Skip to content
2000
image of Effect of Lavender Essential Oil-based Aromatherapy on Anxiety: An Overview of Results of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Essential oils (EOs) are plant-derived bioactive compounds, primarily made up of terpenoids, which possess various biological and pharmacological effects. Lavender essential oil (LEO) is one of the most extensively studied options. LEO contains terpenes, ketones, alcohols, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Aromatherapy, a practice dating back to ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese, involved the use of incense, baths, and embalming rituals. Anxiety disorders have gained significant attention in understanding both physical and mental health. Many people are turning to complementary and alternative therapies for the management of anxiety due to the side effects of pharmacological treatments. Several preclinical studies suggest that LEO may alleviate anxiety-like behaviors in experimental models. This review examines the chemical composition, pharmacological properties, and mechanisms of LEO that contribute to its role in managing anxiety in humans. The literature indicates that LEO-based aromatherapy may effectively reduce anxiety in various groups, such as nursing students, patients undergoing surgery, and those involved in clinical procedures. While the exact mechanisms behind LEO’s anxiolytic effects remaining unclear, active compounds in EOs may influence the production and release of neurotransmitters through pathways involving 
γ-aminobutyric acid, dopamine, and serotonin. More extensive preclinical and clinical studies with diverse subject groups are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms of LEO’s anxiolytic properties, which could ultimately help in developing optimized treatments for managing anxiety disorders.

© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
2025-10-06
2026-02-26

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/cpd/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Elshafie H.S. Camele I. An overview of the biological effects of some Mediterranean essential oils on human health. BioMed Res. Int. 2017 2017 1 14 10.1155/2017/9268468 29230418
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Mahanta B.P. Bora P.K. Kemprai P. Borah G. Lal M. Haldar S. Thermolabile essential oils, aromas and flavours: Degradation pathways, effect of thermal processing and alteration of sensory quality. Food Res. Int. 2021 145 110404 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110404 34112407
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Diass K. Brahmi F. Mokhtari O. Abdellaoui S. Hammouti B. Biological and pharmaceutical properties of essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Lavandula officinalis L. Mater. Today Proc. 2021 45 7768 7773 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.03.495
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Sharma M. Grewal K. Jandrotia R. Batish D.R. Singh H.P. Kohli R.K. Essential oils as anticancer agents: Potential role in malignancies, drug delivery mechanisms, and immune system enhancement. Biomed. Pharmacother. 2022 146 112514 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112514 34963087
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Thangaleela S. Sivamaruthi B.S. Kesika P. Essential oils, phytoncides, aromachology, and aromatherapy-A review. Appl. Sci. 2022 12 9 4495 10.3390/app12094495
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Georgantopoulos A. Vougioukas A. Kalousi F.D. Tsialtas I. Psarra A.M.G. Comparative studies on the anti-inflammatory and apoptotic activities of four Greek essential oils: Involvement in the regulation of NF-κB and steroid receptor signaling. Life 2023 13 7 1534 10.3390/life13071534 37511910
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Sivamaruthi B.S. Kesika P. Daungchana N. Sisubalan N. Chaiyasut C. Composition, bioactivities, microbiome, safety concerns, and impact of essential oils on the health status of domestic animals. Appl. Sci. 2024 14 16 6882 10.3390/app14166882
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Pezantes-Orellana C. German Bermúdez F, Matías De la Cruz C, Montalvo JL, Orellana-Manzano A. Essential oils: A systematic review on revolutionizing health, nutrition, and omics for optimal well-being. Front. Med. 2024 11 1337785 10.3389/fmed.2024.1337785 38435393
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Sivamaruthi B.S. Kesika P. Sisubalan N. Chaiyasut C. The role of essential oils on sleep quality and other sleep-related issues: Evidence from clinical trials. Mini Rev. Med. Chem. 2025 25 3 234 258 10.2174/0113895575315700240821054716 39225207
