Better than opioids: Bergamot essential oil is a powerful antinociceptive

Bergamot essential oil is popular in aromatherapy for its refreshing and uplifting fragrance, but the information on whether or not its scent has antinociceptive effects is limited. A study published in Fitoterapia investigated the antinociceptive benefit of smelling bergamot essential oil (BEO).

• The researchers put male mice through the formalin test by injecting 20 microliters of diluted formalin on the animals’ hind paws. Every five minutes, they observed and recorded when the animals bit or licked their injured hind paws in response to pain or discomfort.
• The authors placed a filter paper disc soaked in a known volume of bergamot essential oil close to the edge of the mice’s cage.
• They noted that inhaling the BEO caused reductions in the animals’ licking and biting behavior. This was observed to be in a manner that depended on the volume of BEO used and the time of the day the animals were exposed to the scent.

The researchers concluded that their findings were sufficient proof supporting the use of BEO in aromatherapy as part of a stepwise pain management program.

Learn of effective and natural ways to manage pain at Remedies.news.

Journal Reference:

Scuteri D, Crudo M, Rombolà L, Watanabe C, Mizoguchi H, Sakurada S, Sakurada T, Greco R, Corasaniti MT, Morrone LA, et al. ANTINOCICEPTIVE EFFECT OF INHALATION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF BERGAMOT IN MICE. Fitoterapia. September 2018;129:20–24. DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2018.06.007