Essential Oil: Its Chemistry, Biochemistry and Application

Essential oils are secondary metabolites that are produced by a variety of medicinal plants. These are mostly composed of a blend of terpenic hydrocarbons and oxygenated derivatives like ketones, alcohols, epoxides, aldehydes, and esters. These are insoluble in water but are soluble in ether, alcohol, and fixed oils. The majority of these volatile oils are liquid and colourless at room temperature. The majority of the components found in essential oils are from the terpene family and are concentrated in the cell secretions of specific plants. The chemical makeup and positioning of functional groups on molecules affect the mechanism of action of essential oils. When it comes to their antibacterial activity, essential oils' chemical makeup influences how they work. The content is about several essential oils, such as lavender oil, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties due to its primary ingredients, linalool and βocimene. Both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties can be found in eucalyptus oil, which contains the primary ingredients 1,8 cineole, cryptone, p-cymene, and pinene. Sulphur molecules found in garlic essential oils are effective in preventing cancer. In order to confirm the safety and effectiveness of essential oils, more clinical trials are obligatory. Essential oils possess the ability to be employed as defensive as well as therapeutic agents for a variety of ailments. 

Keywords: Constituents, Essential oil, Efficacy, Metabolites, Terpene.