This study aimed to investigate the effects of inhalation of the essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara (neroli oil) on menopausal symptoms, stress, and estrogen in postmenopausal women. Sixty-three healthy postmenopausal women were randomized to inhale 0.1% or 0.5% neroli oil or almond oil (control) for 5 minutes twice daily for 5 days. Menopause-related symptoms, as determined by the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL); sexual desire visual analog scale (VAS); serum cortisol and estrogen concentrations, blood pressure, pulse, and stress VAS, were measured before and after inhalation. Compared with the control group, the two neroli oil groups showed significant improvements in the physical domain score of the MENQOL and in sexual desire. Systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in the group inhaling 0.5% neroli oil than in the control group. Compared with the control group, the two neroli oil groups showed significantly lower diastolic blood pressure and tended to improve pulse rate and serum cortisol and estrogen concentrations. These findings indicate that inhalation of neroli oil helps relieve menopausal symptoms, increase sexual desire, and reduce blood pressure in postmenopausal women. Neroli oil may have potential as an effective intervention to reduce stress and improve the endocrine system.

No abstract

Ultrafine or fine titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) particles are widely used in the production of white pigments, for sunscreens, and in cleanup techniques. However, currently knowledge is deficient concerning cellular responses to these particles. The study evaluated and compared the biological activity of ultrafine and fine TiO(2) particles in RAW 264.7 macrophages according to an oxidative stress paradigm. In vitro exposure of macrophages to ultrafine or fine TiO(2) in the range of 0.5-200 microg/ml did not significantly alter cell viability. However, ultrafine TiO(2) enhanced intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to a greater extent than fine TiO(2) at each exposure concentration. Ultrafine TiO(2) induced ERK1/2 activation in a concentration-dependent manner, while the fine TiO(2)-induced changes were minimal. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 occurred following 10 min exposure to higher concentrations of ultrafine TiO(2) (> or = 25 microg/ml). Similarly, ultrafine TiO(2) exposure significantly enhanced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner, and its potency was higher than fine TiO(2). These findings suggest that when exposure concentration is based upon equivalent mass, ultrafine TiO(2) exerts greater biological activity as measured by ROS generation, ERK 1/2 activation, and proinflammatory mediator secretion in RAW 264.7 macrophages than fine TiO(2).

Background: Although in vitro studies have determined that the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases is crucial to the activation of transcription factors and regulation of the production of proinflammatory mediators, the roles of c-Jun NH 2 -terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in acute lung injury have not been elucidated.

Thus, eucalyptol may be a potentially important agent in the treatment of pulmonary inflammation.