Preventive effect of different citrus essential oils on primary dysmenorrhea: in vivo and in vitro study

This study aimed to explore the effect of nine kinds of Citrus essential oils (CEOs) and its seven primary components (limonene, myrcene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, phellandrene, geraniol, and geranial) on primary dysmenorrhea in vivo and in vitro, respectively. The results showed that CEOs could enhance the activity of antioxidant status markers (T-AOC, SOD, CAT, and GSH), as well as reducing the levels of MDA and iNOS, and the ratio of PGF2 alpha/PGE2 in rat uterus induced by estradiol benzoate and oxytocin, thus ameliorating the writhing response. Furthermore, seven components in CEOs could reverse the upregulation of the ratio of PGF2 alpha/PGE2 in RL95-2 cells induced by estradiol benzoate. Sweet orange and bergamot essential oils showed a more significant effect than other CEOs. This work supported that CEOs could effectively inhibit oxidative stress and prostaglandinsinduced uterine contraction, representing a prevention from PD and its major components exerted the potentially beneficial effect.