Extraction, Characterisation, Biological Properties and Applications of Essential Oils: A Review

Abstract

In recent decades, essential oils have emerged as natural supplements to synthetic substances in medicine, agriculture, food industries etc. The modern techniques for extraction of essential oils have significantly reduced the time consumption and increased the yield in comparison to the conventional techniques that have been in use for so long. Advancedcharacterisation techniques like Gas chromatography (GC), Liquid Chromatography (LC), Mass Spectrometry (MS) etc., provide high accuracy incharacterisation depending upon the nature of essential oils or other major phytoconstituents. Studies have shown essential oils to possess biologically significant activities like antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihistamine, anticholinesterase, anti-cancer, antiaging etc. These activities of essential oils have made them eligible for their application in food preservation, medicines, industries, agriculture etc. Thus, the traditional knowledge of plants and extraction of essential oils from their different parts of significance can contribute to a healthy society if efforts are made towards enhancing their natural properties for maximum utilisation. The present review discusses different sources and compositions of essential oils, common extraction and characterisation techniques, some biological properties of essential oils and their applications in various industries.