Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event and has a lifetime prevalence of 8-10% in adults. Our recent findings published in Journal of Psychiatric Research entitled: “Geraniol attenuates behavioral and neurochemical impairments by inhibitions of HPA-axis and oxido-inflammatory perturbations in mice exposed to post-traumatic stress disorder” showed that an acyclic isoprenoid monoterpenoid analogue, geraniol, an

essential oil, mitigates experimentally induced PTSD symptoms achieved by single prolong stress model in mice, by normalization of brain function and improving behavior. Dr Ben-Azu and his research team, including some of his Undergraduate students (Emmanuel Etijoro, Emmanuel Umukoro, Elizabeth J. Mamudu, Chineye Chukwuma) at Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka from the experimental findings showed that geraniol administration reduced behavioral impairments associated with PTSD, such as anxiety, hyperarousal, and anhedonia.

Furthermore, geraniol treatment was found to normalize the stress regulatory pathway, notably the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increase neurotransmission of chemicals important for motivation and reduces abnormal generation of oxidative stress markers and

immune responses, suggesting its neuroprotective and therapeutic potential in PTSD.  These preclinical findings highlight geraniol as a promising natural compound for clinical investigation as novel therapeutic agent for the management of PTSD and related mental health disorders, characterized of excessive anxiety due to traumatic experiences.