Essential oils, chemical composition, and biological activities of Eucalyptus oleosa F. Muell. : A review

Abstract

Many Eucalyptus species are growing in the border of oasis areas. Eucalyptus sp. are generally known for their richness in essential oils and their virtues and economic interests. However, the great taxonomic diversity affects the quantity and quality of these oils. This study is designed to summarize the chemical composition of Eucalyptus oleosa and their biological activities. The yield of essential oils in the leaves of this species varies from 0.45% to 6.7%. These oils contain many chemical compounds of which 1,8-cineole is the main component (15.31% – 89.4%) followed by α-pinene (1%– 24.7%).  Eucalyptus oleosa essential oils exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-fungal and insecticidal activities with high variability. This variability is associated to many factors such as subspecific diversity, geographical location, part of plant and essential oil’s extraction method.