Bioactive Essential Oils: Essential Oil as a Source of Bioactive Constituents
Essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants are known as a source of secondary metabolites. They act as antimicrobial, antispasmodic, antiviral and anti-insect agents. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, or simply as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted. Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often by using steam. Other processes include expression, solvent extraction, sfumatura, absolute oil extraction, resin tapping, wax embedding, and cold pressing. They are used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and drink, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products. Essential oils are often used for aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine in which healing effects are ascribed to aromatic compounds. Analysis using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry has been used to identify bioactive compounds in essential oils.