title: Effect of Lemongrass Aroma on Experimental Anxiety in Humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential anxiolytic effect of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) aroma in healthy volunteers submitted to an anxiogenic situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male volunteers were allocated to four different groups for the inhalation of lemongrass essential oil (test aroma: three or six drops), tea tree essential oil (control aroma: three drops), or distilled water (nonaromatic control: three drops). Immediately after inhalation, each volunteer was submitted to an experimental model of anxiety, the video-monitored version of the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychologic parameters (state anxiety, subjective tension, tranquilization, and sedation) and physiologic parameters (heart rate and gastrocnemius electromyogram activity) were evaluated before the inhalation period and before, during, and after the SCWT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals exposed to the test aroma (three and six drops), unlike the control groups, presented a reduction in state anxiety and subjective tension, immediately after treatment administration. In addition, although they presented an anxious response to the task, they completely recovered from it in 5 min, unlike the control groups. Physiologic alterations along the test were not prevented by any treatment, in the same way as has previously been observed for diazepam.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although more investigations are necessary to clarify the clinical relevance of lemongrass essential oil as an anxiety treatment, this work shows that very brief exposure to this aroma has some perceived anxiolytic effects.
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe , São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil .
authors.forename: Tiago Costa
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Goes
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe , São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil .
authors.forename: Fábio Reis Carvalho
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ursulino
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe , São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil .
authors.forename: Thiago Henrique
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Almeida-Souza
authors.affiliation: 2 Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe , São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil .
authors.forename: Péricles Barreto
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe , São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil .
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teixeira-Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000379:methods*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C052901:lemongrass oil