Aloysia plants are a group of flowering plants that belong to the Verbenaceae or vervain family of plants. As a group the plants are generally known as beebrushes, and are native to the Americas. Evidence suggests that certain plants from this group have medicinal effects. For example, Aloysia polystachya is one species of this group that may have particular effects on the central nervous system of animals. For example, in one study researchers investigated the anxiolytic effects of Aloysia polystachya on mice exposed to experimental stress. The results of the study showed that the extracts of Aloysia polystachya were able to significantly reduce the anxious behaviour of the mice, and showed significant sedative effects. The researchers observed that the effects of the Aloysia extracts was likely mediated through a mechanisms other than the GABA system. Aloysia plants produce high amounts of a particular terpenoid called carvone, and this may explain the central nervous system effects of the plant.
One reason for the central nervous system effects of Aloysia polystachya may be the essential oil it contains. This oil has been analysed and found to contain the terpenoid phytochemicals carvone and limonene. As a group terpenoids has been shown to affect the central nervous systems of animals, and may have mood elevating effects. In particular carvone is known to possess sedative and anxiolytic effects. Image is of an Aloysia plant (Aloysia citrodora). Image by: By tato grasso – Own work (personal work), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ w/ index.php?curid=2434147.
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