Neuroprotective effect of essential oils

The neurodegenerative disorders (ND) impose significant medical and health burden on populations around the globe. In older adults, these diseases are the major cause of morbidity, cognitive impairment, and mortality. The prevalence of ND is estimated to increase with the increase in age in most countries. For instance, Alzheimer's disease, (AD) the most common ND, contributes to 60%–80% of all dementia cases. The options to treat ND are very limited; the current therapies only manage the symptoms of the disease or slow down its progression. The complexity of molecular mechanisms, altered pathophysiology, and heterogeneity of patient populations are some of the challenges for developing effective therapeutic entity for treating ND. The natural bioactive compounds and diet modification are being proposed for the prevention and onset of ND. The plant-based derived bioactive compounds have the potential to provide neuroprotection by decreasing oxidative stress, antiinflammatory action, treating mitochondrial dysfunctions, and preventing abnormal protein accumulation. The essential oils (EO) are naturally plant-derived volatile compounds found abundantly in various parts of the plant such as flowers, leaves, seed, barks, and roots. The neuroprotective role of EO has been evaluated in various experimental models globally. Besides, studies have reported that EO has numerous biological activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory action. This chapter is aimed to summarize the neuroprotective role of essential oils, neuropathological targets, and its possible mechanism of action in different ND.