Recent patents regarding essential oils and the significance of their constituents in human health and treatment.

Sienkiewicz M1, Kowalczyk E, Wasiela M.

Author information 

Abstract

Essential oils derived from aromatic plants possess useful properties concerning human health, such as antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities. They can be used as natural alternatives to synthetic preparations to prevent and treat infectious diseases caused by multidrug resistant microorganisms. They are used successfully to treat respiratory tract, digestive system and skin infections. Many of them may be applied in anticancer therapy, cardiovascular and nervous system disorders, as well as to reduce the level of cholesterol and decrease and regulate the glucose level. Due to their ability to stimulate adrenal and estrogen hormone production and their antimicrobial properties, they are useful in the treatment of gynecological diseases. Oils are commonly used in the food and cosmetic industry. The present paper describes recent patents concerning potential uses of essential oils in human health and treatment of diseases.

PMID:

 

22642543

 

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

Recent Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery, 2012, 7, 133-140 133 

Recent Patents Regarding Essential Oils and the Significance of their
Constituents in Human Health and Treatment
Monika Sienkiewicz1*, Edward Kowalczyk2 and Ma􏰀gorzata Wasiela1
1Department of Medical and Sanitary Microbiology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland; 2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
Received: April 20, 2012; Revised: May 25, 2012; Accepted: May 26, 2012
Abstract: Essential oils derived from aromatic plants possess useful properties concerning human health, such as antibac- terial, antiviral and antifungal activities. They can be used as natural alternatives to synthetic preparations to prevent and treat infectious diseases caused by multidrug resistant microorganisms. They are used successfully to treat respiratory tract, digestive system and skin infections. Many of them may be applied in anticancer therapy, cardiovascular and nerv- ous system disorders, as well as to reduce the level of cholesterol and decrease and regulate the glucose level. Due to their ability to stimulate adrenal and estrogen hormone production and their antimicrobial properties, they are useful in the treatment of gynecological diseases. Oils are commonly used in the food and cosmetic industry. The present paper describes recent patents concerning potential uses of essential oils in human health and treatment of diseases.
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, essential oils, food preservatives, prevention, treatment. 

INTRODUCTION
Essential oils are a varied group of plant secondary me- tabolites which are used in aromatherapy, dermatology and cosmetology. The increasing problem of antibiotic resistance has necessitated the search for safe and effective factors that can be used to treat persistent bacterial infections. Their wide-ranging and complex effects, synergy of action in combination with antibiotic therapy and the absence of re- ports on the acquisition of bacterial resistance to their con- stituents make them a valued complement to therapy in hu- man diseases. Essential oils mainly from the Lamiaceae and Apiaceae families have bactericidal properties against mi- croorganisms contaminating food products. Due to their an- timicrobial properties they are being considered as natural food preservatives.
Biological activity of essential oils is strictly linked to their chemical composition. The greatest antibacterial activ- ity and the widest spectrum of action are demonstrated by phenolic compounds such as thymol and carvacrol, which occur in different proportions in essential oils produced by plants from the Lamiaceae family. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and savory (Satureja hortensis L.) are of particular importance [1,2,3,4]. Inhala- tion of essential oils containing phenolic compounds mainly are used in the treatment of persistent respiratory tract infec- tions and as food preserving agents. The phenylpropanoid eugenol is a phenolic compound which also shows antimi- crobial properties, and constitutes up to 90% of some essen- tial oils: clove, cinnamon leaves, bay, nutmeg and a few
*Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Medical and Sanitary Microbiology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland, pl. Hallera 1, Lodz, 90-647; Tel:/Fax: 48 42 639 31 98;
E-mail: monika.sienkiewicz @umed.lodz.pl

species of basil such as Ocimum basilicum L. and O. gratis- simum L. [5]. The second group of biologically-active essen- tial oils are oils with alcohols such as terpinene-4-ol, 􏰁- terpineol, geraniol, cytronellol, menthol and linalool. Oils containing no phenolic compounds with high antimicrobial activity include tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender, sage, rose and sandalwood oil. They are active against pathogenic microorganisms that cause of the respiratory, genitourinary system and skin infectious diseases [6,7,8]. Various thera- peutic properties of oils are also associated with ketones such as thujone, camphor, menthone and carvone, as well as esters such as anethole and cyneole. Ketones are significant components in sage essential oil (thujone, camphor) and peppermint oils (menthone, carvone). Anethole and 1.8- cyneole are the main components of fennel, eucalyptus and rosemary oils [5]. 

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