1. An Overview of the Potential Therapeutic Applications of Essential Oils
- Author
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Mariam Nasser Aljaafari, Mudhi AlAli, Kok-Song Lai, Aisha Abushelaibi, Aidin Molouki, Asma Obaid AlAli, Laila Baqais, Janna Ong-Abdullah, Maream Alqubaisy, and Swee Hua Erin Lim
- Subjects
Membrane permeability ,Lavender ,carvacrol ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Review ,Communicable Diseases ,synergistic activity ,Analytical Chemistry ,lcsh:QD241-441 ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,proteomics ,Antibiotic resistance ,lcsh:Organic chemistry ,thymol ,Drug Discovery ,genomics ,Oils, Volatile ,Humans ,Plant Oils ,Carvacrol ,Food science ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,essential oils ,Thymol ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,antimicrobial activity ,Bacteria ,biology ,030306 microbiology ,Chemistry ,Organic Chemistry ,Fungi ,Drug Synergism ,Plants ,Antimicrobial ,biology.organism_classification ,Anti-Bacterial Agents ,Chemistry (miscellaneous) ,Viruses ,Molecular Medicine ,oregano ,Efflux ,cinnamon bark - Abstract
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has urged researchers to explore therapeutic alternatives, one of which includes the use of natural plant products such as essential oils (EO). In fact, EO obtained from clove, oregano, thymus, cinnamon bark, rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender have been shown to present significant inhibitory effects on bacteria, fungi, and viruses; many studies have been done to measure EO efficacy against microorganisms. The strategy of combinatory effects via conventional and non-conventional methods revealed that the combined effects of EO–EO or EO–antibiotic exhibit enhanced efficacy. This paper aims to review the antimicrobial effects of EO, modes of EO action (membrane disruption, efflux inhibition, increase membrane permeability, and decrease in intracellular ATP), and their compounds’ potential as effective agents against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It is hoped that the integration of EO applications in this work can be used to consider EO for future clinical applications.
- Published
- 2021