Antioxidant properties of essential oils - Possible explanations for theiranti-inflammatory effects

Pathogenesis and symptoms of inflammatory processes are accompanied and/or initiated by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The effects o f essential oils on these processes have been studied with the aid of bioch emical model reactions simulating these pathological events. It can be show n that Myrtol Standardized and Eucalyptus oil ameliorate inflammatory proce sses by interacting with aggressive oxygen radicals of the OH.-type and int erfere with leukocyte activation. These activities partially allow attenuat ion of oxidative attack and damage introduced by infections or environmenta l impacts.