Essential oils (EOs), which mainly consist of volatile organic compounds, have been an integral part of human civilization for thousands of years. Their applications are highly diverse and range from fragrances in perfumes and cosmetics to natural constituents of a healthy diet and use as active ingredients in medicinal products. The antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties of essential oils render them valuable for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Essential oils are natural complex substances consisting of hundreds of individual compounds. This intricate composition, also referred to as ´natural complex substances´ (NCS), gives each EO its unique properties. The use of EOs as NCS is widespread in practice, e.g. in aromatherapy for the treatment of psychosomatic problems, inhalation for respiratory diseases and topical application for skin diseases. EOs are expected to play an increasingly important role in both human and veterinary medicine in the future. The different functionalities of individual constituents of EOs contribute to their wide range of physical and chemical properties. This diversity allows them to act on multiple targets, offering a wide range of therapeutic benefits compared to single, isolated compounds. This book provides a compact and comprehensive overview of essential oils, their analytical and Galenic characteristics, their use in human and veterinary medicine, and their diverse applications in the cosmetics and food industries.