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Cavanagh H.M.A. Wilkinson J.M. Biological activities of Lavender essential oil. Phytother. Res. 2002 16 4 301 308 10.1002/ptr.1103 12112282
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Aziz Z.A.A. Ahmad A. Setapar S.H.M. Essential oils: Extraction techniques, pharmaceutical and therapeutic potential - A review. Curr. Drug Metab. 2018 19 13 1100 1110 10.2174/1389200219666180723144850 30039757
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Basch E. Foppa I. Liebowitz R. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Miller). J. Herb. Pharmacother. 2004 4 2 63 78 10.1080/J157v04n02_07 15364646
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Pokajewicz K. Białoń M, Svydenko L, Fedin R, Hudz N. Chemical composition of the essential oil of the new cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. bred in Ukraine. Molecules 2021 26 18 5681 10.3390/molecules26185681 34577152
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Diass K. Merzouki M. Elfazazi K. Essential oil of Lavandula officinalis: Chemical composition and antibacterial activities. Plants 2023 12 7 1571 10.3390/plants12071571 37050197
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Herz R.S. Aromatherapy facts and fictions: A scientific analysis of olfactory effects on mood, physiology and behavior. Int. J. Neurosci. 2009 119 2 263 290 10.1080/00207450802333953 19125379
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Chaiyasut C. Sivamaruthi B.S. Wongwan J. Effects of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) persoon essential oil aromatherapy on mood states and salivary cortisol levels in healthy volunteers. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2020 2020 1 4389239 10.1155/2020/4389239 32774414
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Horenstein A. Heimberg R.G. Anxiety disorders and healthcare utilization: A systematic review. Clin. Psychol. Rev. 2020 81 101894 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101894 32818687
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Sareen J. Cox B.J. Clara I. Asmundson G.J.G. The relationship between anxiety disorders and physical disorders in the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey. Depress. Anxiety 2005 21 4 193 202 10.1002/da.20072 16075453
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Javaid S.F. Hashim I.J. Hashim M.J. Stip E. Samad M.A. Ahbabi A.A. Epidemiology of anxiety disorders: Global burden and sociodemographic associations. Middle East Current Psychiatry 2023 30 1 44 10.1186/s43045‑023‑00315‑3
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Raposo S. El-Gabalawy R. Erickson J. Mackenzie C.S. Sareen J. Associations between anxiety disorders, suicide ideation, and age in nationally representative samples of Canadian and American adults. J. Anxiety Disord. 2014 28 8 823 829 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.09.005 25306089
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Bandelow B. Michaelis S. Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues Clin. Neurosci. 2017 19 2 93 107 10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelow 28867934
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Zhao F.Y. Kennedy G.A. Xu P. Identifying complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for anxiety treatment and care: A systematic review and critical assessment of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines. Front. Psychiatry 2023 14 1290580 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1290580 38152358
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Bystritsky A. Hovav S. Sherbourne C. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in a large sample of anxiety patients. Psychosomatics 2012 53 3 266 272 10.1016/j.psym.2011.11.009 22304968
    [Google Scholar]
  24. McIntyre E. Saliba A.J. Wiener K.K. Sarris J. Herbal medicine use behaviour in Australian adults who experience anxiety: A descriptive study. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2016 16 1 60 10.1186/s12906‑016‑1022‑3 26865257
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Müller W.E. Sillani G. Schuwald A. Friedland K. Pharmacological basis of the anxiolytic and antidepressant properties of Silexan®, an essential oil from the flowers of lavender. Neurochem. Int. 2021 143 104899 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104899 33181239
