Abstract
Despite the improvements in life expectancy, neurodegenerative conditions have arguably become the most dreaded maladies of older people. The neuroprotective and anti-ageing potentials of essential oils (EOs) are widely evaluated around the globe. The objective of this review is to analyse the effectiveness of EOs as neuroprotective remedies among the four common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The literature was extracted from three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar) between the years of 2010 to 2020 using the medical subject heading (MeSH) terms “essential oil”, crossed with “Alzheimer’s disease (AD)”, “Huntington’s disease (HD)”, “Parkinson’s disease (PD)” or “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)”. Eighty three percent (83%) of the studies were focused on AD, while another 12% focused on PD. No classifiable study was recorded on HD or ALS. EO from Salvia officinalis has been recorded as one of the most effective acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. However, only Cinnamomum sp. has been assessed for its effectiveness in both AD and PD. Our review provided useful evidence on EOs as potential neuroprotective remedies for age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Highlights
Aromatic plants consist of a wide and diverse array of organic compounds with significant ecological and physiological functions
All the related articles were printed out for further evidence-based assessment to explore the effectiveness of essential oils (EOs) as a neuroprotective remedy for age-related neurodegenerative diseases
Four articles were categorised as a combination of diseases because several neurodegenerative diseases were mentioned in the articles at once
Summary
Aromatic plants consist of a wide and diverse array of organic compounds with significant ecological and physiological functions. One of the most vital components synthesised by aromatic plants are essential oils (EOs), along with its secondary metabolites and phenolic compounds [1]. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are the main constituents of EOs. Phenolic compounds are generated via biochemical synthesis and consist of a chemically heterogeneous group. EOs are well-known for various benefits that include its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, memory enhancement, medicinal remedy, food preservation, cosmetic preservative, aromatherapy, and many other applications. EO sourced from Salvia sp., which is one of the most common medicinal plant species, was reported for its notable remedy in cough, bronchitis, herpes, thrush wounds, as well as in impaired concentration. The EO of this species is applied in the food industry and cosmetic industry, for ranges of perfume products [8]
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