Pharmacology of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Food, Therapy, and Disease Prophylaxis

October 2021 in “ Frontiers in Pharmacology ”

Nicholas J. Sadgrove, Guillermo F. Padilla-González, Olga Leuner, Ingrid Melnikovová, Eloy Fernández Cusimamani

essential oils natural volatiles anti-inflammatory antioxidant keratinocyte migration hair follicle bulb stem cells wound healing pharmacokinetics absorption distribution metabolism excretion

Studysummary This commentary discusses the potential of natural volatiles in medical aromatherapy, highlighting their ability to synergize with other drugs and modulate biological processes, but reports no new results. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document "Pharmacology of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Food, Therapy, and Disease Prophylaxis" discusses the therapeutic potential of natural volatiles and essential oils. These substances, found in various plants, possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, and can be used in food preservation, therapy, and disease prevention. They can penetrate the skin effectively and have potential therapeutic outcomes ranging from anti-inflammatory effects to insulin sensitisation, dermal rejuvenation, keratinocyte migration, upregulation of hair follicle bulb stem cells, and complementation of anti-cancer therapies. The document also discusses the pharmacokinetics of these substances, including their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Essential oils and volatile organic compounds often act as potentiators in combination with pharmaceuticals, enhancing their effects. They can also promote wound healing and upregulate hair follicle stem cells, which has implications for hair health. The document concludes that while these substances have significant potential, more research is needed to fully understand their mechanisms of action and potential side effects.

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