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Müller W.E. Schuwald A. Frankfurt, Noldner, M.; Karlsruhe, Kasper, S.; Wien, Friedland, K.; Erlangen. Pharmacological basis of the therapeutical use of Silexan® (Lasea). Psychopharmakotherapie 2015 22 3 14
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Kumar V. Characterization of anxiolytic and neuropharmacological activities of Silexan. Wien. Med. Wochenschr. 2013 163 3-4 89 94 10.1007/s10354‑012‑0164‑2 23361848
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Bartova L. Dold M. Volz H.P. Seifritz E. Möller H.J. Kasper S. Beneficial effects of Silexan on co-occurring depressive symptoms in patients with subthreshold anxiety and anxiety disorders: Randomized, placebo-controlled trials revisited. Eur. Arch. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2023 273 1 51 63 10.1007/s00406‑022‑01390‑z 35262795
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Dold M. Bartova L. Volz H.P. Efficacy of Silexan in patients with anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Eur. Arch. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2023 273 7 1615 1628 10.1007/s00406‑022‑01547‑w 36717399
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Sozmen F. Uysal B. Oksal B.S. Kose E.O. Deniz I.G. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Origanum saccatum P.H. Davis essential oil obtained by solvent-free microwave extraction: Comparison with hydrodistillation. J. AOAC Int. 2011 94 1 243 250 10.1093/jaoac/94.1.243 21391501
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Hammouda F.M. Saleh M.A. Abdel-Azim N.S. Evaluation of the essential oil of Foeniculum vulgare Mill (fennel) fruits extracted by three different extraction methods by GC/MS. Afr. J. Tradit. Complement. Altern. Med. 2014 11 2 277 279 10.4314/ajtcam.v11i2.8 25435608
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Siddique AB Mizanur Rahman SM Hossain MA Chemical composition of essential oil by different extraction methods and fatty acid analysis of the leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. Arab JChem 2016 9 9 S1185 S1189 (Suppl. 2) 10.1016/j.arabjc.2012.01.004
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Abifarin T.O. Otunola G.A. Afolayan A.J. Chemical composition of essential oils obtained from Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham. and Schltdl. leaves using two extraction methods. SciWorldJ 2020 2020 1 6 10.1155/2020/9232810 33343238
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Kikowska M. Kalemba D. Dlugaszewska J. Thiem B. Chemical composition of essential oils from rare and endangered species- Eryngium maritimum L. and E. alpinum L. Plants 2020 9 4 417 10.3390/plants9040417 32235437
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Hassiotis C.N. Ntana F. Lazari D.M. Poulios S. Vlachonasios K.E. Environmental and developmental factors affect essential oil production and quality of Lavandula angustifolia during flowering period. Ind. Crops Prod. 2014 62 359 366 10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.08.048
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Crișan I Ona A Vârban D,et al Current trends for Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) crops and products with emphasis on essential oil quality Plants 2023 12 (2) 357 10.3390/plants12020357 36679071
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Białoń M, Krzyśko-Łupicka T, Nowakowska-Bogdan E, Wieczorek PP. Chemical composition of two different lavender essential oils and their effect on facial skin microbiota. Molecules 2019 24 18 3270 10.3390/molecules24183270 31500359
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Mantovani A.L.L. Vieira G.P.G. Cunha W.R. Chemical composition, antischistosomal and cytotoxic effects of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia grown in Southeastern Brazil. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 2013 23 6 877 884 10.1590/S0102‑695X2013000600004
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Steltenkamp R.J. Casazza W.T. Composition of the essential oil of lavandin. J. Agric. Food Chem. 1967 15 6 1063 1069 10.1021/jf60154a005
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Dob T. Dahmane D. Berramdane T. Chelghoum C. Chemical composition of the essential oil of Lavandula dentata L. from Algeria. Int J Aromather 2005 15 110 114 10.1016/j.ijat.2005.03.010
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Alnamer R. Alaoui K. Houcine Bouidida E. Benjouad A. Cherrah Y. Toxicity and psychotropic activity of essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis and Lavandula officinalis from Morocco. J Biol Act Prod Nat 2011 1 262 272
