ALCOHOLIC VOLATILE OILS

Alcohols found in volatile oil may be classified into three groups.

1. Acyclic Alcohols:

Methyl, ethyl, isobutyl, isoamyl, hexyl and higher aliphatic alcohols are present in volatile oils but they are washed away during the process of steam distillation as they are soluble in water. However any volatile oils contain acyclic alcohols of terpene nature such as geraniol, linalol, litronellol etc.


2. Monocyclic alcohols:

Among the monocyclic alcohols, the important ones are a-terpenol, menthol.


3. Bicyclic alcohols:

Borneol is bicyclic terpene alcohol from borneo camphor.

4. Sesquiterpene alcohols:

This group includes zingiberol.

“PEPPERMINT”

Syn Lambmint, America mint.

B.O Mentha piperita

Family Labiatae.

P.U Dried leaves and flowering tops.

Habitat:

This plant is found through out the country along the stream banks and wasteland areas. It is cultivated in some parts of America and Europe.

Constituents:

About 1% of L volatile oil containing 78% of free menthol and up to 20% of menthol combined as ester, resin, and tannin and with acetic acid.

Uses:

Carminative, stimulant, and as flavoring agent.

From its carminative and stimulant properties, it is valuable in certain forms of dyspepsia and is also used in flatulence and colic.

Peppermint water and spirit of peppermint are official preparation of B.P. Oil of peppermint is a powerful antiseptic and has local anaesthetic action. These properties make it valuable in the relief of toothache and in the treatment of cavities in the teeth.

“CARDAMOM”

B.O Elettaria cardamomum.

Family Zingiberaceae.

P.U Dried ripened seeds recently removed from capsule. The dried and rip fruit or capsule is used to avoid loss of volatile components from seeds.

Habitat:

In mountainous distances of India. It is cultivated in Ceylon and near Malabar Coast of India and also cultivated in Guatemala.

Production and commerce:

The plants are propagated by division of rhizomes or by seeds, planted in nursery beds. Seedlings are then transported in the shade of trees nearly 7 ft. apart. They begin to bear fruit in their third year.

Fruits are gathered before maturity when they start to turn to yellow. Either the entire raceme is cut as in Syria or only the ripen fruit may be cut off with scissors from the stalk as in Ceylon, dried by the sun or the fruits are stripped off and are dried on mats, in several days by aid of gentle fire, heat, cleaned with the help of machines to remove calyx and pedicle. Then graded by sieve, bleached by exposure to dew and sunlight, or imposing to SO2 and steam. Finally dried in the sun. Drug is marketed both as capsules and as seeds.

Several varieties of capsules, which are classified into groups, based on their size and commercial source.

Based on there size, there are three types.

1. Short, length is 12mm, and is 6mm broad.

2. Short long, L= 18mm, W=6mm.

3. Long, L=30mm, W=4mm.

According to commercial varieties seeds are named as.

1. Mysore/Ceylon Mysore Variety: Have cream or pale colour nearly smooth surface.

2. Malabar/Ceylon Malabar Variety: is usually smaller and have a rather darker and less smooth pericarp.

3. Mangalore: resemble Malabar, but are usually more globular and have globular and have a rough pericarp.

4. Alleppy: Fruits are narrower than other varieties, vary in colour from greenish-buff to green. These are considered best for the process of distillation.

Constituents:

3-3.5% of volatile oil called cardamom oil containing terpinol, terpinyl acetate, borneol, fixed oil, proteins and ca-oxalate.

Uses:

Used as carminative, aromatic, condiment, and flavoring agent and for flatulence and indigestion.

“CORIANDER”

B.O Coriandrum sativum

Family Umbelliferae.

P.U Dried ripe fruit.

Habitat Cultivated in central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region, Pakistan and India.

Constituents:

It contains 1.8% of volatile oil containing coriander and d-pinene, fixed oil and Ca-oxalate.

Uses:

Flavoring agent, condiment, carminative, Aromatic stimulant.