Using Essential Oils for ADHD

From http://aromaticscience.com/causes-and-essential-solutions-for-behavioral-disorders-including-adhd/

This is a very lengthy article. Please click above for the full article. We have only included this small part on the affects of essential oils.

Danielle Daniel
PsyD Candidate, California Southern University

Nutritional & Psychoaromacology Treatment

There is much hope for treating ADHD using alternative methods, without adverse side effects and many studies have been done on nutrition, herbs, and essential oils.  Essential oils are the volatile concentrated chemical constituents on the herbs and are very powerful in producing chemical changes in our body.  An ADHD specific study found success with the use of German Chamomile. The study done on matricaria chamomilla stated that it “may improve some symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” (Niederhofer 2009).  Matricaria chamomilla is typically known as chamomile, or German chamomile, and is found in the form of an herbs or essential oil.  The study reported that Matriarcaria chamomilla possess properties similar to a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, SNRI, which has been used successfully in pharmaceutical treatment of depression and some ADHD cases.  This study concluded some improvement in behavior of ADHD patients after the administration of Matriarca chamomilla (Niederhofer 2009).  Chamomile possesses naturally calming effects via it’s chemical compounds, and has been traditionally used as a healing medicine for various physical ailments including anti-inflammatory treatment, a numerous of gastrointestinal conditions, and as a mild sedative.  Apigenin, a flavonoid found in chamomile, is thought to cause the sedative effects of chamomile by binding to the benzodiazepine receptors in the brain.  Other chemical constituents in chamomile responsible for the sedative effects are found to bind with the benzodiazepine and also GABA receptors in the brain (Gupta et al. 2010).  As the primary symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, chamomile seems to be a strong natural solution for calming this behavior.  A study done on ylang ylang essential oil found that it produced sedative effects measured by the decrease in pulse rates and blood pressure, and also significantly increased attentiveness and alertness after inhalation of the essential oil (Hongratanworakit et al. 2004).  Ylang ylang would be a great alternative treatment to use for hyperactivity as well as the inattentive behavior in ADHD children.  Lavender has been widely studied for its calming effects and one study reported that lavender produced calming effects, improved mood, and concentration in test subjects (Field et al. 2005).  Lavender has been shown in studies to cause calming affects via the main constituents of linalool and linalyl acetate. Both produce clinical sedative effects via the modulation of the components of the glutamatergic system.  The glutamatergic system is responsible for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and serves as the precursor, which synthesizes GABA, the inhibitory neurons (Perry & Perry 2006).  Lavender and chamomile oil possess natural medicinal benefits in their phytochemistry and are very favorable for the hyperactivity symptoms of ADHD. These are but a few of the many studies done on individual behavioral symptoms seen in ADHD for alternative methods to treating the inattention, lack of concentration and hyperactivity symptoms.

There is very supportive evidence in using cilantro as a natural way to address the concern with high levels of heavy metals found in relation to behavioral disorders. Cilantro is the green leafy part of the plant, and many studies, depending on the culture, refer to cilantro as coriander, which is actually the seed of the cilantro plant.  I state this because the majority of the research studies I reviewed all called the plant coriander. These cultures use coriander for the name of the leaf and the seed, however, cilantro and coriander posses different properties, and depending on the culture, the literature will say coriander but it is referring to what we know to as cilantro.  It is the cilantro plant and essential oil that possesses the phyotochemistry to treat heavy metal toxicity.

Cilantro essential oil exerts highly anti-microbial, anti-depressant, anxiolytic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuro-protective and lead-detoxifying properties (Sahib et al. 2012).  One study evaluated the lead-induced changes in test subjects and found that administration of cilantro extracts protected against the deposits of lead in the body (Sharma et al. 2010).  Another study confirmed as well the lead protective properties of cilantro and found a significant decrease in the lead concentration in the body and the study concluded that cilantro induced suppressive activity on lead most likely via the chelation of lead (Aga 2001).   Cilantro was also found to remove mercury from an aqueous solution by binding to mercury (Karunasagar et al. 2005).  There are other things in Mother Nature that protect and flush heavy metals from our bodies, such as flavonoids, a type of phenolic compound, found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, and have been found to chelate heavy metal ions as well (Huang et al. 2009).

There are several gastro-intestinal problems to address, and since many of them stem from one another, I will address the root concerns for natural treatment in ADHD.  First I will address the chronic inflammation of the intestines and colon, as well as immunity and most importantly the intestinal microbiota.

There are many anti-inflammatory drugs today on the market.  Anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals can be fast acting and helpful in relieving pain. They act as an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme, however many cause undesired effects on the gastro-intestinal system.  For example, diclofenac-K as well as ibuprofen was found to cause erosive gastro-duodenal lesions on the intestinal tract (Hawkey et al. 2012).  So the very thing you are trying to heal, the gastro-intestinal wall, is damaged by an anti-inflammatory drug.

Many plants provide anti-inflammatory actions without the destruction of the gastro-intestinal tract. Citrus oils have various positive affects on the gastro-intestinal system. They possess high anti-bacterial, anti-septic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory properties. One particular study on Lemongrass found it to suppress the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) activity causing an anti-inflammatory response in the body (Katsukawa 2010).  Melaleuca, also know as tea tree oil, has been found to have an inhibitory effect on the COX enzyme as well as an increase in the level of immunoglobulin from just inhalation and topical application.  Melaleuca is highly regarded for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties.  Inhalation of it was also found to improve the immune system by increasing the activity of the immune cells (Golab 2006).  This essential oil seems to hold a variety of solutions for treatment in ADHD due to the anti-inflammatory effects, aide to the immune system by increasing the activity and the immunoglobulin cells, which is compromised from gastro-intestinal problems, and high anti-fungal and anti-bacterial affects that are needed to suppress the clostridia and candida albicans overgrowth found high psychiatric patients.

