Much More Than a Pleasant Scent: A Review on Essential Oils Supporting the Immune System

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• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) EO stimulated the phagocytic activity of cultured human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) after 24 h treatment, independently of concomitant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment [23].

• The effects on phagocytic activity of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) EO

• Giovannini, D.; Gismondi, A.; Basso, A.; Canuti, L.; Braglia, R.; Canini, A.; Mariani, F.; Cappelli, G. Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Essential Oil Exerts Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Macrophage Mediated Immune Response to Staphylococcus aureus. Immunol. Invest. 2016, 45, 11–28.

• Some papers demonstrate no immunomodulatory effects of certain EO components. In a principally toxicological study, when investigating the effects of three different doses of safranal, a major constituent of Crocus sativus EO, in mice, no significant changes or any marked effects could be induced in immune system parameters of mice regarding spleen cellularity, hemagglutination titers after immunization with SRBCs, DTH response, cytokine (IFNγ, IL-4) production of splenocytes, and lymphocyte proliferation to PHA [68].

• In broiler chickens, the dietary supplementation of a blend of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) EOs at 40:40:20 ratios at increasing dosages linearly enhanced the antibody titers in serum to infectious Newcastle, bronchitis, and bursal disease viruses on day four after vaccination. On day eight after inoculation, the antibody titers at certain EO blend dosages were significantly higher compared to the control group [43].

• Lavandula angustifolia EO increased the phagocytic rate and stimulated the containment of intracellular bacterial replication in cultured human MDMs pretreated with the EO and then infected with Staphylococcus aureus.

• 24 healthy pregnant women received 70 min of whole body aromatherapy massage with 2% lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) EO blended with almond oil every other week between 16 and 36 weeks gestational age, 10 times in total. Salivary IgA was used as an indicator of immune function,

• higher IgA levels immediately after the aromatherapy massage compared to the control group

• ginger EO in coconut oil, while the control group received standard supportive care only. At the end of the week, in the massage group the mean lymphocyte count was significantly higher, the symptom severity scores for fatigue, pain, and stress were significantly lower than in the control group

• EO in drinking water was orally administered to immuno-competent rats in the absence or the presence of immunosuppression induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and then peripheral blood monocytes/granulocytes were isolated, as well as MDMs were cultured ex vivo to perform phagocytosis tests. A 15-day long EO treatment significantly increased the percentage of circulating monocytes and their phagocytic activity in EO treated rats compared to EO untreated controls without effect on granulocytes or lymphocytes

• Statistically significant increases in the numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes and lymphocytes were reported by Imanishi et al. in a trial that included 12 breast cancer patients, who received a 30 min aromatherapy massage twice a week for four weeks using sweet orange (Citrus aurantium), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and sandalwood (Santalum album) EOs in jojoba oil [59].