查看文章

Essential oils are composed largely of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their related alcohols. The number of components varies from approximately 10‐100, although frequently the major portion of the oil is composed of only a few components. The composition and physico‐chemical properties of oils are greatly influenced by extraction, packaging and storage processes which can in turn affect the biological properties of the oils. The medical and scientific literature is awash with reports of the antimicrobial activity of individual essential oils and the inherent in vitro activity of many essential oils is indisputable. However, the widespread exploitation of this antimicrobial activity in products is at a nascent stage. Other than over‐the‐counter preparations, a limited number of commercially available products rely largely on essential oils or their components for pharmaceutical antimicrobial properties. Similarly, essential …