Volatile

oils
• Highly odorous principles found in various parts of plants.

• Evaporate at ordinary temperatures because of low boiling point

therefore known as Volatile oils.

• Property is similar to ether thus also called as Ethereal oils.

• Other name for volatile oil is essential oils bcz they possess

essence of pleasant odour.

Formation of Volatile oils
• May be formed by

• Directly by protoplasm

• Decomposition of resinogenous layer of the cell wall

• Hydrolysis of certain glycosides

 Role of Volatile oils in Plants
• Insect attractants helping for Cross Fertilization.

• Repellents – preventing the destruction of

flowers.
Occurrence in Plants
• Occurs in different specializes secretory structures
depending on the plant family.

• Glandular hairs: Labitae

• Modified parenchymatous cells: Piperaceae
• Oil tube – Vittae: Umbelliferae
• Lysigenous or schizogenous passages:
Rutaceae/ Pinaceae
 Volatile oils occurs in different
parts of plants
• Bark : Cinnamon

• Pericarp: Umbelliferous fruits

• Petals: Rose

• Leaves and rinds: Citrus fruits

• Glandular hairs on stems and leaves: Peppermint and spearmint

 Physical Properties of Volatile
oils
• Colorless

• High RI

• Optically active

• Immiscible with water

 Chemistry of Volatile oils
• Largely consist of Terpenes (Mono/Sesquiterpenes)

• Terpenes – Natural products – condensation of Isoprene units (C5H8)

• Based on isoprene units terpenes classified

Class of Terpenoids No. of Isoprene Molecular formula
units
Monoterpenes 2 C10H16

Sesquiterpenes 3 C15H24

Diterpenes 4 C20H32

Triterpenes 6 C30H48

Tetraterpenes or 8 C40H64
Carotenoids
Pentaterpenes 10 C10H16

Polyterpenes or rubber n (C5H8)n

 Types of
Volatile oils
Type Drug Name of component
Hydrocarbon volatile Terpentine oil Limonene
oils
Alcohol volatile oil Peppermint Menthol
Aldehyde volatile oil Cinnamon Cinnamic aldehyde
Ketone volatile oil Camphor Camphor
Phenol volatile oil Clove Eugenol
Phenolic ether volatile Fennel Anethol
oil
Oxide volatile oil Eucalyptus Eucalyptol (Cineole)
Ester volatile oil Gaultheria Methyl salicylate
 Turpentine
Synonym: Oleum terbenthae, rectified oil of turpentine

B.Source: Distilled from oleo – resin; Pinus paulstris Miller

Family: Pinaceae

C.C: Volatile oils

 Pinene
 Limonene
 Careen
 Dipentenes
 methylchavicol and bornyl acetate.
Uses:
Adulterants:
• Mild astringent
• Resin oil
• Counter irritant • Wood turpentine
• Insecticide • Petroleum jelly
• Expectorant in bronchitis
• Ppn of synthetic camphor
 Coriander
Synonym: Coriander fruit, dhanya

B.Source: Dried ripe fruit – Coriandrum sativum

Family: Umbelliferae

C.C: Volatile oils

 Linalool
 Terpenes
 Geraniol
 Borneol
 citronellol
Uses:
• Carminative
• Aromatic
• Stimulant
• Flavoring agent
• Oil used with purgatives to prevent Gripping
Adulterants:
• Bombay coriander
 Cardamom
Synonym: Cardamom fruit, cardamom seed and small cardamom.

B.Source: Dried ripe fruit of Elettaria cardamomum

Family: Zingiberaceae

C.C:

Volatile oil: (2-8%)

• Terpineol, borneol, terpinene

Other than volatileoils:

• Fixed oil, starch and proteins.

Uses:
• Aromatic
• Carminative
• Stimulant and Flavoring agent
Adulterants:
• Orange seeds
• Unroasted coffee grains
• Long wild native cardamom
• Korarima cardamom
 Cinnamon
Synonym: Cinnamon bark, Ceylon cinnamon and kalmi -
dalchini (Hindi)

B.Source: Dried inner bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees.

Family: Lauraceae.
C.C:

Volatile oil (Hydrocarbons & Alcohols)

• Cinnamic aldehyde

• Eugenol (Phenol)

• Benzaldehyde and Cuminoldehyde.

Other than volatileoils:

• Starch, Mucilage, Tannins (Phlobatannins) and Mannitol.

Uses:
• Aromatic
• Carminative
• Stimulant and Flavoring agent
• Antiseptic
• Stomachic
• Mild astringent and powerful germicide
Adulterants:
• Cassia bark
 Cassia
Synonym: Chinese cinnamon

B.Source: Dried inner bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume.

Family: Lauraceae.

C.C:

Volatile oil (Hydrocarbons & Alcohols)

•Cinnamic aldehyde

•Terpene aldehyde and ester

•Coumarin (not found in Cinnamon bark).

