Alleviating effect of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and its major components on postherpetic pain: a randomized blinded controlled trial.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) causes severe pain which can lead to decreased quality-of-life. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of inhalation of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil and its major components (linalool and linalyl acetate) on the pain in patients with PHN.

Methods: This study was performed at an outpatient clinic.

Inhalation of L. essential oil while working reduces perceived stress and anxiety levels of nurses in a COVID-19 intensive care unit: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Nurses caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience higher psychosocial distress than other healthcare workers, and this can adversely affect the quality of patient care. There is evidence that inhalation of essential oil from marjoram ( L.) has calming effects, suggesting this intervention may help to reduce the stress and anxiety of nurses working in a COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU).

Ginsenoside Rb Reduces Hyper-Vasoconstriction Induced by High Glucose and Endothelial Dysfunction in Rat Aorta.

Acute hyperglycemia induces oxidative damage and inflammation, leading to vascular dysfunction. Ginsenoside Rb (Rb) is a major component of red ginseng with anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we investigated the beneficial effects and the underlying mechanisms of Rb on hypercontraction induced by high glucose (HG) and endothelial dysfunction (ED).

Extract Restores Smooth Muscle Vasorelaxation in Rat Carotid Arteries Even under High Extracellular K Concentrations.

Recent studies showed that (CL) has antihypertensive effects. However, to date, no study has examined the effects of CL on vascular tone under a high extracellular K concentration ([K]). Thus, the present study examined the effect of an extract of (ECL) on the vascular tension of rat carotid arteries exposed to high [K].

Effects of linalyl acetate on oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction: can linalyl acetate prevent mild cognitive impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a major public health challenge with an increasing prevalence. Although the mechanisms underlying the development of MCI remain unclear, MCI has been reported to be associated with oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and endothelial dysfunction, suggesting that agents that reduce these factors may be key to preventing MCI. Currently, no agents have been approved for the treatment of MCI, with the efficacy of commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors remaining unclear.

Incidence and risk factors for pressure injury in hospitalized non-small cell lung cancer patients: A retrospective observational study.

Aim: This study aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors for pressure injury in patients hospitalized for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in 645 adults who were hospitalized for NSCLC. Clinicopathological characteristics were compared between NSCLC patients with pressure injury and those without pressure injury.

Astrocytes Reduce Store-Operated Ca Entry in Microglia under the Conditions of an Inflammatory Stimulus and Muscarinic Receptor Blockade.

Inflammation and loss of cholinergic transmission are involved in neurodegenerative diseases, but possible interactions between them within neurons, astrocytes, and microglia have not yet been investigated. We aimed to compare store-operated Ca entry (SOCE) in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia following cholinergic dysfunction in combination with (or without) an inflammatory stimulus and to investigate the effects of linalyl acetate (LA) on this process. We used the SH-SY5Y, U373, and BV2 cell lines related to neurons, astrocytes, and microglia, respectively.

Linalyl acetate restores colon contractility and blood pressure in repeatedly stressed-ulcerative colitis rats.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is related to stress, but few studies have evaluated the influence of stress on factors affecting colon contractility in rats with UC. Also, there have been no studies investigating beneficial effects of linalyl acetate (LA), the major component of lavender essential oil, in repeatedly stressed-ulcerative colitis rats. Therefore, we investigated the differences in factors affecting colon contractility of UC rats with or without repeated restraint stress (RRS) and the effects of LA on these parameters in repeatedly stressed-UC rats.

Ginsenoside Rg-1 prevents elevated cytosolic Ca via store-operated Ca entry in high-glucose-stimulated vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

Background: Ginsenoside Rg-1 (Rg-1), a triterpenoid saponin abundantly present in Panax ginseng, is a type of naturally occurring steroid with known anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we sought to confirm the effects and mechanisms of action of Rg-1 on store-operated Ca entry (SOCE) in human vascular endothelial cell line (EA) and murine aortic vascular smooth muscle cell line (MOVAS) cells exposed to high glucose.

Methods: Cytosolic Ca concentrations in EA and MOVAS cells were measured by monitoring fluorescence of the ratiometric Ca-indicator, Fura-2 AM.

Activation of ectopic olfactory receptor 544 induces GLP-1 secretion and regulates gut inflammation.

Olfactory receptors are ectopically expressed in extra-nasal tissues. The gut is constantly exposed to high levels of odorants where ectopic olfactory receptors may play critical roles. Activation of ectopic olfactory receptor 544 (Olfr544) by azelaic acid (AzA), an Olfr544 ligand, reduces adiposity in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) by regulating fuel preference to fats.

Linalyl acetate as a potential preventive agent against muscle wasting in rheumatoid arthritis rats chronically exposed to nicotine.

