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Essential Oils

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Essential Oil Research

Abstract

In this chapter, essential oil (EO) sources, chemistry, extraction methods, analysis, biological activities, applications, risks, and dangers are described in detail. Essential oils (EOs) are highly concentrated materials extracted from leaves, stems, flowers, seeds, roots, fruit rinds, resins, or barks. EOs are frequently used for their therapeutic, odoriferous, and flavor properties, in an extensive selection of products like cosmetics, foods, and medicines. Extraction of EOs is one of the most effort-requiring and time-consuming processes. In this chapter, different methods like maceration, cold pressing, solvent extraction, enfleurage, hydrodistillation, carbon dioxide (CO2) and supercritical CO2 extraction, turbo distillation, and steam distillation are discussed. Furthermore, biological activities (antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, etc.) and application of EOs in different fields (agriculture, industry, medicine etc.) are provided in detail.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nano and Biomaterials Lab (NBL), Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Asif Hanif & Shafaq Nisar

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore), Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Ghufrana Samin Khan

  3. Bioactive Molecules Research Lab (BMRL), Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Zahid Mushtaq

  4. Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan

    Muhammad Zubair

Authors
  1. Muhammad Asif Hanif
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  2. Shafaq Nisar
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  3. Ghufrana Samin Khan
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  4. Zahid Mushtaq
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  5. Muhammad Zubair
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Biological and Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil

    Sonia Malik

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Hanif, M.A., Nisar, S., Khan, G.S., Mushtaq, Z., Zubair, M. (2019). Essential Oils. In: Malik, S. (eds) Essential Oil Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16546-8_1

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