neuropharmacological studies of the effects of essential oils in relevant in vitro and in vivo models. It is concluded that aromatherapy provides a potentially effective treatment for a range of psychiatric disorders. In addition, taking into account the available information on safety, aromatherapy appears to be without the adverse effects of many conventional psychotropic drugs. Investment in further clinical and scientific research is clearly warranted.

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Notes

  1. This review was submitted in May 2004 and accepted in March 2005.

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Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to Lorraine Hood and Linda Cawley for manuscript preparation, and Dr Sarah Davies, General Practitioner, Morpeth, for helpful comments. Dr Nicolette Perry was supported by the Newcastle Medicinal Research Centre and Dr Elaine Perry was supported by the Medical Research Council. The authors have no potential conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the contents of this review.

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  1. Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Universities of Newcastle and Northumbria, Newcastle General Hospital, MRC Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6BE, UK

    Nicolette Perry & Elaine Perry

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  1. Nicolette Perry
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  2. Elaine Perry
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Correspondence to Nicolette Perry.

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Perry, N., Perry, E. Aromatherapy in the Management of Psychiatric Disorders. CNS Drugs 20, 257–280 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00023210-200620040-00001

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