N 1 (182) 2023. P. 9–14

ADAPTIVE PROPERTIES OF LITSEA CUBEBA AND MENTHA PIPERITA ESSENTIAL OILS AS POTENTIAL AGENTS FOR USE IN AROMATHERAPY OF STRESSOGENIC CONDITIONS

A.V. Bogatsky Physico-Chemical Institute, Odessa, Ukraine
Odesa National Medical University, Odesa, Ukraine
I.I. Mechnikov Odesa National University, Odesa, Ukraine

DOI 10.32782/2226-2008-2023-1-1

Introduction. Despite the higher nervous activity and associative sphere of psychical reactions are usually inherent to humans, experiments of essential oils effects and their components on psychical action of animals is necessary and fundamental for understanding of physiological and psychological background of the aromatherapy. The comparative study of influence effects of essential oils of Mentha piperita L., and Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. on behavioral reactions and psychoemotional state of mice in the open-field test was performed.

Methods: Experiments were conducted on outbreed mice of both sexes, 1 min before testing exposed to inhalations of essential oils (0.05 ml of 1 % hexane solution) followed by behavioral indicators registration (squares of peripheral/central zone, time in each zone, rearing-ups, grooming, urinations, defecations ets.).

Results: Under the Litsea cubeba essential oil influence the most significant effect is noted on the indicator of non-supported orientation activity (increased up to 1.5 times, p≤0,088), Mentha piperita essential oil suppressed both this and exploratory activity reduces on 56 %. Inhalations of Mentha piperita essential oil induce the decrease of the level of alertness in mice with the positive qualitative correlation between defecation and urination of animals and grooming indicator. Litsea cubeba essential oil inhalations leads to reduction of only vegetative function signs while the spontaneous grooming reaction even increases.

Discussion: Psychological mechanisms of essential oils influence can be described by two mechanisms. The first of them is connected with associations and is based on memorizing of smells with usual imaginations. The other psychological mechanism of smells influence is subcortical, unconditionally reflex and is connected with development of olfactory unconditional reflex (stimulating, depressing, hypotensive etc.). Both Mentha and Litsea essential oils inhalations lead to changes in behavioral activity of mice in the open field test.

Conclusion: Essential oil of Mentha piperita decreases the mean speed of animals movement in the central zone with the shift of speed frequencies in the peripheral zone to the higher values and simultaneous widening of speeds interval; inhalation of Litsea cubeba essential oil in a greater degree activates animals movements in the central zone of the open field, while in the peripheral zone their movements speed decreased.

Key words: Litsea cubeba, Mentha piperita, psychoemotional reaction, open field test, movement speed distribution.

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