An essential oil that surprised me for treatment of colitis, inflammation of the colon, was the essential oil of eucalyptus.  The cineole, a constituent high in eucalyptus, was found to significantly reduce the myeloperoxidase activity, which causes colonic damage, and in turn acted as an anti-inflammatory agent in the gastrointestinal tract (Santos et al. 2004).  Rosemarinus officinalis L has also been found to reduce colonic tissue lesions and colitis.  Rosemary has been studied for its anti-inflammatory effects as well as it analgesic,spasmolytic, anti-bacterial, anti-tumoral, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-oxidative, anti-rheumatic andhepatoprotective actions. The test subjects in this study were given rosemary essential oil orally and the results showed a reduction in ulcers, inhibition of ulcerative lesions, and reduction in inflammation in the colon.  The study reported,  “The most present component was alpha-pinene which is known as an anti-inflammatory agent. Moreover, alpha-pinene has an inhibitory effect on the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) that play an important role in colitis pathology” (Minaiyan et al. 2011 pg. 17).  The oils in these studies contain various benefits to the multiple factors to ADHD.  There are many other essential oils studied for anti-inflammatory effects such as myrrh (Tipton et al. 2003), thyme (Riella 2012), and frankincense, which is high in alpha-pinene as well (Tausch 2009).

Limonene, a chemical constituent found high in citrus oils, was studied in the University of Sao Paulo Brazil, and found that the citrus oil increased the production of the gastric mucus (Moraes et al. 2009). The gastric mucus is a gel that lines the entire gastric mucosa at the intestinal wall, acting as a barrier to toxins from infecting the body (Kauffman 1981).    Citruses are high in flavonoids, which is a type of phenolic compound, containing natural detoxifying and anti-oxidant properties for the body.  Fruits and vegetable are very high in phenols and phenolic compounds.  These compounds possess a wide range of bioactivities protecting the cells in our body against pathogens, parasites, bacteria, inflammation, oxidation, viruses, as well as possessing neuroprotective properties.  Phenols also have been found to regulate detoxifying enzymes in the digestive tract (Huang et al. 2009).  All these natural foods and compounds possess a diverse range of beneficial biological activity that helps restore the digestive tract and good intestinal microbiota.

Naturally occurring plants from the earth possess high anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  I have covered many alternative ways to address behaviors, ADHD in particular, and intestinal dysbiosis influencing neurochemical health in many psychiatric disorders.  The last review I will focus on is natural anti-bacterial properties found on plants that aid in rebalancing the intestinal microbiota, which is the core to having the body combat for itself against harmful microorganisms that attack it daily.   As discussed previously, clostridia and candida bacteria have been found high in samples of autistic and other developmental disorders in various studies and “having good bacteria in the gut is the best way to keep Clostridia, Candida, Bacteroids, viruses, and many other microbes under control” (Campbell-McBride 2004 pg. 43).  One study exposed candida albicans to pomegranate, cumin, and fennel, which all have high anti-fungal properties, and found that all three were able to inhibit the growth of candida, with pomegranate being the highest (Mithun 2010).   In nature, volatile complex compounds protect plants, through the essential oils found on the roots, stem, bark, leaves, and rinds etc. of the plant.  The essential oil provides protection in many forms acting as an insecticide, as well as providing anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial components (Bakkali 2007).  The essential oils are a concentrated dose of natural medicine for the plant and research has shown that the use of pure oils (without synthetics & toxins) can interact similarly on the human body, acting as a protectant and a natural medicine.  There have been many studies done with essential oils on the candida fungus showing inhibition of its growth with the use of melaleuca (tea tree oil), oregano, clove, peppermint, thyme, and lavender.  Other oils that are highly anti-bacterial have been tested to inhibit the growth of various bacterial strains. The essential oils exhibiting the highest anti-bacterial properties have been melaleuca, thyme, cinnamon, peppermint, lemongrass, helichrysum, geranium, rosemary, oregano and a blend called On Guard made up of wild orange, clove bud, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiate and rosemary (Modern Essentials 2012).

There are many natural substances found in nature that aide in ridding the body of bad bacteria in order to inhibit the overgrowth of these highly toxic bacteria that get into the body.  As the UCLA study discussed, anti-biotics damage the good bacteria when ingested for treatment of a bacterial infection, which in turn also compromises our intestinal health and balance. To restore the good microbiota, or flora, pro-biotics are essential and have been proven in this study to be affective in brain health.  As the results showed, the group consuming probiotics showed greater connectivity to various areas of the brain (Champeau 2013).  Pro-biotics are beneficial bacterial strains found in foods and one study done on blackcurrant extract powder observed that it enhanced the growth of the beneficial microbiota in the gut and also inactivated the toxic, or bad bacteria in the gut (Molan et al. 2013).

Where psychopharmaceuticals can provide immediate relief to difficult symptoms, the body provides the door for healing and protecting itself, and given the right environment, it is able to thrive and heal from outside influences.  We hold the key to opening that door of healing through natural nourishment.  Awareness, education, and finally our nutritional choices, provide the body with the keys to heal and protect itself.  Psychoaromacology is a very promising method of treatment and provides immediate relief as well as long term healing.  Mental health and nutrition are not a separate entity.  They are interlinked and one in the same body (literally), therefore need to be treated as such and nature has provided so many solutions. The research is there, and it is scientifically proven.  Practical application takes education and dedication, however the results are life long and invaluable.