How is essential oil extracted from plant

Competing interests The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Oils are extracted from the leaves, petals, stems, seeds, and even the roots of the plants. Aromatic plants generally contain volatile oil in all their proportions in different concentrations.

The rose, for example, predominantly secretes etheric oil at the level of flowers, while ginger produces more aromatic oil in the rhizome.

Each the volatile oil is unique, being different even within the same plant, and has wonderful applications and as varied as Nature itself. The complex combination of organic substances that form a volatile oil gives its specific note, which depends on the species, the harvest period, the climate, as well as the part of the plant from which it is extracted.

Numerous compounds that make up essential oils have been identified. Only the mint oil has no more than different components. Many the compounds are structural isomers 1. Among these active principles of plants, substances such as cineol, fenchone, limonene, menthol, mentone, pinene, sabinen are found, some of which are present in infinitesimal quantities, making it virtually impossible to reproduce synthetically the laboratory composition of herbal aromatic oils 2.

Nature is undoubtedly the greatest chemist, for the aromatic essences of plants in the entire known flora could not be synthesized in the thousands of years of joint efforts of all chemists in the world. Essential oils are aromatic substances present in the specialized cells or glands of certain plants used by them to protect themselves from predators and pests, but also to attract polinators. In other words, essential oils are part of the immune system of the plant.

The famous alchemist, physician, physicist, astrologer, theologian and philosopher of Switzerland, Paracelsus, called distilled oils from herbs—quinta essentia—the quintessence of the plant, and hence the name of essential oils 2.

Essential oils are highly concentrated volatile substances extracted from various parts of certain plant species, each with specific therapeutical and energetic effects. These volatile liquids are very complex molecular substances, extremely potent and precise as action. Essential oil is not actually an oil because it contains no fatty substance.

It is obtained from the essence rich in natural flavors and active ingredients that it secretes the cells of certain parts of the plant. Precious liquids are obtained by distilling or pressing the secretory organs. For example, citrus peel is cold pressed, and the other parts of the plant stem, leaves, flowers, root, wood are distilled 3 , 4. These processes result in an aromatic concentrate and a genuine source of active substances. Essential oil is also known as volatile oil or ethereal oil 5.

Extraction of essential oils is expensive because of the large amount of raw material required to produce a few milliliters of oil. This explains the high prices required for genuine essential oils. For example, to obtain a single drop of essential rose oil, approx. However, there are also less expensive oils due to the abundance of inexpensive raw materials and high productivity. Such oils are citrus—lemon, orange, bergamot, lime, lemongrass oil, tea tree oil.

Essential oils are relatively widespread in the plant kingdom, some families being very rich in such substances, both in number and quantity. Typically, essential oils are found in superior plants about 50 families belonging to orders of angiosperms Asterales, Laurales, Magnoliales, Zimgiberales, etc.

Although terpenic compounds are characteristic of the plant kingdom, some biosynthesized monoterpenes have been reported from soil bacteria, insects probably pheromones , and some sesquiterpene and diterpenes of animal origin 10 , 11 , The synthesis and accumulation of essential oils occur either outside the plant, in the glandular brushes Asteraceae, Geraniaceae, Laminaceae, etc.

Essential oils can accumulate in all plant organs, but in varying amounts. Thus we can meet them in: roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, wood of the stems or in the bark. The name of aromatic plants is attributed to those species which contain a higher amount of volatile oil at least 0. In addition, there are other species that, although characteristically smell, still contain therapeutic substances that are comprised of essential oils.

The biosynthesis of odorous substances takes place in the leaves, where most of them are found and remains until flowering. Flowering, essential oils migrate into flowers, and part is consumed in the fertilization process. After fertilization, it accumulates in fruits and seeds or there is a migration to leaves, bark and root 16 , During the maturation of plants, the composition of essential oils changes: in young plants they contain mainly terpenic hydrocarbons and simpler molecules, while the reproductive organs contain etheric oils richer in oxygenated compounds.

Although their role in the plant organism is partly known, ethereal oils have multiple uses. There are more than 3, essential oils that are physically and chemically characterized, about of which are manufactured on an industrial scale 18 , 19 , Essential oils are complex mixtures — chemical constituents in which mono— and sesquitrpene constituents predominate, but also contain aromatic compounds, often phenylpropane derivatives, and rarely meet diterpenes.

