Mustansiriyah Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences

Antioxidants in the volatile oils of medicinal plants

Radhiyah Ali Hasan Ahmad1 Suha Dhia Abid Ali Twaij2

Department of Biology / College of Education for Pure Sciences Ibn Al-Haitham

Keywords: Antioxidants, medicinal plants, volatile oils

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times in the treatment of diseases, and this is confirmed by scientists and sages, where herbal medicine is the oldest known method of medicine, and a number of countries still rely on plants to treat their diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out a large number of the world's population depends on the use of medicinal herbs as a primary medicine for the treatment of a number of diseases. The global census of medicinal plants is estimated at about 300,000 species, and only 2,500 plants are classified, as there are in some parts of medicinal plants more than 50 compounds and one of the most important effective compounds found in medicinal plants are volatile oils or aromatic oils.