Chemical and biological importance of Eucalyptus volatile oils

Abstract

Given their chemical, biological and pharmacological potential, volatile oils or essential oils are natural products of great scientific and economic interest. Eucalyptus is one of the main genera of the Myrtaceae family, being recognized for the volatile oils produced by its species, to which various biological activities are attributed, especially the insecticide and repellent activities, proven in numerous scientific studies. However, with regard to volatile Eucalyptus oils, there is still much to be explored, since among the more than 800 species of this genus, only about 300 species have been evaluated regarding the production and content of these substances. Given this context, the objective of this review article is to discuss and highlight the chemical and biological importance of volatile oils obtained from species of the genus Eucalyptus, especially in insect control.