Cigarette smoking has detrimental effects on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), characterized by muscle wasting. Linalyl acetate (LA), the main component of Lavandula angustifolia Mill (lavender) oil, has anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the detrimental effects of chronic nicotine exposure in rats with RA, as well as the abilities of lavender oil and LA to prevent muscle wasting.

Protection of the neurovascular unit from calcium-related ischemic injury by linalyl acetate.

Calcium-related ischemic injury (CRII) can damage cells of the neurovascular unit (NVU). Here, we investigate the protective effects of linalyl acetate (LA) against CRII-induced NVU damage and evaluate the underlying mechanisms. The protective effects of LA in cell lines representative of NVU components (BEND, SH-SY5Y, BV2, and U373 cells) were evaluated following exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation alone (OGD/R-only) or OGD/R in the presence of 5 mM extracellular calcium ([Ca]) to mimic CRII.

Sex-specific susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus and preventive effect of linalyl acetate.

Aims: Biological, psychosocial and lifestyle risk factors interact in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To date, the effects of sex, chronic stress (CS) and high-fat diet (HFD) on T2DM and the ability of linalyl acetate (LA) to prevent T2DM have not been determined. This study therefore explored the differential effects of CS and HFD on T2DM, as well as the ability of LA to prevent T2DM development, in male and female rats.

Effects of Short-Term Inhalation of Patchouli Oil on Professional Quality of Life and Stress Levels in Emergency Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of patchouli ( Benth.) inhalation by emergency nurses on their stress, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, burnout, blood pressure, and heart rate. A randomized controlled trial.

Codonopsis lanceolata Contributes to Ca2+ Homeostasis by Mediating SOCE and PLC/IP3 Pathways in Vascular Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells.

has been widely used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-lipogenic agent in traditional medicine. Recently, was reported to prevent hypertension by improving vascular function. This study evaluated the effects of and its major component lancemaside A on cytosolic calcium concentration in vascular endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells.

Sex differences in cardio-metabolic and cognitive parameters in rats with high-fat diet-induced metabolic dysfunction.

Excessive dietary fat intake plays important roles in the process of metabolic dysfunction and increases susceptibilities to chronic diseases such as hypertension. Few previous studies, however, have accurately reflected real-world medical conditions. In addition, studies performed to date have not examined detailed sex-differences in cardio-metabolic and cognitive parameters, precluding the development of sex-tailored interventions for patients with metabolic dysfunction who are susceptible to hypertension and cognitive impairment.

Beneficial effects of Codonopsis lanceolata extract on systolic blood pressure levels in prehypertensive adults: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) extract was shown to have antihypertensive effects in hypertensive rats. This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the ability of CL extract to prevent hypertension (HTN) in prehypertensive subjects. Eighty subjects aged 19-60 years with a systolic blood pressure (BP) of 120-139 mmHg and a diastolic BP of 80-89 mmHg were recruited over 3 months.

Lancemaside A from Codonopsis lanceolata prevents hypertension by inhibiting NADPH oxidase 2-mediated MAPK signalling and improving NO bioavailability in rats.

Objectives: This study investigated whether lancemaside A (LMA) can prevent hypertension and assessed the mechanisms of action of LMA in rats.

Methods: Hypertension was induced by chronic immobilization stress and nicotine administration. Hypertensive vehicle rats were treated with LMA (1, 20, or 40 mg/kg) or nifedipine (10 mg/kg) as a positive control daily for 3 weeks.

Linalyl acetate prevents three related factors of vascular damage in COPD-like and hypertensive rats.

Preventing vascular damage is considered an effective strategy in patients who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with hypertension. Here, we investigated vascular damage in COPD-like and hypertensive rats, which demonstrated the presence of the three related factors of COPD with hypertension. These include elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which are positively correlated with vascular damage in patients.

Linalyl acetate prevents olmesartan-induced intestinal hypermotility mediated by interference of the sympathetic inhibitory pathway in hypertensive rat.

Olmesartan-associated enteropathy (OAE) is a life-threatening pathological condition, but its underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Although intestinal hypermotility is frequently accompanied by chronic diarrhea, there have been no studies of olmesartan-induced hypermotility. Intestinal motility should be well regulated by the enteric nervous system, but degeneration of enteric neurons has been reported in patients with chronic diarrheal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, suggesting a connection between OAE and intestinal hypermotility.

Linalyl acetate restores endothelial dysfunction and hemodynamic alterations in diabetic rats exposed to chronic immobilization stress.

Although stress is one of the risk factors of diabetes, few studies have assessed the effects of stress on diabetic rats. This study, therefore, analyzed differences in cardiovascular-related factors among control, nonstressed diabetic, and stressed diabetic rats as well as assessed the effects of linalyl acetate (LA) on stressed diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to immobilization stress throughout the experimental period, and diabetes was induced on day 15 by a single injection of streptozotocin.