12/18/2023 0 Comments Menthol leavesThe diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are a great concern all over the world. The structure of Gram-positive bacteria facilitates the penetration of hydrophobic molecules into the cell and acts on the bacterial wall, cytoplasmic membrane or cytoplasm. In general, Gram-positive bacteria are more susceptible to the effects of EOs than Gram-negative bacteria, due to significant structural differences in the cell wall of these two groups of bacteria. Generally, antimicrobial activity is derived not only from a single mechanism of action but also from a cascade of reactions that involve the entire bacterial cell because EOs have several chemical structures in their composition and, consequently, several functional groups. The mechanisms by which different EOs are capable of damaging bacteria depend on their composition. Several EOs extracted from plants contain compounds that are responsible for their antimicrobial effects. The non-volatile fraction consists of many classes of substances such as high molecular weight hydrocarbons, fatty acids, steroids, carotenoids, waxes, coumarins, psoralenes and flavonoids. The separation process of terpenes, as well as improving the stability of the essence, allows to concentrate the oxygenate fraction that it brings a superior contribution to perfume and aroma. The oxygenated fraction gives the characteristic flavour to the essences, while terpenes and sesquiterpenes perform a support function. Hydrocarbon compounds and oxygenated compounds prevail in the volatile fraction of EOs. They are a complex of natural mixtures of lipophilic substances and consist of two fractions: volatile (from 85 to 99%) and non-volatile, the second one being a heavier fraction than the first one (from 1 to 15%). The EOs are about 3000, 300 of which are used for pharmaceutical, agronomic, food, sanitary, cosmetic and perfusion purposes. The essential oils are produced by different plant parts (flowers, buds, seeds, leaves, twigs, bark, herbs, wood, fruits and roots) as secondary metabolites. The essential oils (EOs) are a group of several natural chemicals that are characterised by their volatility and aroma.
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