title: Anxiolytic effects of lavender oil inhalation on open-field behaviour in rats.
abstract: To establish a valid animal model of the effects of olfactory stimuli on anxiety, a series of experiments was conducted using rats in an open-field test. Throughout, effects of lavender oil were compared with the effects of chlordiazepoxide (CDP), as a reference anxiolytic with well-known effects on open-field behaviour. Rats were exposed to lavender oil (0.1-1.0 ml) for 30 min (Experiment 1) or 1h (Experiment 2) prior to open-field test and in the open field or injected with CDP (10 mg/kg i.p.). CDP had predicted effects on behaviour, and the higher doses of lavender oil had some effects on behaviour similar to those of CDP. In Experiment 3, various combinations of pre-exposure times and amounts of lavender oil were used. With sufficient exposure time and quantity of lavender the same effects were obtained as in Experiment 2. Experiment 4 demonstrated that these behavioural effects of lavender could be obtained following pre-exposure, even if no oil was present in the open-field test. In Experiments 2-4, lavender oil increased immobility. Together, these experiments suggest that lavender oil does have anxiolytic effects in the open field, but that a sedative effect can also occur at the highest doses.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland BT52 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Annett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D027523:Lavandula; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide