Essential Oils as Multifunctional Natural Products: Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory, Antitumor and Technological Applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14295/cerrado.v4i1.890Keywords:
phytochemistry, natural products, bioactive compounds, nanoencapsulation, biodiversity, sustainable biotechnologyAbstract
Essential oils have attracted increasing scientific interest due to their diverse biological activities and expanding technological applications. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence regarding the phytochemical composition, biological properties, and technological potential of plant-derived essential oils. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included studies retrieved from the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Publications published between 1995 and 2026 were screened according to predefined eligibility criteria, resulting in the inclusion of 55 studies. Antimicrobial activity was the most frequently reported application (69.1%), followed by antioxidant (56.4%), anti-inflammatory (32.7%), antitumor (29.1%), and nanotechnology-related applications (25.5%). The observed biological effects were mainly associated with compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, linalool, limonene, and β-caryophyllene. Advances in nanoencapsulation technologies have improved the stability, bioavailability, and efficacy of essential oils, expanding their applicability in pharmaceutical, agricultural, food, cosmetic, and biotechnological sectors. Despite these promising findings, challenges related to phytochemical variability, methodological heterogeneity, limited toxicological and pharmacokinetic data, and scarce clinical evidence remain. Overall, essential oils represent promising multifunctional bioactive resources; however, further standardization, safety assessment, and clinical validation are required to support their practical and commercial implementation.
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