There are few studies that demonstrate the mechanisms
of action of volatile oils. In general, the complexity of the
chemical composition of most of the volatile oils gives them
low specificity (Bakkali et al. 2008), because biological activity
is not assigned to a single mechanism of action, since
the wide variety of chemical groups allows for multiple targets
in the cell (Burt 2004).
As in this study, others have shown that essential oils can
be efficient insecticides for pest control in stored grain.