Review Article
Essential Oils and Their Constituents as Anticancer Agents: A Mechanistic View
Table 1
Chemical classification, general formula, and structure of EO constituents with examples.
| Component | General formula | General structure | Example |
| Terpene hydrocarbons |
Monoterpene | C10H16 | | Limonene, -Pinene, -Myrcene |
Sesquiterpenes | C15H24 | | Caryophyllene, Humulene, -Farnesene |
Diterpene | C20H32 | | Cembrene C, Kaurene, Camphorene |
| Oxygenated terpenes |
Oxygenated monoterpene | C10H16O | | Camphor, Carveol, Limonene oxide |
Oxygenated Sesquiterpenes | C15H24O | | Caryophyllene oxide, Humulene epoxide, α-Bisabolene oxide |
| Other oxygenated compounds |
Phenols | RC6H5OH | | Catechol, Eugenol |
Simple alcohols | R-OH | R-OH | Isopropyl alcohol, Butyl alcohol |
Monoterpene alcohols | C10H17OH | | Geraniol, Nerol, Eucalyptol |
Sesquiterpenes alcohols | C15H25OH | | Farnesol, Nerolidol |
Ketones | RC(=O)R′ | | Acetophenone, Benzophenone |
Esters | RCO2R′ | | Bornyl acetate, Ethyl acetate |
Lactones and coumarins | C3H6O3 (Lactones) | | Vernolide, Helenin | C9H6O2 (Coumarins) | | Fumarin, Benzofuran |
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