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Wells R Truong F Adal AM Sarker LS Mahmoud SS Lavandula Essential Oils: A current review of applications in medicinal, food, and cosmetic industries of lavender. Nat Prod Commun 2018 13 (10) 1934578X1801301038 10.1177/1934578X1801301038
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Slimani C. Sqalli H. Rais C. Chemical composition and evaluation of biological effects of essential oil and aqueous extract of Lavandula angustifolia L. Not. Sci. Biol. 2022 14 1 11172 10.15835/nsb14111172
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Talbaoui A. Jamaly N. Aneb M. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from six Moroccan plants. J. Med. Plants Res. 2012 6 31 4593 4600 10.5897/JMPR10.078
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Barut Gök S. Erdoğdu Y. Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from six lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) cultivars. Plant Soil Environ. 2024 70 2 111 123 10.17221/438/2023‑PSE
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Tahmas-Kahyaoğlu D, Özen MB, Yıldız H. Chemical composition of essential oil extracted from lavender growing in Kastamonu, Türkiye. Turk J For 2024 25 1 113 117
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Abbaszadeh R. Tabari F. Asadpour A. The effect of lavender aroma on anxiety of patients having bone marrow biopsy. Asian Pac. J. Cancer Prev. 2020 21 3 771 775 10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.3.771 32212806
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Doyle J.M. Brockway C. Bannon W.M. Monturo C. Effects of lavender on preprocedural anxiety in patients undergoing image-guided biopsies. J. Radiol. Nurs. 2020 39 3 229 233 10.1016/j.jradnu.2020.04.003
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Jafarbegloo E. Ahmari tehran H, Bakouei S. The impacts of inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on students’ test anxiety: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Faslnamah-i Giyahan-i Daruyi 2020 1 73 100 108 10.29252/jmp.1.73.100
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Faghih A. Hashemi N. Nazari F. Forughi M. Effects of blended aromatherapy using lavender and damask rose oils on the test anxiety of nursing students. J. Educ. Health Promot. 2021 10 1 349 10.4103/jehp.jehp_88_21 34761035
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Solomon D.A. Prasad N. Beautily V. Thenmozhi P. Madaswamy R. Deepika D. Effect of lavender oil on social anxiety among first-year college students. J. Pharm. Bioallied Sci. 2024 16 S2907 S2909 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_601_24 39346373
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Yang H.J. Li M.W. Chen T.C. Evaluating the impact of lavender aromatherapy and music therapy on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in female nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 2025 59 101973 10.1016/j.ctcp.2025.101973 40127529
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Arslan I. Aydinoglu S. Karan N.B. Can lavender oil inhalation help to overcome dental anxiety and pain in children? A randomized clinical trial. Eur. J. Pediatr. 2020 179 6 985 992 10.1007/s00431‑020‑03595‑7 32030454
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Ghaderi F. Solhjou N. The effects of lavender aromatherapy on stress and pain perception in children during dental treatment: A randomized clinical trial. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 2020 40 101182 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101182 32891272
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Nirmala K. Kamatham R. Effect of aromatherapy on dental anxiety and pain in children undergoing local anesthetic administrations: A randomized clinical trial. J. Caring Sci. 2021 10 3 111 120 10.34172/jcs.2021.026 34849354
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Alkanan S.A.M. Alhaweri H.S. Khalifa G.A. Ata S.M.S. Dental pain perception and emotional changes: On the relationship between dental anxiety and olfaction. BMC Oral Health 2023 23 1 175 10.1186/s12903‑023‑02864‑9 36966288
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Abdalhai R. Kouchaji C. Alkhatib R. The effect of aromatherapy with Lavender-Neroli oil and music in management of pediatric dental anxiety: A randomized control trial. BDJ Open 2024 10 1 5 10.1038/s41405‑024‑00186‑8 38286818
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Bhattad M.S. Bartakke R.R. Bargaje P. Chaudhari K. Rane A. Sachdev S.S. Comparison of the efficacy of aromatherapy and bubble breath play therapy in reducing dental anxiety in children: A randomized clinical trial. Int. J. Clin. Pediatr. Dent. 2025 18 1 29 33 10.5005/jp‑journals‑10005‑3020 40110452
