Exploring Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) for Enhanced Essential Oil Extraction: Current Insights and Applications.

Essential oils (EOs) are highly valued in the cosmetic and food industries for their diverse properties. However, traditional extraction methods often result in low yields, inconsistent compositions, lengthy extraction times, and the use of potentially harmful solvents. Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have emerged as promising alternatives, offering advantages such as higher efficiency, cost-effectiveness, biodegradability, and tunable properties. This review explores the application of NADES in enhancing EO extraction, focusing on current methodologies, key insights, and practical applications. It examines the factors that influence EO extraction with NADES, including the optimization of their physicochemical properties, extraction techniques, operational conditions, and the role of sample pretreatment in improving efficiency. Additionally, this review covers the chemical characterization and biological activities of EOs extracted using NADES. By providing a comprehensive overview, it highlights the potential of NADES to improve EO extraction and suggests directions for future research in this field.