Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates .
Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
Molecules. 2023 Feb 14;28(4):1809. doi: 10.3390/molecules28041809.
Since ancient times, essential oils (EOs) have been known for their therapeutic potential against many health issues. Recent studies suggest that EOs may contribute to the regulation and modulation of various biomarkers and cellular pathways responsible for metabolic health as well as the development of many diseases, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and bacterial infections. During metabolic dysfunction and even infections, the immune system becomes compromised and releases pro-inflammatory cytokines that lead to serious health consequences. The bioactive compounds present in EOs (especially terpenoids and phenylpropanoids) with different chemical compositions from fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants confer protection against these metabolic and infectious diseases through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. In this review, we have highlighted some targeted physiological and cellular actions through which EOs may exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. In addition, it has been observed that EOs from specific plant sources may play a significant role in the prevention of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, microbial infections, and increasing breast milk production, along with improvements in heart, liver, and brain health. The current status of the bioactive activities of EOs and their therapeutic effects are covered in this review. However, with respect to the health benefits of EOs, it is very important to regulate the dose and usage of EOs to reduce their adverse health effects. Therefore, we specified that some countries have their own regulatory bodies while others follow WHO and FAO standards and legislation for the use of EOs.
自古以来，精油（EOs）就因其对许多健康问题的治疗潜力而闻名。最近的研究表明，EOs 可能有助于调节和修饰各种生物标志物和细胞途径，这些标志物和细胞途径负责代谢健康以及许多疾病的发展，包括癌症、肥胖、糖尿病、心血管疾病和细菌感染。在代谢功能障碍甚至感染期间，免疫系统受损并释放促炎细胞因子，导致严重的健康后果。EOs 中存在的生物活性化合物（特别是萜类化合物和苯丙烷类化合物）与水果、蔬菜和药用植物中的不同化学成分，通过抗炎、抗氧化、抗癌和抗微生物特性提供对这些代谢和传染性疾病的保护。在这篇综述中，我们强调了一些靶向的生理和细胞作用，EOs 可能通过这些作用表现出抗炎、抗癌和抗微生物特性。此外，还观察到来自特定植物来源的 EOs 可能在预防肥胖、糖尿病、高血压、血脂异常、微生物感染和增加母乳产量以及改善心脏、肝脏和大脑健康方面发挥重要作用。本综述涵盖了 EOs 的生物活性及其治疗效果的现状。然而，就 EOs 的健康益处而言，非常重要的是要调节 EOs 的剂量和使用，以减少其对健康的不良影响。因此，我们特别指出，一些国家有自己的监管机构，而其他国家则遵循世卫组织和粮农组织的标准和法规来使用 EOs。
