In the Master's thesis, qualitative and quantitative composition of yarrow (Achillea sp.) essential oil and hydrolate was analysed and evaluated using the method of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). We researched the impact of flower coloration (white or pink), elevation, annual precipitation and flower freshness (fresh or dried flowers) on composition of essential oil and hydrolate samples.
Herbal drug used for essential oil and hydrolate production was yarrow flowers (Millefolii flos) that were collected on various sites in Slovenia and Obsotelje region, where in the radius of 250 m yarrow plants bloomed in white- and rose-colored flowers. For essential oil production the adjusted pharmacopoeial monograph (Ph. Eur.) with Clevenger apparatus was used. Hydrolate was produced using the method of classic destilation.
Essential oil content was 0,26 to 1,56 mL/kg in fresh herbal drug of white coloration and 0,80 to 1,61 mL/kg in fresh herbal drug of rose coloration. In individual essential oil samples, 11 to 159 compounds were identified. In total 320 different compounds were identified and evaluated. The following compounds most frequently appeared in higher contents: monoterpenes (sabinene, β-pinene, γ-terpinene, α-thujone, β-thujone), monoterpenoides (eucalyptol, camphor, trans-chysanthemol, terpinene-4-ol, lavandulyl acetate, borneol, isoborneol, bornyl acetate, artemisia ketone), sesquiterpenes (α-humulene, (Z)-caryophyllene, (E)-caryophyllene, germacrene D, δ-cadinene, α-copaene, γ-muurolene) and sesquiterpenoides (caryophyllene oxide, chamazulene, copaborneol, α-bisabolone oxide A, guaiol, cadin-4-en-10-ol).
In the hydrolate samples 16 to 26 compounds were identified. The number of different compounds decreased in the consecutive hydrolate fractions from the same site. Compounds of eucalyptol, camphor, terpinene-4-ol and α-terpineol were mostly present.
According to the heterogeneity of herbal drug chemical composition and consequently composition of essential oil and hydrolate it can be concluded, that for more precise impact of individual variable (precipitation quantity, elevation, coloration and freshness of the flowers) further research would be needed.
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