Kamatou, Guy P.P.Viljoen, Alvaro M.2024-11-212024-11-212008-05-311934-578X (P)1555-9475 (E)https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14519/1086Since the earliest times fragrant materials have been used in rituals. Today, a lucrative industry has developed to produce and deliver fragrances and aromatic chemicals with various applications in modern society. Linalool, a much sought after compound in the flavor and fragrance industry is a monoterpene alcohol which occurs naturally in many aromatic plants. Linalool and linalool-rich essential oils are known to exhibit various biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant properties and several in vivo studies have confirmed various effects of linalool on the central nervous system. The applications of linalool are not confined to simply adding or enhancing a specific scent to domestic products such as soaps, detergents and shampoos. Linalool also plays an import role in nature as a key compound in the complex pollination biology of various plant species to ensure reproduction and survival. Linalool is also a key compound for the industrial production of a variety of fragrance chemicals such as geraniol, nerol, citral and its derivatives, as well as a lead compound in the synthesis of vitamins A and E. The repellent properties of linalool on various crop-destroying insects has been well documented accentuating the application of this molecule in eco-friendly pest management. This review aims to highlight the various biological properties of linalool and to emphasize the value of linalool and linalool-rich essential oils in phytotherapy.enAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/LinaloolEssential oilsAromatic plantsBiological activitiesArticle