Anxiety and Terpenes: What Published Research Has Examined

What researchers have examined

Most terpene research related to anxiety-like measures is preclinical, meaning it was conducted in animals or cell models rather than people. Inhaled linalool, the lavender terpene, has been studied in mice using anxiety-related behavioral tests. Separately, an oral pharmaceutical lavender-oil preparation (Silexan) has been studied in human clinical trials in Europe. Citrus fragrance, rich in limonene, was examined in a small 1995 study of hospitalized patients. These studies examined isolated compounds or non-hemp preparations, not hemp flower or hemp products.

What the research can’t tell you

Animal studies frequently fail to translate to humans. The human trials that exist studied standardized pharmaceutical preparations at controlled doses, not the varied terpene content of hemp products. No study establishes that any hemp product affects anxiety in people, and this site makes no such claim.

Sources

• Harada H, et al. (2018). Linalool odor-induced anxiolytic effects in mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12:241. [doi]
• Linck VM, et al. (2010). Effects of inhaled linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behavior in mice. Phytomedicine, 17(8–9):679–683. [doi]
• Kasper S, et al. (2010). Silexan, an orally administered lavandula oil preparation, in subthreshold anxiety. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 25(5):277–287. [doi]
• Komori T, et al. (1995). Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states. Neuroimmunomodulation, 2(3):174–180. [doi]