ABSTRACT

Some plants, belonging mainly to Apiaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Illiaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Piperaceae and Rutaceae families, produce Essential Oils (EO) constituted by prop-1(2)-enylbenzene derivatives. These derivatives have been traditionally used by the communities in different countries as a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of diseases/ailments. The monitoring of the scientific activity related to the antimicrobial properties of essential oils was performed through a bibliometric analysis of science articles indexed in the Scopus database. Aerial parts (leaves/seeds/buds) of the species (Pimenta spp., Syzygium spp.) belonging to Myrtaceae are used in herbal medicine to treat respiratory diseases and as a pain reliever (toothache). These plants have stimulant, febrifuge, anesthesic, carminative, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiarrhoeic actions. The nanotechnology field that uses to EO has become an emerging area of knowledge in the last six years. Consequently is expected that in the future the strengthening (background/basing) of this technology will be successful in boosting its exploitation in all areas of knowledge.