Research reports

RESEARCH REPORTS BALAZS

TONY

levels fell during response Neem

oil

has

become

known in recent from

the

years.

dried

the

expressed

diabetes,

kernels

of

a native of India and oil

is much

medicine although

used

for treating

skin

rheumatism,

widely

in

ulcers,

infections

and

few, if any, of these

can

results

indicated of

activate

lymphocytes,

but it is unclear

oil

in

humans.

to the

have

spermicidal

neem

volatile

immunomodulatory was carried

Delhi,

a volatile

(SaiRam

fraction

et al., 1996).

ways, injected the cellular system

neem

in rats.

the

intention

oil would

affect

of the immune effect

A team

in

Saudi

studying

various

aspects

of

experimental 1996).

The

and

Sprague-Dawley

rats

were

for the study and the volatile neem

oil

was emulsified

being given to the animals. found

that

injection

a single of

count

lymphocyte injections lymphocytes

the

leukocyte

(white

and decreased

the

Subsequent

120mg/kg activity

enhanced and

to divide

and

proliferate.

At higher

(300mg/kg)

lymphocytes

further,

oil

neem

count. at

macrophage

The team

increased

polymorphonuclear cell)

before

intraperitoneal

volatile

(IgOmg/kg) blood

used

fraction

caused

proliferated

showing that this aspect of the

response

was dose-dependent,

macrophage unaltered.

activity Interestingly,

In

whereas

in

point

out

that

are widely used not and in cooking,

but

systems,

again, Ayurvedic medicine. this

cardamom

study,

steam

distilled

oil was investigated

as an

anti-inflammatory

agent in rats, as an

analgesic

and as an intestinal

in mice,

antispasmodic

in rabbits.

The rat anti-

inflammatory

response

was studied

-Ising the standard

hind paw oedema

.esL, the mouse analgesic >enzoquinone-induced

effect via the writhing

md the rabbit antispasmodic .n vitro by modulation lfter acetylcholine It was found

therefore

concentrations

oil

also in many cultures’ medical including,

also in infection.

of

seeds

been

(Al-Zuhair et al.,

authors

only as flavourings

auto-immune

has

pharmacological

cardamom

in

as rheumatism,

Arabia

animals

effects

oil

with

enhance

to infection.

cardamom

the

may

in

and in what

A stimulatory

such

response

challenge

oil

for the beneficial

of

cellular

initial

could be responsible conditions

authors

was used

The

response

The

of the oil,

out by a team

was to find out whether,

effects

the

of

effects

which

that

resistance

study

whether of

the

speculate

properties.

oil and to

therapeutic

profile

this

the

the purported

oil has also been

In

that neem

or not this finding has any relevance

Neem

abortifacient

cell

macrophages

have

and

blood

fraction

scientifically. to

scrutinised

The volatile

applications reported

been

white

titres.

It is obtained

seed

Azadiruchta in&n, Ayurvedic

more

the study, a possible

to rising

(175

effects

(30mg/kg) the

of contractions

(ACh). that cardamom

and ZBOpl/kg)

analgesic oil

test,

response

oil

had comparable to

indomethacin

in rats, that at 233pl/kg, produced

50%

protection

remained

against

benzoquinone-induced

antibody

pithing

in mice, and that the oil also

Congo. by

In rats and mice, 3 and 4ml/kg

mouth

had

inflammatory pellet

significant

activity

granuloma

Sml/kg,

in

test,

effect

Brewer’s yeast injection very

high

analgesic

at

against

was comparable

(lOOmg/kg

dose).

activity

writhing

cotton

whereas

the antipyretic

to that of aspirin

anti-

the

orally, a

Furthermore,

in the

tail-flick

tests were demonstrated

and at 2-

4ml/kg. No

gastric

demonstrated warrant

toxicily

and

further

the

was

results

clearly

investigation

of

the

mode of action and efficacy of Age&urn conizoiiEes.

A fascinating Clary sage

German has a marked rabbit

antispasmodic

intestine

muscarinic basis

an

results

for

action

provide

at

several

of

the

to cardamom

researchers.

