Essentials oils are a mixture of chemical compounds, which provide a plant’s smell and flavour. Plants that have essential oils are recognized as aromatic plants. The oils are comprised mainly of terpenes, alcohols, and phenols. In countries such as Brazil, the essential oils industry is very big. However, in México, it is a trade of which little is known.
In the Yucatán peninsula there is a diversity of aromatic plants that provide raw material for the extraction of essential oils. One example is the “momo” (Piper auritum Kunth). Momo is an herbaceous plant of the Piperaceas family. It reaches a height of 2 m. Momo is used in traditional medicine to alleviate abdominal pain, constipation, asthma, muscular inflammations, and more. The medicinal properties attributed to momo come from its essential oils.
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