Asia and Australia: Essentially a well oiled connection

Abstract

Due to their biogeographic isolation the Australian flora have evolved in many distinctive and often unique ways to elaborate a vast repository of aromatic secondary metabolites often extractable as essential oils. These are particularly associated with myrtaceous species many of which were not found elsewhere in the world prior to British colonisation of the Australian landmass. During the past two hundred years, however, a remarkable and mutual exchange of key essential oil producing species between Asia and Australia driven largely but not solely by economic criteria has resulted in increased production of essential oils of trade and commerce but has also resulted in ecological problems. Meanwhile recent research has revived interest in the medical and paramedical use of essential oils from plants endemic to both Asia and Australia. In this chapter we examine bioactivities associated with essential oils isolated from key plant species of established economic and commercial importance in Asia and Australia.