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Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Essential (Volatile) Oils

  • Chapter
Essential Oils and Waxes

Part of the book series: Modern Methods of Plant Analysis ((MOLMETHPLANT,volume 12))

Abstract

Higher plants have been exploited as a source of biologically active compounds since antiquity. In particular, the ability to inhibit the growth of spoilage and food poisoning bacteria, human and animal pathogens and a number of filamentous fungi has been of immense importance to man over the centuries (Zaika 1989; Deans and Svoboda 1990a; Deans et al. 1990). It is worth noting that even with today’s battery of synthetic and semi-synthetic antibiotics, over 25% of pharmaceutical preparations in the West contain at least one component originating from plant sources: in the East this percentage is far higher. That some of these plant antimicrobials also possess antioxidant properties is a welcome bonus in the quest to preserve the food reserves of the world.

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Authors
  1. S. G. Deans
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Goldberglein 7, W-8520, Erlangen, Germany

    Hans Ferdinand Linskens

  2. Department of Viticulture, Enology and Horticulture Waite Agricultural Research Institute, University of Adelaide, 5064, Glen Osmond, S.A., Australia

    John F. Jackson

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Deans, S.G. (1991). Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Essential (Volatile) Oils. In: Linskens, H.F., Jackson, J.F. (eds) Essential Oils and Waxes. Modern Methods of Plant Analysis, vol 12. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84023-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84023-4_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-84025-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-84023-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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