Essential Oils 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Essential oils are concentrated natural products with strong smells produced by aromatic plants as variable mixtures of primarly terpenoids, especially monoterpenes (C₁₀) and sesquiterpenes (C₁₅). They are liquid, volatile, limpid and coloured and are soluble in lipids and organic solvents; and can be present in all plant organs, including buds, flowers, leaves, seeds, twigs, stems, flowers, fruits, roots, wood or bark. Essential oils, which are obtained through mechanical pressing or distillation, are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural smell and flavor of their source. The chemical composition of an essential oil may vary within the same plant species, or from plant to plant: specifically, its components can vary extensively, on the basis on genetic factors, geographical origins, environmental conditions of the cultivation locations, nutritional status, the extracted plant parts (stem, leaf, and flower), and the extraction methods.

Since ancient times, plant essential oils have been used in folk medicine and often represent an important part of the traditional pharmacopoeia: they have a long history of use, in folk medicine, and as antimicrobial agents. Besides their antimicrobial activity, they exhibit various biological activities including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, spasmolytic, sedative, cancer suppressive, insecticidal, insect repellent, etc.

In nature, essential oils play an important role in the protection of plants but their mechanism of action are not so clear.

This Special Issue aims to bring together these plant derivatives and is soliciting manuscripts pertaining to original research, mini and full reviews, and short communications, as well as perspectives, which address any aspect of essential oils from plants. Submissions are invited that include, but are not limited to the following:

• The biosynthesis of essential oils in the plant
• The role of essential oils in the plant
• The essential oil mechanism of action
• The biological activity in vitro and in vivo

Dr. Laura De Martino
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.