The terpenic compounds may be hydrocarbons or oxygenated derivatives oxides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids or reaction products thereof esters, ethers. Terpenic compounds are substances of vegetable origin that enter into the natural composition of molecular mixtures that lead to the formation of volatile essential, etheric oils.

Obtaining aromatic waters and essential oils requires raw materials, plant products, quality. First of all, harvesting the plant material should be done with great care, so that it is not contaminated with other plant species. Essential oils are widespread in the most varied organs of the plant, but are more commonly found in flowers and leaves 21 , The chemical composition of essential oils is very varied and the main components can be part of the aliphatic, aromatic and terpenic series.

Generally, essential oils contain ternary, rarely quaternary substances. Volatile products are made up of terpenes, aromatics, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, volatile acids, esters, etc. The plant material that is subject to hydrodynamics is not always processed after harvesting Generally, fresh plants lead to more pleasant odor solutions and greater therapeutic action; except cinnamon, lime flowers and lavender flowers that are used dry. In the case of dry plants, the lower volatile urine is sometimes obtained as a result of morphological and chemical changes due to the action of air, heating, because of the accumulation of grams, possibly by alteration 24 , Also, the technological process of obtaining volatile oil intervenes decisively in its composition and its quality.

In the case of hydrodistillation, physical and chemical processes are produced which significantly alter the content of the plant material and, consequently, the volatile oil released. Vegetable products are brought to a convenient degree by crushing, cutting, grinding, which is chosen according to its nature and chemical composition 26 , 27 , Thus, the flowers and leaves fall down to pass through the sieve I, and bark and roots, dried fruits and seeds, through sieve II or III. Fresh fruits are crushed to obtain a pulp that is subject to water vapor entrainment.

The plant—solvent ratio ranges from 1: 1 to 1: 5. This proportion is dependent on the amount of volatile oil contained in the plant and its solubility For example by distilling Lavender or Lavandin Dutch lavander , Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Mint, Savory, Lemon verbena and Eucalyptus, it will be possible to obtain up to 10 ml of essential oil, completely produced by you! Essential oils are extracted by steam distillation , a technique that exploits the steam produced by boiling water, which, passing through the plant placed in the distiller carries with it the aromatic molecules contained in the plant cells.

These molecules are very light, small in size and therefore easily vaporized. The water vapor and the volatile molecules continue their path passing inside a condenser and returning both to a liquid state. Essential oils are naturally lighter than water and therefore they will float above the so-called aromatic water the steam returned to a liquid in which micro drops of essential oil are dispersed, which give to it the typical scent of the distilled plant.

The two liquids, being unmixable, can be easily separated using a simple separating funnel. Aromatic water also called hydrolat. Recall that the essential oil just distilled, does not always have a pleasant smell, because it needs to ripen for a few weeks, in which it must be left to mature. The essential oil produced is a very delicate substance that can easily change and turn rancid, thus losing its natural scent and developing substances that could also be harmful.

Therefore it is important to store them in dark glass bottles away from direct light and heat sources. As we all know, essential oils are used in drops; in fact, their use must be limited to small quantities, since these substances are highly concentrated and rich in active molecules, many of which can also have toxic effects.

Therefore it is always necessary to be careful while using them, asking advice from experts. Steam distillation. Essential oil; what are they? Aromatic water or floral waters: what are they?

How to distill Tangerine peel. Want to stay updated? Latest tag acqua aromatica agriculture alambicco alchemy alimentazione bio allergy anti-inflammatory antibiotic action antioxidant antiseptic action anxiety aphrodisiac plants.

Archive The term Aromatherapy means the use of essential oils for therapeutic purpo Considered a sacred plant in many civilizations, Rosemary is certai Tangerine represents, together with Cedar and Grapefruit, one of the three Conclusion: This manuscript reviewed the major research studies in the field and discussed several research findings on the chemical composition of essential oils, methods of oil extraction, and application of these oils in pharmaceutical and therapeutic fields.

These essential oils can be used as anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, and as skin permeation enhancer agents. Keywords: Essential oils; cancer; chemical compositions; method of extractions; pharmaceutical; therapeutic potentials..