Yvonne Holm

Comparison of hydrodistillation and supercritical fluid extraction for the determination of essential oils in aromatic plants

Abstract Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and hydrodistillation were compared as methods to extract essential oils from savory, peppermint and dragonhead. Despite the high solubilities of essential oil components in supercritical CO2, the extraction rates were relatively slow with pure CO2 (ca. 80% recovery after 90 min). However, a 15-min static extraction with methylene chloride as modifier followed by a 15-min dynamic extraction with pure CO2 yielded high recoveries which agreed well with the results Of hydrodistillation performed for 4 h. Spike recovery studies demonstrated that compounds as volatile as monoterpenes can be quantitatively ( > 90%) collected off-line from the SFE effluent. SFE recovered some organic compounds from each of the samples that were not extracted by hydrodistillation, most notably C27, C29, C31, and C33 n-alkanes.

Extraction of clove using pressurized hot water

Subcritical water extraction was used to extract eugenol and eugenyl acetate from clove at various temperatures and pressures where water was in either the liquid or gas (steam) phase. Several solid phase materials were tested in order to quantitatively and selectively collect the analytes after the water extraction. Quantitative collection of eugenol and eugenyl acetate could be achieved using a C18 solid phase trap. The extraction kinetics with subcritical water was very fast at high temperatures (250°C and 300°C), giving a 100% recovery after 15 min for eugenol and eugenyl acetate, compared to extraction at 125°C, where the same recovery was achieved only after 80 min extraction. In addition, both eugenol and eugenyl acetate proved to be stable at the highest extraction temperature (300°C) used in this study. Copyright

Variation in the essential oil composition of Artemisia annua L. of different origin cultivated in Finland

Seven batches of seeds of Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) of different origin were grown in Finland. The leaf essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in yields of 0.4–0.9% (v/w). About 30 compounds were identified and 19 key compounds, representing 87–96% of the total oil, are listed. There was a large variability in the essential oil composition in plants of different seed origin. Camphor, artemisia ketone, germacrene-D and β-caryophyllene were detected as the major compounds. One oil had an exceptionally high content of (+)-α-pinene. Cluster analysis grouped the oils according to their origin, which shows that the essential oil composition is under strict genetic control. During the growing period the essential oil content and the amounts of artemisia ketone and 1,8-cineole reached a maximum about 2 weeks before budding. Camphor reached its maximum 2–3 weeks earlier. The enantiomeric ratios of (−)-camphene/(+)-camphene and (−)-α-pinene/(+)-α-pinene were determined for the first time in an A. annua oil and studied during a growing period.

Basil: The Genus Ocimum

Covering all the research areas regarding Ocimum such as botany, chemistry and pharmacology, this book will be of interest to everybody involved in medicinal and aromatic plant research or related fields.

Growth, Yield and Essential Oil of Lovage Grown in Finland

ABSTRACT Lovage (Levisticum officinale Koch) was cultivated in Puumala, South Finland (61°40′N, 28°15′E) during the years 1984–1989. The plants over wintered well and produced fertile seeds each year with an average germination capacity of 68%. The plants reached a maximum height of 2–2.5 m in the second year. The root weight continued to increase as the plants grew older, until it reached a maximum of 1.1 kg/plant in the fifth year. In the second year 0.2–0.3 kg/m2 dry leaf and in the third year 0.5–0.6 kg/m2 dry root yield can be expected from the cultivations. The quantity of the essential oil obtained from the dry leaves varied between 0.16–0.31%, and its main components were α-terpinyl acetate (60%) and β-phellandrene (16–25%). The essential oil in the one-year-old roots was 0.17% and in the two-year-old roots 0.83–1.30%. The main component of the root oil was (Z)-ligustilide (37–62%). Leaf harvest during the vegetation period gave a lower oil content and also caused remarkable changes in the root oi...

Variation and inheritance of monoterpenes in Larix species

The terpene composition of the hydrodistilled leaf oil of Larix decidua Mill., L. sibirica Lebed., L. leptolepis (Sieb. et Zucc.) Gord., L. sibirica×leptolepis, L. leptolepis×sibirica, L. decidua×leptolepis, L. leptolepis×decidua, L. sibirica×decidua and L. laricina×decidua was examined by GC–MS using a β-cyclodextrin phase. Altogether 38 components were identified, which represented more than 95% of the total oil composition. The qualitative composition of the volatile oil was very similar in all the Larix species studied. The relative amounts of the monoterpene hydrocarbons varied considerably both within and between species. The major components of the Larix leaf oils studied were (−)- and (+)-α-pinene, (−)-β-pinene, myrcene and (+)-3-carene.

Enantiomeric composition of monoterpene hydrocarbons in n-hexane extracts of Angelica archangelica L. roots and seeds

Roots and seeds of Angelica archangelica L. were collected from different localities in western, eastern and northern Finnish Lapland. Two root samples and 33 seed samples were extracted with n-hexane and analysed by GC–MS using a chiral β-cyclodextrin phase. Major compounds in the root oils were (−)-α-pinene (19–42%) and (+)-sabinene (21–28%). One of the oils contained 22% (+)-3-carene but the other one had none at all. The seed oils were dominated by (−)-β-phellandrene (>60%). Other major compounds were (+)-sabinene, (+)-α-pinene, myrcene, (−)-α-phellandrene, (−)-α-pinene and (−)-limonene. Some statistically significant differences between seed samples from different localities could also be found.

The Effect of Some Agrotechnical Factors on the Herb Yield and Volatile Oil of Dragonhead

ABSTRACT The effects of different propagation methods, mulching and nitrogen fertilization on the herb yield and volatile oil content and composition of dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) were studied in order to find the optimal cultivation techniques for Finnish conditions. Transplants gave a higher herb yield than sown plants, and an oil richer in geranyl acetate. Mulching had no effect on the volatile oil content or composition. The herb yield was greater in 1987, because of a cold summer. Moderate nitrogen fertilization (<30 kg/ha) significantly increased the herb yield, and higher doses had no further effect.