Monoterpenes, the major components of essential oils, belong to the group of isoprenoids containing ten carbon atoms. Being widely distributed in the plant kingdom they are extensively used in cuisine and human health care products. Studies have shown that both natural monoterpenes and their synthetic derivatives are endowed with various pharmacological properties including antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, antiarrhythmic, anti-aggregating, local anesthetic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic and anti-spasmodic activities. Monoterpenes act also as regulators of growth, heat, transpiration, tumor inhibitors, inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, insect repellants, feline and canine attractants and antidiabetics. These interesting activities which might be potentially used not only in pharmaceutical, but also food and cosmetic industries are discussed below.

In this paper we continue to discuss the involvement of essential elements in depression and anxiety, and the possible mechanisms that link elements to the neurobiology underlying depression/anxiety. The present paper is focused on copper, selenium, manganese, iodine and vanadium. Different aspects of relationship between elements and depression or anxiety are reviewed, e.g. the association of the amount of an element in a diet or the serum level of an element and depressive or anxiety-like symptoms. Moreover, the relation of selected elements to the pathophysiology of depression or anxiety is discussed in the context of enzymes which require these elements as co-factors and are involved in the underlying pathophysiology of these disorders.

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