NCT03475836

Cognitive Effects of Mint Essential Oil

Volatile Terpenes and Brain Function: Investigation of the Cognitive and Mood Effects of Mentha Spicata/Piperita Essential Oil With in Vitro Properties Relevant to Central Nervous System Function

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: Northumbria University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study investigates the cognitive and mood effects of mint essential oils in a group of healthy, human adults. The investigational product will also be tested in vitro to ensure a number of biological mechanisms.

Detailed description

The volatile components of essential oils (e.g. sage, lemon balm and rosemary)are found to exert a number of psychotropic effects and the monoterpenes in particular seem to be responsible for the cognitive and mood effects attributed to them. The current study aims to investigate the cognitive and mood effects of mint essential oil in humans and to ensure the efficacy of the investigational product by conducting in vitro analysis on central nervous system receptor binding properties. This will be achieved by analysing gamma-Aminobutyric acid A (GABAA), neuronal nicotinic and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) glutamate receptor binding efficacy, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis will quantify % Limonene, % Carvone, % Menthone and % Menthol levels in the investigational treatment. Cognitive and mood assessment will be via a randomised, placebo controlled, crossover design in 24, healthy adults aged between 18-35 yrs which will involve x1 training and x3 testing visits to the lab (placebo, 50 (micro Litre) μL and 100 μL Mentha piperita essential oil).

Conditions

• Cognitive Change
• Affect

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Mentha piperita	Commercially available essential oil suspended in an off-the-shelf vegetable oil.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Placebo	Inert placebo control in the form of vegetable oil. This matches the vegetable oil in the active intervention condition.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-03-14
• Primary completion: 2016-06-09
• Completion: 2016-06-09
• First posted: 2018-03-23
• Last updated: 2018-03-23