Essential oil bearing plants from Kenya:

Abstract

Essential oils are aromatic volatiles that are recovered from different plant tissues using a variety of distillation and extraction technologies. Kenya, being a country with diverse plant genetic resources, is endowed with plant species containing essential oils, many of which have not been studied. A review of research on the chemical constituents and biological activities of Kenyan essential oil bearing plants is presented and shows that the use of these indigenous natural resources are under-recognized and underutilized. Potential applications in cosmetic, food, agricultural and pharmaceutical industry, among others, are discussed.