The basis of healthcare has been medicinal plants from the dawn of
humanity. For over 4000 years, people have carefully documented and passed down
through generations the various ways in which these have been utilized. The Indian
Vedic literature, which dates to roughly 2000 BC, contains a list of around 700 compounds. Cinnamon, spikenard, ginger, myrrh, coriander, and sandalwood are a few of
these. Since ancient times, aromatic plant parts and oils have been used for their
therapeutic and culinary characteristics, as well as to produce incense, perfumes,
cosmetics, and for incense sticks. Ritual use was widespread in early cultures, where it
served both sacred and therapeutic objectives that were intricately intertwined. Since
prehistoric times, plant essential oils have been utilized in foods, aromatherapy,
perfumes, cosmetics, spices, and alimentation. They have also been applied in other
medical procedures and phytotherapy. In the current era of pharmaceutical science,
interest in herbal medicines has grown relative to conventional or synthetic treatments
because they are more affordable, more widely accepted, compatible with human
physiology, and have fewer adverse effects. The medicinal properties and applications
of an expanding number of emerging essential oils have been researched and
documented by pharmacists. The interest in analysing their bioactivity has progressed
owing to their widespread use, particularly the recently investigated antibacterial,
antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiabetic effects. The traditional Indian or Ayurvedic
system of medicine, as well as other ecumenical customary systems, would be
transformed if plant predicated knowledge were to be incorporated. The uses of
numerous plants for therapeutic, medical, aesthetic, psychological, olfactory, massage,
aromatherapy, and other associated issues are examined in this chapter.
Keywords: Aromatherapy, Bioactivity, Essential oils, Medicinal plants, Phytotherapy.
