Chemical Analysis and Biological Activities of Plant Essential Oils

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical characterization strategies for essential oils from plants, and their analysis through several in vitro or in vivo biological assays represent a burgeoning field with wide-ranging implications across various sectors. Essential oils, composed of a myriad of volatile compounds derived mainly from mixtures of terpenes (mono- and sesquiterpenes essentially), offer diverse biological activities that make them valuable in numerous applications. In nature, essential oils serve a crucial function in plant protection, although their precise mechanisms of action remain elusive. It is also well known that their chemical composition can exhibit significant variation, even within the same plant species or among different plants. This variation stems from factors such as genetic diversity, geographical location, environmental conditions, nutritional status, the specific plant parts used (such as stems, leaves or flowers) and the extraction methods employed. From antimicrobial and antioxidant properties to their potential in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agriculture, essential oils hold promises for innovative solutions. Furthermore, advancements in analytical techniques have enabled a deeper understanding of essential oil composition and their effects on biological systems. As we continue to uncover new compounds and assess their activities, the potential applications of essential oils are ever-expanding.

This Special Issue endeavors to gather insights into these plant derivatives and welcomes submissions of original research, mini and full reviews, short communications and perspectives covering various aspects of essential oils from plants. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, topics such as the biosynthesis of essential oils in plants, the role of essential oils within the plant, their mechanisms of action, the chemical composition of essential oils and their biological activities both in vitro and in vivo.

Dr. Luis Cartuche
Dr. Vladimir Morocho
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Plants 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.

• essential oils
• chemical characterization
• enantiomeric distribution
• terpenoids
• gas chromatography
• ecological role of essential oils
• chemical variability
• biological activities in vitro and in vivo
• antimicrobials
• anti-infectious
• antioxidant
• enzyme inhibitors