9 Best Herbal Essential Oils For Depression
Herbal essential oils for depression are naturally derived plant extracts used to promote mental well-being and alleviate symptoms of depression.
They offer numerous benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing sleep quality.
Some of the most effective herbal essential oils for depression include bergamot, lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile, frankincense, and geranium, which have been shown to reduce anxiety and stress levels, promote relaxation, and uplift mood.
By incorporating these oils into aromatherapy practices, such as inhaling them through steam inhalation or using them in diffusion, individuals can experience a reduction in symptoms of depression and an improvement in overall mental health.
According to "Pharmacological research", essential oils for depression may be beneficial due to some volatile oils, such as Lavender and Acorus tatarinowii essential oils, which are reported to have good antidepressant effects with little toxicity and side effects.
Below there's a list of the 9 best herbal essential oils for depression.
- 1. Lavandula angustifolia essential oils
- 2. Melissa officinalis essential oils
- 3. Valeriana officinalis essential oils
- 4. Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils
- 5. Ginkgo biloba essential oils
- 6. Hypericum perforatum essential oils
- 7. Zingiber officinale essential oils
- 8. Passiflora incarnata essential oils
- 9. Avena sativa essential oils
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1. Lavandula angustifolia essential oils
Lavandula angustifolia essential oils have been traditionally used to treat depression due to their calming and mood-enhancing properties.
The anxiolytic and sedative effects of this herbal preparation help to alleviate symptoms of depression by reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.
The bioactive constituents of Lavandula angustifolia essential oils, including linalool and linalyl acetate, contribute to its antidepressant effects by modulating neurotransmitter activity and regulating the body's stress response.
The benefits of using Lavandula angustifolia essential oils to treat depression include improved mood, reduced anxiety, and enhanced sleep quality, making it a popular natural remedy for individuals seeking alternative treatments for this ailment.
Related Study
According to "Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)", Lavandula angustifolia essential oils exhibit antidepressant properties, which can help alleviate symptoms of depression.
2. Melissa officinalis essential oils
Melissa officinalis essential oils, also known as lemon balm, have been traditionally used to treat depression due to its anxiolytic and antidepressant properties.
The herbal preparation helps to treat depression by promoting relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving sleep quality.
The bioactive constituents of Melissa officinalis essential oils, including rosmarinic acid, luteolin, and melissic acid, have been shown to inhibit the activity of enzymes involved in the production of neurotransmitters, thereby helping to regulate mood.
The benefits of using Melissa officinalis essential oils to treat depression include reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved sleep quality, and enhanced mood, making it a natural and effective remedy for this common ailment.
Related Study
According to "BMC complementary medicine and therapies", Melissa officinalis essential oils may be beneficial for depression as a study found that patients with type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms who received a 700 mg/day hydroalcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis for 12 weeks showed a significant decrease in depression severity compared to baseline.
3. Valeriana officinalis essential oils
Valeriana officinalis essential oils have been traditionally used to treat depression due to their sedative, anxiolytic, and antidepressant properties.
The herbal preparation contains bioactive constituents such as valepotriates, valerenic acid, and isovaleric acid, which help to calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote relaxation, ultimately alleviating symptoms of depression.
By regulating the body's GABA and serotonin levels, Valeriana officinalis essential oils help to balance mood and reduce feelings of sadness and hopelessness associated with depression.
The benefits of using Valeriana officinalis essential oils to treat depression include reduced symptoms of anxiety, improved sleep quality, and enhanced mood stability, making it a natural and holistic approach to managing this complex condition.
Related Study
According to "Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin", Valeriana officinalis essential oils may have antidepressant properties as they significantly inhibited immobility induced by a forced swimming test in rats.
4. Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils
Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils have been found to possess properties that help alleviate symptoms of depression, including its antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, due to the presence of bioactive constituents such as camphor, borneol, and bornyl acetate.
These constituents help to regulate mood by interacting with neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, thereby reducing symptoms of depression.
The benefits of using Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils to treat depression include its ability to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep quality, ultimately contributing to a sense of well-being.
Additionally, its antioxidant properties also help to protect against oxidative stress, which is often associated with depression.
Related Study
According to "Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie", Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils, although not specifically mentioned, its phytochemical compounds, including flavanoids, can exhibit anti-depressant activity, however, a detailed investigation of its effects is still needed.
5. Ginkgo biloba essential oils
Ginkgo biloba essential oils have been traditionally used to help alleviate symptoms of depression due to its adaptogenic and neuroprotective properties.
These properties help to reduce stress and anxiety, promote relaxation, and improve mood, ultimately contributing to the treatment of depression.
The bioactive constituents of Ginkgo biloba essential oils, including flavonoids and terpenoids, are believed to inhibit the activity of monoamine oxidase enzymes, thereby increasing the availability of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain.
Regular use of Ginkgo biloba essential oils has been associated with several benefits, including improved cognitive function, enhanced mood, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Related Study
According to "Life sciences", Ginkgo biloba essential oils for depression may be effective due to their ability to produce reversible inhibition of rat brain monoamine (MAO), which may be a mechanism underlying its reported anti-stress and anxiolytic activities.
6. Hypericum perforatum essential oils
Hypericum perforatum essential oils, also known as St. John's Wort, have been traditionally used to treat depression due to their antidepressant and anxiolytic properties.
The oil's bioactive constituents, including hyperforin and hypericin, help to increase the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thereby alleviating symptoms of depression.
This herbal preparation helps to treat depression by modulating the activity of neurotransmitters, reducing inflammation, and promoting relaxation, ultimately leading to improved mood and reduced symptoms.
The benefits of using Hypericum perforatum essential oils to treat depression include reduced risk of side effects associated with pharmaceutical antidepressants, improved mental clarity, and enhanced overall well-being.
Related Study
According to "European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology", Hypericum perforatum essential oils for depression show that hypericum is superior to placebo in treating mild or moderate depression.
7. Zingiber officinale essential oils
Zingiber officinale essential oils, derived from the rhizome of the ginger plant, have been traditionally used to help alleviate symptoms of depression.
The antidepressant properties of Zingiber officinale essential oils are attributed to its bioactive constituents, including gingerols and shogaols, which have been shown to have anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory effects.
These compounds help to regulate mood by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain, contributing to a sense of calm and well-being.
The benefits of using Zingiber officinale essential oils for depression treatment include reduced symptoms of anxiety and improved overall mental health, making it a promising natural remedy for managing this condition.
8. Passiflora incarnata essential oils
Passiflora incarnata essential oils, also known as passionflower, have been traditionally used to treat depression and anxiety due to their calming and sedative properties.
The herbal preparation contains bioactive constituents such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides, which help to reduce stress and anxiety by modulating the activity of neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA.
The properties of passionflower essential oils, including its sedative, anxiolytic, and antispasmodic effects, help to alleviate symptoms of depression by promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension.
By using Passiflora incarnata essential oils, individuals can benefit from improved mood, reduced anxiety, and enhanced sleep quality, making it a valuable natural remedy for managing depression and promoting overall well-being.
Related Study
According to the study, Passiflora incarnata essential oils showed the desired pleiotropic effects, including antidepressant activity, suggesting their potential use in the management of depression.
9. Avena sativa essential oils
Avena sativa essential oils, derived from the oat plant, have been traditionally used to treat depression due to its calming and soothing properties.
The herbal preparation contains bioactive constituents such as avenacoside and avenanthramides, which help to reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality.
By reducing cortisol levels and promoting serotonin production, Avena sativa essential oils help to alleviate symptoms of depression and improve mood.
The benefits of using this herbal preparation to treat depression include reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved sleep quality, and a sense of calm and well-being.