These

(analgesia

prostaglandin

via

yet been conclusively

is

clary

mediated

via

synthesis

showed that

the activity of the whole

oil was most

some

and

anti-

modulation

of

also this has not demonstrated.

four

with the presence

constituenls:

(estragole),

methyl

linalool,

and linalyl acetate. chemicals tested

were

combined, not

less

effective

than

strongly

synergistic

effect.

generally

chavicol

alpha-terpineol Interestingly,

separately

of

when

levels

found

of

in

hormone,

On a similar

theme,

has

researching

been

inflammatory

an Italian

and peripheral

the

group

used

in

significant

this

study

from

corticosteroids long-term

al., 1997). significant a

mild

cutaneous

to Phytotherapy

anti-inflammatory analgesic

action

injection in

a

effect and

inflammatory,

after

sub-

at 250mg/kg.

The

The

was more

distillation

response

carrageenin-induced

has

conyzoides

and

The research a

short

Research

activities

which

considerable

analgesic

anli-

and antipyretic

(Abena et al., 1996). oil was obtained

by steam

of the leaves of the plant,

grows

wild

near

Brdzzaville,

then

the

produce an

ACTH

associated

and with

than with short-

term anxiety, for instance.

suggest that the essential oil of Agerutum

anti-inflammatory marked

African

steroid from

that constitute

stress rather

team found that the

rise in rat plasma ACTH caused by stress reduced

of

diazepam, tranquilliser,

of

the

Most interestingly chamomile

and

a

and by a

two treatments.

of all, the effect

oil inhalation

by injected potent

by inhaling

oil, by the intraperitoneal

combination submission

clary sage oil showed

changes

a

and is et

which

the

to stress.

of

to the stress.

injection

(Moretti

In rats,

cortex

benzodiaaepine

inflammatory

and analgesic

the

was significantly

West

gland,

(corticosteroids)

is

analgesic

interesting

al.,

is released

pituitary release

causes

chamomile

An

ct

(adrenocorticotrophic

It

adaptation

amount.)

as an anti-

stressed

(Yamada

in response

physiological

anti-

used there in folk medicine

of the

in

adenohypophysis,

given

effects of clary sage oil (S&via sclarea). The plant grows wild in Sardinia

rats

the anterior

when

contained

(Matricaria

or corticotrophin)

adrenal

commercial

us

1996).

these

chavicol

oil

ACTH

ovariectomized

clary sage oil, bul the specially-distilled oil

plasma

hormones

suggesting

(Methyl

reached

can have an effect

ACTH

investigation

has

chamomile

chnmomilla)

that

of prostaglandin

closely correlated

synthesis, i.e. in a similar

way to indomethacin,

activity

Further

suggest

oil may produce

histamine-induced

rather than via histamine.

by other

authors

in

suggesting

modulation

properties

of

inflammation)

than

inflammation,

(oil and seed)

that cardamom effects

oedema sage’s

a scientific

and tally with data obtained

its

on

ACh receptors.

The ascribed

via

effect

report

from Tokyo which shows that inhaling

flumazenile, specific

benzodiazepine

of

was blocked which blocker

is a of

receptors.

This

conclusively

demonstrates

that

chamomile

is

acting

benzodiazepine-sensitive therefore

via GABA) receplors.

via

(probably

monohydroxylated

limonene

were

Plants from the genus Psidium are used in

Brazilian

traditional

treatments

for

dysentery,

pharyngitis. found

They

to

the central oils

also

studies.

been a

studied

Psidium pohlianum

guyanensis

in mice

main for

clear

importance

metabolites acid)

can

be

that oil

the

that

active

formed

from

oil conslituents and

is

(e.g. perillic

the

activity

cannot

be

of

an

attributed

that

there

formate the

is

specifically

little

named

aromatherapy

potentiated

in

difference

suggest

reason

to

geranium

properties

oil

responses

from

types

use

oils

in

between

may

the the

than

profile

authors

and that and consistent

geranium rather

purely to its constituents.

and

(Santos

geranyl

In general,

of these

aromatherapists

implication

essential

effects of essential

Psidium

The findings

essential

Here,

researchers

nervous

from

and

antimicrobial

in other

of Brazilian

as

colic

have

contain

constituents group

medicine

whereas it.

found.

be

due

limbic

to

system

pharmacological

of the oils themselves.

et

al., 1996). Both steam

essential

phenobarbital effects

the

of oils

by Finally, another

British group has been

comparing

the

inhibited

antifungal,

antioxidant

CNS

and also

the

time in mice at

and

p.o.

amphetamine

obtained

potentiated

sleeping

400mg/kg

The

oils,

distillation,

the

stimulants

pharmacological

pentylenetetrazol.

inhibited

geranium

intestinal

essential effect

oils

suggest

have

and that

that

a CNS-depressant

their

further

warranted.

