(Linalool, elemol , geranyl acetate

antiviral activity enveloped viruses)

Essential oils, originating from medicinal plants are known for their antiviral properties and
have been used in the traditional medicine for many thousand years. Many studies report the
in vitro antiviral activity of essential oils and their components. Most of them are tested on
herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 and influenza virus and exhibit a high antiviral effect.

Most of the oils and compounds displayed strong antiviral effects against HSV-1, ranging
between 0.8 and 0.025 µg mL^-^1. However, the samples tested were less effective against PI-
3, with results ranging between 1.6 and 0.2 µg mL^-^1.. Most of the tested oils and compounds
exhibited good antibacterial and antifungal effects.

A number of studies has been done on the effect of essential oils on viruses, particularly on
herpes simplex virus (HSV). The potential antiviral effect against HSV of different essential oils,
e.g. anise oil, dwarf-pine oil, chamomile oil and tea tree oil (TTO), was determined by treatment
of HSV with the essential oils and by measuring the reduction in viral infectivity by plaque
reduction assay. These essential oils have been shown to be quite effective against HSV and to
reduce the infectivity by greater than 99%

essential oils of different aromatic plant origin have been tested against several other
enveloped viruses, e.g. influenza virus, Junin virus, yellow fever virus and human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), but only against a few non-enveloped viruses, e. g. adenovirus.
An antiviral activity of all essential oils tested could be demonstrated for enveloped viruses.

Essential oils isolated from different plant species contain lectins,

polypeptides, alkaloids, phenols, quinines, flavones, flavonoids, terpenoids,
tannins and coumarins and show activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses,
protozoans, helminthes and insects. Minor constituents or smaller molecules
having less than twenty carbon atoms constitute essential oils having a
chemical structure, C 10 H 16 and show a characteristic transparency due to
their volatility on contact with air. These phytochemicals, possess mixed
functional groups, are too complex in structure and act more efficiently even
against drug resistant microbes because of high volatility at a very low
temperature and quick spread in the environment and medium. Essential oils
are used for perfuming, flavoring, food preservation and also in
aromatherapy for treatment of cancer. These are also used as alternative
medicine, show very high lethality against pathogens and least residual
effect in the body.

The essential oils and their major monoterpene alcohols were tested against nine bacterial
strains using the disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The essential oils with high
phenolic contents were the most effective antimicrobials. The checkerboard method was used
to quantify the efficacy of paired combinations of essential oils and their major components.
The best synergetic effects among essential oils and major components were obtained with
combinations involving O. basilicum essential oil and eugenol, respectively. As phenolic
components are characterized by a strong spicy aroma, this study suggests that the selection of
certain combinations of EOs could help to reduce the amount of essential oils and consequently
reduce any adverse sensory impact in food.