Introduction: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest in substances of plant origin that could act as potential therapeutics for prevention as well as for the treatment of many diseases, including infections. As an example, you can give compounds called terpenes, as well as their derivatives, which are components of essential oils. The research showed that they show not only antibacterial and antiviral activity, but also antifungal and antineoplastic.
This article is devoted to a literature review which describes the pharmacological and biological properties of geraniol as a compound that could be used in both prophylaxis and treatment of infectious diseases.
Research (both in vitro and in vivo) using geraniol confirmed its efficacy against cancer of the intestine, prostate, liver, kidneys and skin. This action is related to the fact that this compound can induce apoptose as well as increase the expression of proapoptotic proteins. In literature reports, one can also find information that geraniol has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial effects – mainly in diseases related to the digestive and respiratory system. The paper discusses the most important medical applications of geraniol.
The results of previous studies justify the need for further work leading to the use of geraniol on a much wider scale both in prevention and treatment.