PHENOLIC VOLATILE OILS

Phenols present in volatile oils are of two types.

1. These which are present naturally.

2. These produced as a result of destructive distillation of certain plant product

Important phenols present in volatile oils are eugenol, thymol and carvacrol.

“CLOVE”

B.O Eugenia caryophyllus.

Family Myrtaceae.

P.U Dried flowering buds/ unopened flowers.

Habitat:

It is indigenous to Molucca.

Constituents:

About 14-21% of volatile oils comprises of Eugenol, acetyleugenol.

Sesquiterpenes (a- and b-caryophyllenes), gallotannic acid, vanillin and Ca- oxalate etc.

Uses:

Clove is used as stimulant, aromatic carminative and as a condiment. It is the most stimulating and carminative among all the aromatics.

It is used for the emesis, nausea in the form of infusion or powder.

Oil of clove is powerful irritant and antiseptic. It is also used as local anesthetic and often being applied for decaying teeth and has been used with success for bronchial asthma.

“THYME”

B.O Thymus vulgaris.

Family Labiatae.

P.U Dried leaves and flowering tops.

Constituents:

It contains thymol, carvacrol, cymene, thymene and d-pinene.

Uses:

It is used as antispasmodic, carminative, stimulant, and condiment in flavouring of meat and fish dishes.