ArticleMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)2023
The Effects of Essential Oils on the Nervous System: A Scoping Review.
Article in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07271160 (The Effect of Aromatherapy Foot Massage on Neuropathic Pain in Patients With Type2 Diabetes), which is not on this map. Cited by 54 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Effect of Aromatherapy Foot Massage on Neuropathic Pain in Patients With Type2 Diabetes
Who cites it
54 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 104 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effectiveness of aromatherapy interventions on psychological, physiological and academic outcomes in nursing and health sciences students: a meta-analysis.BMC medical education · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of TCM aromatherapy on post-stroke depression: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Neurophysiological approaches to exploring emotional responses to cosmetics: a systematic review of the literature.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of aromatherapy on chemotherapy-related symptom management.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- Effects of inhaled aromatherapy on sleep quality and cognitive function in older adults: a randomised controlled trial.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026Trial
- Terpenes as Potential Multi-Target Modulators of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroendocrine-Immune Dysregulation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Preparation and pharmacological study ofBiomedical reports · 2026Article
- Intranasal essential oils in therapy: advances in clinical applications and delivery mechanisms.Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2026Review
- Emerging Role of Essential Oils as Modulators of the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway: A Comprehensive Review.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Sensory Perception of Six Essential Oils in Humans andMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Advanced hybrid-green ultrasound-infrared-microwave Trifolium repens essential oil isolation with multi-target ethnomedicine bioactivity against neuropathy, inflammation and multidrug-resistant infection.Journal of food and drug analysis · 2026Article
- Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Bulgarian Thyme (Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Article
- Essential oil from Eugenia stipitata McVaugh leaves exhibits antinociceptive effect via opioid receptor activation.Inflammopharmacology · 2026Article
- Anxiolytic-Like Effect ofACS omega · 2026Article
- Reclaiming the Microbial Battlefield: Adjuvant Strategies to Overcome Antibiotic Resistance.Microorganisms · 2026Review
- Article
- Lavender Essential Oil-Induced Enhancement of Exercise-Responsive Myokine Expression and Alteration of Muscle-Related Gene Networks in an in Vitro Muscle Contraction Model.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Through Massage to the Brain-Neuronal and Neuroplastic Mechanisms of Massage Based on Various Neuroimaging Techniques (EEG, fMRI, and fNIRS).Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- The Impact of a Rosemary Containing Drink on Cognition and Mood: The Role of Eye Blink Dynamics.NeuroSci · 2026Article
- Odor-specific olfactory stimulation is associated with selective transcriptional changes and partial improvement of stress-evoked bladder overactivity in mice.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Essential oils are a mixture of natural aromatic volatile oils extracted from plants. The use of essential oils is ancient, and has prevailed in different cultures around the world, such as those of the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, and Chinese. Today, essential oils are used in traditional and complimentary medicines, aromatherapy, massage therapies, cosmetics, perfumes and food industries. The screening effect of essential oils has been studied worldwide. They demonstrate a range of biological activities, such as antiparasitic, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiaging, and neuroprotective properties. In this scoping review, we provide a 10-year updated comprehensive assessment of volatile oils and their effects on the nervous system. MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar were systematically and strategically searched for original studies investigating these effects from 2012 to 2022. Approximately seventy studies were selected as included studies. Among these studies, several outcomes were reported, including antistress, antianxiety, analgesic, cognitive, and autonomic effects. Some essential oils showed developmental benefits, with the potential to induce neurite outgrowth. The neurotransmitter receptor level can also be modified by essential oil application. Physiological and pathophysiological outcome measures were reported. For physiological outcomes, arousal, cognitive performance, circadian eating behavior, emotional modulation, consumer acceptance, preferences, and willingness to buy were investigated. For pathophysiological conditions, pain, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disorder, mental fatigue, agitated behavior, and quality of life were measured. In conclusion, essential oils showed promising effects on the nervous system, which can be further applied to their use in functional foods, drinks, and alternative therapy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.