Essential Oil-Bearing Plant Species of the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil: Chemical Composition and Biological Activities

Abstract

This chapter discusses on the search for active substances, originating from essential oil plant species occurring in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil. Despite its diminished state, the Atlantic Forest still ranks as a global conservation priority. Although it is just a small fraction of the size of the great Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic Forest still harbors a wide range of biological diversity similar to that of the Amazon. In this biome, around 20,000 species of plants, representing 8% of the Earth’s plants can be found. Some of these plants exhibit numerous therapeutical properties that are mainly attributed to their phytochemicals. Moreover, the essential oils extracted from plants constitute a diverse array of phytocompounds with biological significance. In this context, this chapter describes different plant species, their essential oil chemical composition, and their potential uses and pharmacological applications.