    [Google Scholar]
  59. Razavian H. Mazaheri M. Shiri A. Effect of lavender oral drops in reducing dental anxiety among patients requiring endodontic treatment: A randomised clinical trial. Eur. Endod. J. 2025 10 1 66 72 10.14744/eej.2024.06641 40145478
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Kumar D. Gurunathan D. Jabin Z. Talal S. Aromatherapy versus conscious sedation evaluation in reducing dental anxiety in pediatric dental patients. Annals of Dental Specialty 2024 12 2 25 31 10.51847/xigtK1Y23r
    [Google Scholar]
  61. Jokar M. Delam H. Bakhtiari S. The effects of inhalation lavender aromatherapy on postmenopausal women’s depression and anxiety: A randomized clinical trial. J. Nurse Pract. 2020 16 8 617 622 10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.04.027
    [Google Scholar]
  62. Kasar K.S. Yildirim Y. Senuzun Aykar F. Uyar M. Sagin F.G. Atay S. Effect of inhalation aromatherapy on pain, anxiety, comfort, and cortisol levels during trigger point injection. Holist. Nurs. Pract. 2020 34 1 57 64 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000350 31567306
    [Google Scholar]
  63. Stanley P.F. Wan L.F. Karim R.A. A randomized prospective placebo-controlled study of the effects of lavender aromatherapy on preoperative anxiety in cataract surgery patients. J. Perianesth. Nurs. 2020 35 4 403 406 10.1016/j.jopan.2019.12.004 32178950
    [Google Scholar]
  64. Rahman R.A. Dewan M.M.V. Sayed Masri S.N.N. Mokhtar M.N. Abdullah F.H. Nor N.M. Lavender aromatherapy: Its effect on preoperative anxiety and propofol requirement for anesthesia. Anaesth. Pain Intensive Care 2024 28 1 20 25 10.35975/apic.v28i1.2376
    [Google Scholar]
  65. Grabnar M. Roach M.J. Abd-Elsayed A. Kim C. Impact of lavender on pain and anxiety levels associated with spine procedures. Ochsner J. 2021 21 4 358 363 10.31486/toj.21.0013 34984050
    [Google Scholar]
  66. Jones T. Purdy M. Stewart E.A. Lavender aromatherapy to reduce anxiety during intrauterine insemination: A randomized controlled trial. Glob. Adv. Health Med. 2021 10 21649561211059074 10.1177/21649561211059074 34820153
    [Google Scholar]
  67. Özel B.Z. Quevedo A. Jung C. Shirazi F. Dancz C.E. Lavender aromatherapy for anxiety and pain during multichannel urodynamics: A randomized controlled pilot trial. Female Pelvic Med. Reconstr. Surg. 2021 27 11 654 658 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001032 33626029
    [Google Scholar]
  68. Kettas Dolek E. Altun Ugras G. The effect of aromatherapy during urodynamic testing on patients anxiety and cortisol levels: A randomized controlled trial. Neurourol. Urodyn. 2024 43 7 1591 1599 10.1002/nau.25491 38747020
    [Google Scholar]
  69. Karimzadeh Z. Azizzadeh Forouzi M. Rahiminezhad E. Ahmadinejad M. Dehghan M. The Effects of Lavender and Citrus aurantium on anxiety and agitation of the conscious patients in intensive care units: A parallel randomized placebo-controlled trial. BioMed Res. Int. 2021 2021 1 5565956 10.1155/2021/5565956 34222473
    [Google Scholar]
  70. Şimşek P Çilingir D The efficacy of lavender aromatherapy in reducing the overcrowding-related anxiety in health care workers. Adv Emerg Nurs J 2021 43 (3) 225 236 10.1097/TME.0000000000000364 34397501
    [Google Scholar]
  71. Singh J.R. Rand E.B. Erosa S.C. Cho R.S. Sein M. Aromatherapy for procedural anxiety in pain management and interventional spine procedures. Am. J. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2021 100 10 978 982 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001690 33443859
    [Google Scholar]
  72. Burgess A. Harris A. Wheeling J. A pilot randomized control trial to assess the impact of lavender on anxiety and comfort after cesarean birth and the barriers encountered. MCN Am. J. Matern. Child Nurs. 2022 47 2 85 91 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000803 35202010
    [Google Scholar]
  73. Karaçay Yıkar S Deniz Doğan S Köse Tosunöz İ Nazik E İ Arslan S Effects of lavender oil aromatherapy on pain, anxiety,and comfort after cesarean section: A randomized controlled trial J. Neurol. 2024 27 4 292 301 10.17049/jnursology.1448317
    [Google Scholar]
  74. Nouira M. Souayeh N. Kanzari S.A. Aromatherapy using lavender oil effectiveness on pain and anxiety after C-section: A randomized controlled trial. J. Epidemiol. Glob. Health 2024 14 4 1536 1544 10.1007/s44197‑024‑00305‑6 39400653
    [Google Scholar]
