Potential of essential oils in control of pathogenic plant viruses

Abstract

Essential oils are complex mixtures of aromatic compounds produced through secondary metabolism in plants. They contain various substances such as hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, organic acids, and phenols. These oils have been used in medicine since ancient civilisations, including Egypt and China, as recorded in historical documents. Apart from their biological and ecological functions, essential oils also display antimicrobial, antiviral, and insecticidal properties. This paper focuses on the antiviral effects of essential oils. Plant viruses pose a significant threat to agricultural crops, as no effective treatments are currently available, leading to considerable economic losses. Numerous in vitro studies have shown that essential oils and their compounds from various medicinal and aromatic plants can act as powerful antiviral and virucidal agents. They work by inhibiting viral replication at different stages of the infection cycle in DNA and RNA viruses across different host cells. Essential oils are gaining attention as potential novel drugs with antimicrobial and antiviral properties. In plant protection, essential oils are recognised for their antiviral, antimycotic, and antiparasitic effects, and are considered promising for developing safe antimicrobial agents.