Uses:
• Mild astringent
• Flavoring agent
• Powerful germicide
 Lemon peel
Synonym: Cortex limonis

B.Source: outer pericarp of ripe fruit of Citrus limonis

Family: Rutaceae

C.C:
Volatile oils
• Aldehydes – Citral & Citronellal
• Terpenes – Limonene
Flavonoids – Neohesperidin & naringin
Vitamin ‘C’
Uses:
• Flavoring agent
• Pharmaceutical aid
 Orange peel
Synonym: Bitter orange peel, orange cortex
B.Source: outer pericarp of ripe fruit of Citrus aurantium

Family: Rutaceae

C.C:
Volatile oils
• limonene, citrl, ctronellal, terpeneol and geranylacetate
Flavonoids glycoside– Neohesperidin & hesperidin
Vitamin ‘C’
Uses:
• Flavoring agent
• Bitter tonic
• Source of Vit - C
 Fennel
Synonym: Barisauf (Hindi), Fructusfoeniculi.

B.Source: Consists of dried ripe fruits of cultivated species,

Foeniculom vulgare.

Family: Umbelliferae.

C.C:
Volatile oil: (4-6%)
 Anethole
 Phenol ether - d-fenchone
 Ketone – Methyl chavicol & terpineol
Uses:
• Spasmolytic
• Carminative
• Stomachic
• Appetizer
• Galactogouge (increases flow of milk)
• Eye wash
 Clove
Synonym: Caryophyllum clove buds.

B.Source: Dried flower buds of Eugenia caryophyllus.

Family: Myrtaceae.
C.C:
 Volatile oils
• Eugenol (Phenol)
• Isoeugenol
• Methyl and dimethyl furfural
• Caryophylline
 Tannins
Uses:
• Antiseptic
• Dental analgesic
• Stimulant
• Aromatic
Adulterants:
• Exhausted clove
• Clove stalks
• Mother clove/anthophylli
• blown clove
 Dill

Synonym: Dill fruit, Anethum and European Dill

B. Source: Dried ripe fruit of Anethum graveolens
Family: Umbelliferae
C.C:
Volatile oils • D-limonene

• Carvone (aromatic liquid) • Phellandrene

• Dihydro carvone • Terpenes

Fixed oils and protenes

Uses: Aromatic, stimulant, carminative, flavouring agent oil –
preparation of dill water and gripe water.
Substituents:
Indian dill – Anethum sowa, it contains DILL APIOLE
(Poisonous) used in veterinary practice.
Cultivated in A.P, Punjab, U.P, Gujarat and Maharashtra
 GAULTHERIA

Synonym: Betula oil, Sweet birch oil, Oil of winter green & Tea berry oil.
B.Source: Obtaine by steam distillation from leaves of Gaultheria
procumbens.
Family: Ericaceae
C.C:
Volatile oils
• Methyl salicylate formed by hydrolysis of glycoside; gaultherin in
presence of gaultherase enzyme.
Uses:
• Counter irritant
• Treatment of rheumatism
• Vermicide against hook worms
• Flavouring agent fro candies and perfumery
 LEMON GRASS OIL
Synonym: East Indian lemon grass oil, Indian melissa oil.
B.Source: Obtained by steam distillation from leaves and aerial parts of Cymbopogon
flexuous or Cymbopogon citratis.
Family: Graminae.

C.C:
Volatile oils
• Citral
• Methyl heptenol
• Citronellal
• Dipentene and geraniol.
Uses:
•Flavouring agent in perfumery
•Preparation of β – ionie which is precursor for synthesis of Vit – A.
 CITRONELLA OIL

B.Source: Obtained by steam distillation from fresh leaves of

Cymbopogon nardus.
Family: Graminae
C.C:
Volatile oils (Strong aromatic and pleasant odour)
• Geraniol
• Citronellal
• D - Camphene
• borneol and methyl eugenol.
Uses:
•Perfume for soaps
•Brilliantine
•Mosquito repellent creams
•Liniments and lotions (as flavouring agent)
 MENTHA OIL

Synonym: Peppermint oil, Oleum mentha piperita.

B. Source: obtained by stream distillation of the fresh flowering tops of
Mentha piperita Linn; Mentha arvensis var-piperascens.
Family: Labiatae
C.C:
Volatile oils
• l - Menthol
• Menthone, Menthofuran, Jasmone and methyl isovalerate.
Uses:
• Carminative
• Stimulant
• Flavoring agent
• Atiseptic
• Tooth pastes, powders
• Shaving creams
• Pharmaceutical dosage forms
 EUCALYTUS
Synonym: Dincum oil, lemon gum tree.

Biological Source: Obtained by the distillation of the fresh

leaves of Eucalyptus globulus.

Family: Myrtaceae.
C.C:
• Camphene
Volatile oil:
• Phellandrene
• Eucalyptol
• Citronellal
• Pinene
• Geranyl acetate
Uses:

• Counter irritant,

• Antiseptic,

• Expectorant.

• In the form of solution used as nasal drops.