  75. Can Çiçek S. Demir Ş; Yılmaz D, Açıkgöz A, Yıldız S, Yis ÖM. The effect of aromatherapy on blood pressure and stress responses by inhalation and foot massage in patients with essential hypertension. Holist. Nurs. Pract. 2022 36 4 209 222 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000526 35708557
    [Google Scholar]
  76. Mojtehedi M. Salehi-Pourmehr H. Ostadrahimi A. Asnaashari S. Esmaeilpour K. Farshbaf-Khalili A. Effect of aromatherapy with essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia Mill- Citrus bergamia and mindfulness-based intervention on sexual function, anxiety, and depression in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial with factorial design. Iran. J. Nurs. Midwifery Res. 2022 27 5 392 405 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_129_21 36524136
    [Google Scholar]
  77. Salehi-Pourmehr H. Mojtahedi M. Asnaashari S. Farshbaf-Khalili A. Ostadrahimi A. The impact of aromatherapy with Citrus bergamia - Lavandula angustifolia essential oil and/or mindfulness-based therapy on postmenopausal health: A factorial randomized controlled trial. Complement. Ther. Med. 2025 91 103190 10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103190 40378898
    [Google Scholar]
  78. Nategh M. Heidari M.R. Ebadi A. Norouzadeh R. Mohebbinia Z. Aghaie B. Lavender aromatherapy on anxiety and depression in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A single-blind randomized clinical trial. Frontiers of Nursing 2022 9 2 233 239 10.2478/fon‑2022‑0022
    [Google Scholar]
  79. Mousavi N. Imani B. Khazaei S. Shams A. The effect of Benson relaxation technique and lavender aromatherapy on anxiety and hemodynamic indices of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A randomized clinical trial. J Holist Nurs Midwifery 2024 34 2 167 176 10.32598/jhnm.34.2.2609
    [Google Scholar]
  80. Şahin S Tokgöz B Demir G Effect of lavender aromatherapy on arteriovenous fistula puncture pain and the level of state and trait anxiety in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial Pain Manag Nurs 2021 22 (4) 509 515 10.1016/j.pmn.2021.01.009 33640257
    [Google Scholar]
  81. Jafari-Koulaee A. Ilali E.S. Taraghi Z. Elyasi F. Moosazadeh M. Comparison of the effect of multisensory stimulation intervention and aromatherapy inhalation with lavender essence on anxiety and depression in the older adults undergoing hemodialysis. J Nurs Midwifery Sci 2021 8 3 155 162 10.4103/JNMS.JNMS_105_20
    [Google Scholar]
  82. Ozen N. Sayilan A.A. Ok E. Effects of long-term administration of inhaled lavender during hemodialysis on patients’ invasive pain, anxiety, and comfort during cannulation: A single-blind randomized controlled trial. Altern. Ther. Health Med. 2023 29 2 6 12 35212648
    [Google Scholar]
  83. Babatabar Darzi H. Vahedian-Azimi A. Ghasemi S. Ebadi A. Sathyapalan T. Sahebkar A. The effect of aromatherapy with rose and lavender on anxiety, surgical site pain, and extubation time after open-heart surgery: A double-center randomized controlled trial. Phytother. Res. 2020 34 10 2675 2684 10.1002/ptr.6698 32267031
    [Google Scholar]
  84. Matos Y.R. Nascimento M.F.S. Gomes M.C.M. de Almeida J.E.S. Barros Silva P.G. Cetira Filho E.L. Aromatherapy on anxiety, pain, and quality of life following surgery of mandibular third molars: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 2025 83 6 748 756 10.1016/j.joms.2025.03.003 40147494
    [Google Scholar]
  85. Jirdehi MM Monfared A Ghanaei FM Leyli EK Effect of aromatherapy with lavender and damask rose extracts on anxiety in endoscopy patients: A randomised trial. Gastrointest Nurs 2022 20 (Sup8) S24 S-31 10.12968/gasn.2022.20.Sup8.S24
    [Google Scholar]
  86. Patsalis P.C. Malik-Patsalis A.B. Rauscher H.G. Efficacy of auricular acupuncture and lavender oil aromatherapy in reducing preinterventional anxiety in cardiovascular patients: A randomized single-blind placebo-controlled trial. J Integr Complement Med 2022 28 1 45 50 10.1089/jicm.2021.0171 35085018
    [Google Scholar]
  87. Wen X. Shi J. Tan W. Effects of aromatherapy and music therapy on patients’ anxiety during MRI examinations: A randomized controlled trial. Eur. Radiol. 2022 33 4 2510 2518 10.1007/s00330‑022‑09230‑3 36335480
    [Google Scholar]
  88. Mittal P. Jadhav G.R. Kader M.M.A. Evaluation of lavender and rose aromatherapies on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block in symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized clinical trial. Heliyon 2024 10 14 e34514 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34514 39113957
    [Google Scholar]
