Lipids and Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents

Book excerpt: Lipids and essential oils have strong antimicrobial properties — they kill or inhibit the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses. They are being studied for use in the prevention and treatment of infections, as potential disinfectants, and for their preservative and antimicrobial properties when formulated as pharmaceuticals, in food products, and in cosmetics. Lipids and Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents is a comprehensive review of the scientific knowledge in this field. International experts provide summaries on: the chemical and biological properties of lipids and essential oils use of lipids and essential oils in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and health foods antimicrobial effects of lipids in vivo and in vitro antimicrobial lipids in milk antimicrobial lipids of the skin antibacterial lipids as sanitizers and disinfectants antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities of essential oils antimicrobial lipids in milk antimicrobial lipids of the skin antibacterial lipids as sanitizers and disinfectants antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities of essential oils Lipids and Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents is an essential guide to this important topic for researchers and advanced students in academia and research working in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sciences, biochemistry and natural products chemistry, microbiology; and for health care scientists and professionals working in the fields of public health and infectious diseases. It will also be of interest to anyone concerned about health issues and particularly to those who are conscious of the benefits of health food and natural products.