Terpenes, secondary metabolites, are considered by scientists around
the World. Multidirectional biological activities of these substances encourage
researchers to their detail analysis towards numerous diseases
such as neurodegenerative or metabolic. In the presented paper, authors
have focused on Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes as potential direction
of terpenes’ activity. According to available literature, terpenes exhibit
satisfactory antioxidant activity and ability to inhibition AChE, BuChE
(Alzhiemer’s disease) and α-amylase, α-glucosidase (diabetes). Basis of
the presented research are both essential oils obtained from plants such
as salvia, rosemary, basil and lemon balm being one of the main source
of natural terpenes, and single compounds. Special attention is paid
to monoterpenes as the main components of numerous essential oils. Among terpenes presented in the paper, activity of ocimene, carvone,
pulegone, α-phellandrene exhibiting activity towards both free radical
scavenging as well as AChE and BuChE inhibition, and α-pinene, citral,
limonene that revealing inhibitory activity towards α-amylase and
α-glucosidase should be emphasized.