  89. Amini N. Omidvar S. Zamenjani M.N. Harorani M. Modir H. Effectiveness of aromatherapy with lavender compared to progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and vital signs in patients under spinal anesthesia: A randomized clinical trial. J Integr Nurs 2024 6 2 90 95 10.4103/jin.jin_25_24
    [Google Scholar]
  90. Nakajima D. Yamachi M. Misaka S. Shimomura K. Maejima Y. Sex differences in the effects of aromatherapy on anxiety and salivary oxytocin levels. Front. Endocrinol. 2024 15 1380779 10.3389/fendo.2024.1380779 38919481
    [Google Scholar]
  91. Xu K. Wang S. Ji Q. Ni Y. Liu T. Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality in older adults: A meta-analysis. Medicine 2024 103 49 e40688 10.1097/MD.0000000000040688 39654196
    [Google Scholar]
  92. Agarwal P. Sebghatollahi Z. Kamal M. Citrus essential oils in aromatherapy: Therapeutic effects and mechanisms. Antioxidants 2022 11 12 2374 10.3390/antiox11122374 36552586
    [Google Scholar]
  93. Rudolph U. Knoflach F. Beyond classical benzodiazepines: Novel therapeutic potential of GABAA receptor subtypes. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2011 10 9 685 697 10.1038/nrd3502 21799515
    [Google Scholar]
  94. Chioca L.R. Ferro M.M. Baretta I.P. Anxiolytic-like effect of lavender essential oil inhalation in mice: Participation of serotonergic but not GABAA/benzodiazepine neurotransmission. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2013 147 2 412 418 10.1016/j.jep.2013.03.028 23524167
    [Google Scholar]
  95. Aoshima H. Hamamoto K. Potentiation of GABAA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes by perfume and phytoncid. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 1999 63 4 743 748 10.1271/bbb.63.743 10361687
    [Google Scholar]
  96. Tsang H.W.H. Ho T.Y.C. A systematic review on the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy on rodents under experimentally induced anxiety models. Rev. Neurosci. 2010 21 2 141 152 10.1515/REVNEURO.2010.21.2.141 20614803
    [Google Scholar]
  97. Lizarraga-Valderrama L.R. Effects of essential oils on central nervous system: Focus on mental health. Phytother. Res. 2021 35 2 657 679 10.1002/ptr.6854 32860651
    [Google Scholar]
  98. Qneibi M. Bdir S. Maayeh C. A comprehensive review of essential oils and their pharmacological activities in neurological disorders: Exploring neuroprotective potential. Neurochem. Res. 2024 49 2 258 289 10.1007/s11064‑023‑04032‑5 37768469
    [Google Scholar]
  99. Hinds J.A. Sanchez E.R. The role of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in test-induced anxiety: Assessments, physiological responses, and molecular details. Stresses 2022 2 1 146 155 10.3390/stresses2010011
    [Google Scholar]
  100. Lin J. Liu W. Guan J. Latest updates on the serotonergic system in depression and anxiety. Front. Synaptic Neurosci. 2023 15 1124112 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1124112 37228487
    [Google Scholar]
  101. Koen N. Stein D.J. Pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders: A critical review. Dialogues Clin. Neurosci. 2011 13 4 423 437 10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.4/nkoen 22275848
    [Google Scholar]
  102. Campos A.C. Guimarães F.S. Involvement of 5HT1A receptors in the anxiolytic-like effects of cannabidiol injected into the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray of rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) 2008 199 2 223 230 10.1007/s00213‑008‑1168‑x 18446323
    [Google Scholar]
  103. Cipriani A. Furukawa T.A. Salanti G. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet 2018 391 10128 1357 1366 10.1016/S0140‑6736(17)32802‑7 29477251
    [Google Scholar]
  104. Healy D. Le Noury J. Jureidini J. Paediatric antidepressants: Benefits and risks. Int. J. Risk Saf. Med. 2019 30 1 1 7 10.3233/JRS‑180746 29865094
    [Google Scholar]
  105. Albert P.R. Vahid-Ansari F. The 5-HT1A receptor: Signaling to behavior. Biochimie 2019 161 34 45 10.1016/j.biochi.2018.10.015 31079617
    [Google Scholar]
  106. Barnes N.M. Ahern G.P. Becamel C. International union of basic and clinical pharmacology. cx. classification of receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine; pharmacology and function. Pharmacol. Rev. 2021 73 1 310 520 10.1124/pr.118.015552 33370241
    [Google Scholar]
  107. Wang Q. Dong X. Hu T. Constitutive activity of serotonin receptor 6 regulates human cerebral organoids formation and depression-like behaviors. Stem Cell Reports 2021 16 1 75 88 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.11.015 33357407
    [Google Scholar]
