Abstract
Given the limited therapeutic management of infectious diseases caused by viruses, such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2, the medicinal use of essential oils obtained from Eucalyptus trees has emerged as an antiviral alternative, either as a complement to the treatment of symptoms caused by infection or to exert effects on possible pharmacological targets of viruses. This review gathers and discusses the main findings on the emerging role and effectiveness of Eucalyptus essential oil as an antiviral agent. Studies have shown that Eucalyptus essential oil and its major monoterpenes have enormous potential for preventing and treating infectious diseases caused by viruses. The main molecular mechanisms involved in the antiviral activity are direct inactivation, that is, by the direct binding of monoterpenes with free viruses, particularly with viral proteins involved in the entry and penetration of the host cell, thus avoiding viral infection. Furthermore, this review addresses the coadministration of essential oil and available vaccines to increase protection against different viruses, in addition to the use of essential oil as a complementary treatment of symptoms caused by viruses, where Eucalyptus essential oil exerts anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, and spasmolytic effects in the attenuation of inflammatory responses caused by viruses, in particular respiratory diseases.
Highlights
IntroductionEucalyptus is a genus of trees belonging to the Myrtaceae family native to Australia and Tasmania that includes 900 species and subspecies cultivated in different areas of the world with subtropical and Mediterranean climates [1,2,3,4]
Eucalyptus essential oil is generally obtained from steam distillation or hydrodistillation of leaves and less frequently from fruits, flowers, and stems [18,19]
Eucalyptus oil for for medicinal purposes is commonly extracted from the leaves of E. polybractea, E. smithii, medicinal purposes is commonly extracted from the leaves of E. polybractea, E. smithii, or or E. globulus because the content of the main bioactive monoterpene, 1,8-cineole (eucaE. globulus because the content of the main bioactive monoterpene, 1,8-cineole, lyptol), in these species is greater than 70% (v/v) of the total oil
Summary
Eucalyptus is a genus of trees belonging to the Myrtaceae family native to Australia and Tasmania that includes 900 species and subspecies cultivated in different areas of the world with subtropical and Mediterranean climates [1,2,3,4]. Various species of Eucalyptus are recognized for their high biomass production, rapid growth rate, good adaptation to various environmental conditions, and excellent wood quality to produce paper and derived products [5,6,7,8]. Some species of the genus (e.g., E. polybractea, E. smithii, and E. globulus) have received particular attention as sources of essential oils for use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products [1,9,10]
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