No suggestion

mechanism

of action

the authors major

suggested

constituents

oils,

both

study is as to the

bacteria,

20

and three

fungi.

They

but

antioxidant

investigating

the

carotene

to both

beta- and

g-amma-

were

and

differed

of

inhibit

the

common

cellular

transferase been

a

constituent and,

enzyme

in

this

investigated

suppressanL. metabolised cancer

farnesyl has

All

by patients

is

(Poon

et

al., 1996). research

limonene that

dihydroperillic the acid acid,

major

glucuronides

by

oils

samples

and

acid.

In

of the

limonene-8,9-diol

with their

urine,

inhibited

two perillic

in activity between

the

could not be correlated

to

in the

fungi, nor

Both together

citronellol

found

neither

filamentous

activity.

be

and

and

geraniol

very

potent

antibacterials. isomenthone, guia-6,9-diene

a

the

Acinetobacter

induced

spasm

citronellyl inhibited

linalool,

formate

and

electrically

of guinea-pig

of

different

10:

ileum,

al.

(1996)

of cardamom

Pharmacological M.

et

al.

geranium

(1996)

oils

sources.

Oil Research

Moretti

from

Journal

8: 281-290.

M.D.L. et al. (1997) anti-inflammatory

on

peripheral s&area

et

commercial

study

analgesic

action

oil and its main of Essential

A and

of Salvia

components.

Oil

Research

et

al.

9:

199-204. ??

Poon

G.K.

Identification

metabolites

advanced

cancer

in patients

Metabolism

of with

liquid by spectrometry.

chromatography/mass Drug

(1996)

and characterization

limonene

and Disposition

24:

565-571. ??

SaiRam

M.

Immunomodulatory volatile fraction

et

??

al.

from Neem oil. Journal 55: 133-139.

Santos F.A. et al. (1996)

on the neuropharmacologicdl Psidium pohlianum Research

and

guyanensis essential

Studies effects of Psidium

oils. Phytotherapy

10: 655-658.

Yamada K. et al. (1996)

inhalation

(1996)

effects of NIM-76,

of Ethnopharmacology

??

Of the oils’ constituents,

dihydroperillic and

and geraniol

Staphylococcus aureus.

composition,

were

acid,

isomers,

oils, however,

individually,

acid,

in oils.

II.

Lis-Balchin

Journal

the

geranium

inhibited

one

calcoacetica and

antioxidant

perillic

and

Clostm’dium sporogenes, Racillus

limonene-1,2-

perillic

the

subtilis and Brevibacterium linens, and all

case of bacteria,

metabolites

in plasma: of

that

carboxylation,

limonene-8,9-diol, isomer

found

metabolised

and five

were found an

team

was rapidly

hydroxylation

diol,

of citronellol

Research

studies

animals.

of Essential

samples

instance

guaia-6,9-diene

Other variations

The

and

bacteria but

with advanced

on

chemical

Egyptian

and Chinese

oil of Ageratum

34: 78-82.

??

also varied widely.

tumour-

limonene

given oral limonene

Bourbon

in

Bioactivity

guinea-pig

various

for

in

Proportions

group has been

way

the

a

the

sesquiterpene

can

regard,

as

A British

studying

terpene which

oil

for

IO-epi-gamma-eudesmol

found

Al-Zuhair

??

beta-

effect

the

greatly;

Anti-

and antipp-etic

Phytolherdpy

Pharmacological

??

sesquiterpene was is

any

stimulated

composition

oil

tested

against

general,

et al. (1996)

analgesic

of essential

conyzoides.

Research

ileum in u&o. In

essential

25

monocytogenes

also

for

activities

of

against

types of filamentous

activity

electrically

eudesmol.

Limonene

samples

tested

Listetia

strains

inflammatory,

S164165.

different

oil were

was made,

common

alpha-pinene,

of

et al., 1996).

geranium

AbenaA.A.

??

wider

properties

Sixteen results

and

oils from a variety of sources

(Lis-Balchin

motion. The

antibacterial,

of chamomile

plasma ACTH

level in ovariectomized

rat under restriction Pharmacology

Effect of

oil vapour on

stress. Biology and

Bulletin

19: 12441246.