  108. Barajas B. Che N. Yin F. NF-E2-related factor 2 promotes atherosclerosis by effects on plasma lipoproteins and cholesterol transport that overshadow antioxidant protection. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2011 31 1 58 66 10.1161/ATVBAHA.110.210906 20947826
    [Google Scholar]
  109. DeNicola G.M. Karreth F.A. Humpton T.J. Oncogene-induced Nrf2 transcription promotes ROS detoxification and tumorigenesis. Nature 2011 475 7354 106 109 10.1038/nature10189 21734707
    [Google Scholar]
  110. Masson J. Emerit M.B. Hamon M. Darmon M. Serotonergic signaling: Multiple effectors and pleiotropic effects. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Membr. Transp. Signal. 2012 1 6 685 713 10.1002/wmts.50
    [Google Scholar]
  111. Pourhamzeh M. Moravej F.G. Arabi M. The roles of serotonin in neuropsychiatric disorders. Cell. Mol. Neurobiol. 2022 42 6 1671 1692 10.1007/s10571‑021‑01064‑9 33651238
    [Google Scholar]
  112. Suliman S. Hemmings S.M.J. Seedat S. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) protein levels in anxiety disorders: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Front. Integr. Nuerosci. 2013 7 55 10.3389/fnint.2013.00055 23908608
    [Google Scholar]
  113. Miao Z. Wang Y. Sun Z. The relationships between stress, mental disorders, and epigenetic regulation of BDNF. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020 21 4 1375 10.3390/ijms21041375 32085670
    [Google Scholar]
  114. Casagrande B.P. Ribeiro A.M. Pisani L.P. Estadella D. Hippocampal BDNF mediated anxiety-like behaviours induced by obesogenic diet withdrawal. Behav. Brain Res. 2023 436 114077 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114077 36041572
    [Google Scholar]
  115. Pilar-Cuéllar F. Vidal R. Díaz A. Neural plasticity and proliferation in the generation of antidepressant effects: Hippocampal implication. Neural Plast. 2013 2013 1 21 10.1155/2013/537265 23862076
    [Google Scholar]
  116. Polacchini A. Metelli G. Francavilla R. A method for reproducible measurements of serum BDNF: Comparison of the performance of six commercial assays. Sci. Rep. 2015 5 1 17989 10.1038/srep17989 26656852
    [Google Scholar]
  117. Fard S.R. Ansari M. Mehrpour M. Ahmadi M. Emamgholipour S. Effects of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil on Interleukin 23 and Brain-Derived neurotrophic factor gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of multiple sclerosis patients. Arch Med Lab Sci 2017 3 2 23 30
    [Google Scholar]
  118. Xu P. Wang K. Lu C. The protective effect of lavender essential oil and its main component linalool against the cognitive deficits induced by D-galactose and aluminum trichloride in mice. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2017 2017 1 7426538 10.1155/2017/7426538 28529531
    [Google Scholar]
  119. Takahashi M Yoshino A Yamanaka A Effects of inhaled lavender essential oil on stress-loaded animals: Changes in anxiety-related behavior and expression levels of selected mRNAs andproteins. Nat Prod Commun 2012 7 (11) 1934578X1200701132 10.1177/1934578X1200701132 23285826
    [Google Scholar]
  120. Sánchez-Vidaña D.I. Po K.K.T. Fung T.K.H. Lavender essential oil ameliorates depression-like behavior and increases neurogenesis and dendritic complexity in rats. Neurosci. Lett. 2019 701 180 192 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.02.042 30825591
    [Google Scholar]
  121. Akimova E. Lanzenberger R. Kasper S. The serotonin-1A receptor in anxiety disorders. Biol. Psychiatry 2009 66 7 627 635 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.012 19423077
    [Google Scholar]
  122. Malcolm B.J. Tallian K. Essential oil of lavender in anxiety disorders: Ready for prime time? Ment. Health Clin. 2017 7 4 147 155 10.9740/mhc.2017.07.147 29955514
    [Google Scholar]
  123. Schuwald A.M. Nöldner M. Wilmes T. Klugbauer N. Leuner K. Müller W.E. Lavender oil-potent anxiolytic properties via modulating voltage dependent calcium channels. PLoS One 2013 8 4 e59998 10.1371/journal.pone.0059998 23637742
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
Loading
Effect of Lavender Essential Oil-based Aromatherapy on Anxiety: An Overview of Results of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials
Bentham Science Publishers ; https://doi.org/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/0113816128395989250913081954
Loading

Data & Media loading...


  • Article Type:     Review Article
Keywords: Anxiety ; Serotonin ; Aromatherapy ; Essential oil ; Lavender ; γ-aminobutyric acid

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test