A. A. Naqvi

Characteristics of menthol mint Mentha arvensis cultivated on industrial scale in the Indo-Gangetic plains

Abstract Mentha arvensis L. (menthol mint) oil is the source of commercial natural menthol. This industrial crop is now cultivated in about 0.145 million ha in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and several other states encompassing Indo-Gangetic plains. Considerable variation has been reported in the yield and quality of oil obtained from the crops of menthol mint varieties Himalaya and Kosi taken in the area. A follow up study was made to ascertain the cause(s) of such variation in many villages of selected districts of UP. The soils sampled from the fields were studied for variability in reaction, salinity, organic carbon content, the contents of the major nutrients nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium and micro-nutrients manganese, iron, copper and zinc and crops of mint on the concerned fields were characterized for the herb, essential oil and menthol yields. The observations made in 69 farmers’ fields have indicated variation in soil characteristics, as well as herb, essential oil and menthol yields from the crops taken on them. However, herbs harvested from different fields did not differ much in their oil content. Imbalance in N, P and K supplements to the field was observed; it seemed to arise from unnecessary emphasis on urea application without concomitant K and P supplementation. The fields were particularly deficient in Mn among the micronutrients. There was need for heavier application of K, Cu, Zn, and Mn together with sufficient amount of N and P to obtain better oil yields. To increase oil yield was inferred as the best means to increase menthol production from the fields of Indo-Gangetic plains.

Composition of essential oil from an annual crop of Hyssopus officinalis grown in indian plains

The plants of Hyssopus officinalis ssp. officinalis genotype raised through seeds sown in early December 1997 flowered in May 1998. The essential oil yields obtained upon hydrodistillation of above ground parts, harvested in May, were 0.25% on fresh herbage weight basis and 1.18% on dry herbage weight basis. The GC and GC–MS analysis of the essential oil led to the identification of 21 compounds representing 95.6% of the oil, having seven monoterpene hydrocarbons (32.3%), five oxygenated monoterpenes (60.5%) one phenol (0.2%) and six sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (0.35%). The major constituents of the camphorous odoured oil were pinocamphone (49.1%) >β-pinene (18.4%) >isopinocamphone (9.7%). Copyright

Essential Oil Composition of Artemisia vulgaris Harvested at Different Growth Periods Under Indo-Gangetic Plain Conditions

Abstract Artemisia vulgaris was cultivated under subtropical Indo-gangetic plain conditions to determine the differences in the chemical composition of its essential oil produced from plants harvested at different growth periods using a combination of GC and GC/MS. The oil yield ranged from 0.1–0.5%. The leaf oil was found to be rich in 1,8-cineole (2.2–12.2%), α-thujone (0–11.4%), camphor (15.7–23.1%) and isoborneol (9.3–20.9%). The fruit oil contained α-thujone (15.5–16.0%) and artemisia alcohol (16.3–17.7%) as major components, while camphor (38.7%) predominated in the flower oil.

Variations in Essential Oil Constituents at Different Growth Stages of Ruta chalepensis on Cultivation at North Indian Plains

Abstract Aerial parts of Ruta chalepensis L. plant grown under North Indian plain conditions were hydrodistilled to obtain essential oils from plants harvested at different stages of growth and were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Nineteen compounds were identified representing 85.4–93.3% of the oil. 2-Undecanone (41.3–67.8%) was found to be the major compound followed by 2-nonanone (5.2–33.6%), 2-nonyl acetate (2.8–15.3%) and 2-dodecanone(<0.1–11.6%).

Essential Oil Constituents of Artemisia annua During Different Growth Periods at Monsoon Conditions of Subtropical North Indian Plains

Abstract Artemisia annua plants have so far been cultivated in the subtropical north Indian plains as a winter season crop. In the present experiment, the growth period of the plants was rescheduled so that they matured during the monsoon season. The oil obtained by steam distillation at different stages of growth was analyzed by GC and GC/MS to determine the difference in quality and quantity of the oil produced from different plant parts. Twenty-four compounds were identified. Significant changes in the chemical profile were observed due to the change in growing season. Camphor (10.5–44.4%) was found to be the major constituent of oil instead of the usually dominant artemisia ketone.

Composition of linalool rich essential oil from Lippia alba grown in Indian plains

A field crop of Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Br. LAC-2 genotype was raised through stem cuttings at Lucknow. The essential oil yields obtained upon hydrodistillation of leaves harvested between May 1998 and May 1999 varied from 0.6% to 0.8% on fresh weight basis. The GC and GC/MS analyses of the essential oils led to the identification of 15 compounds totalling 85% of the oil: the identified compounds included 4 monoterpene hydrocarbons (2%), 8 oxygenated monoterpenes (82%) and 3 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (1%). The major constituent of the oil was linalool (65%). Copyright

Analysis of some tropane alkaloids in plants by mixed-column high-performance liquid chromatography a☆

Abstract A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of atropine and scopolamine in plants using the combination of two different polarity columns in series and direct injection of plant extract is described. Application of the method to the analysis of two species of solanaceous plants is reported.

Effect of Altitude on the Essential Oil Constituents of Artemisia roxburghiana Besser var. purpurascens (Jacq.) Hook.

Abstract Mature vegetative plants of Artemisia roxburghiana Besser var. purpurascens (Jacq.) Hook were collected from Mussoorie (2205 m), Bhatwari (1218 m) and Bhaldana (850 m) from Garhwal Himalayas and their essential oils were isolated and subjected to GC and GC/MS analysis. The oil yield was lowest (0.2%) in the plants collected from the relatively higher altitude of Mussoorie; it was rich in borneol (21.2%) followed by linalyl acetate (7.4%) and α- humulene (6.7%). The oils from plants collected from the lower altitudes of Bhatwari and Bhaldana yielded higher percentage of oils (0.8–0.85%) which were dominated by β-caryophyllene (16.3%, 18.4%) followed by α-thujone (12.0%) in the former and eugenol (16.2%) in the later.

The Effect of Kinetin on Flower and Oil Production in Rosa damascena

ABSTRACT In field trials over years on Rosa damascena Mill, foliar application of kinetin (20 mg/L) significantly increased number of flowers per plant, flower and oil yield. However, effect of kinetin on flower weight was not significant, while on oil content it was significant during 1991 but not in 1992. The effect of kinetin on flower and oil yield was more pronounced during “off season. Kinetin application also increased citronellol + geranyl acetate level in the oil by 13% and 24% over control by 20 mg/L concentration application in both the years respectively.

Variation in Quality of Essential Oil Distilled from Vegetative and Reproductive Stages of Tagetes minuta Crop Grown in North Indian Plains

Abstract The essential oil yield and quality of Tagetes minuta was field tested in north Indian plain conditions of Lucknow, India in winter (rabi) season of November 1997 to April 1998. The shoot oil distilled from the crop of Banuri land race at full flowering stage was rich in dihydrotagetone (32.0%), (Z)-tagetone (16.7%) and (Z)-β-ocimene (133%). In comparison to the oils distilled from flower bearing plants, the oil from plants at vegetative stage(s) of growth contained (E)- and (Z)-tagetenones and (E)- and (Z)-tagetones at higher levels (27.1% and 31.2%, respectively) and dihydrotagetone and (Z)-β-ocimene at lower levels (13.6% and 6.1%, respectively). The oils obtained from the leaves of plants bearing flowers (capitula) at different stages of development were pre-eminent in dihydrotagetone, present in 50-60% concentration. The capitula oils were somewhat similar to leaf oils of reproductively mature plants in their monoterpenoid composition.