Biomedicines (May 2024)

Essential Oils: Chemistry and Pharmacological Activities—Part II

  • Damião Pergentino de Sousa,
  • Francisco de Assis Oliveira,
  • Daniel Dias Rufino Arcanjo,
  • Diogo Vilar da Fonsêca,
  • Allana Brunna S. Duarte,
  • Celma de Oliveira Barbosa,
  • Thomas Prates Ong,
  • Timothy John Brocksom

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12061185
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 6
p. 1185

Abstract

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The importance of essential oils and their components in the industrial sector is attributed to their chemical characteristics and their application in the development of products in the areas of cosmetology, food, and pharmaceuticals. However, the pharmacological properties of this class of natural products have been extensively investigated and indicate their applicability for obtaining new drugs. Therefore, this review discusses the use of these oils as starting materials to synthesize more complex molecules and products with greater commercial value and clinic potential. Furthermore, the antiulcer, cardiovascular, and antidiabetic mechanisms of action are discussed. The main mechanistic aspects of the chemopreventive properties of oils against cancer are also presented. The data highlight essential oils and their derivatives as a strategic chemical group in the search for effective therapeutic agents against various diseases.

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