Chemical Comparison between essential oil, hydrolate, and spagyric quintessence.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Essential oils, hydrolates, and spagyric quintessences have been gaining prominence in healthcare. This work investigates the volatile chemical composition of these three plant-based products derived from geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), erva-baleeira (Varronia curassavica), and dentata lavender (Lavandula dentata), comparing them to support their rational use. The compositions of the essential oil, hydrolate, and spagyric quintessence were divided into three classes: oxygenated terpenes (O), monoterpene hydrocarbons (M), and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (S). The products showed distinct compositions and proportions within these classes; the spagyric quintessence showed an intermediate volatile composition between the essential oil and hydrolate. On the other hand, the essential oil and hydrolate showed contrasting compositions. This difference indicates that the use of each product may not be directly correlated.
Downloads
Article Details
Section

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
1. WHO (World Health Organization). WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019.
2. Newman, D. J., & Cragg, G. M. Natural products as sources of new drugs from 1981 to 2014. Journal of Natural Products. 2016; 79(3): 629–661.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b01055 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b01055
3. Sadgrove NJ, Padilla-González GF, Phumthum M. Fundamental Chemistry of Essential Oils and Volatile Organic Compounds, Methods of Analysis and Authentication. Plants. 2022; 11(6):789. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11060789 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11060789
4. Price L, Price S. Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy: A Guide for Health Professionals. 1ed. London: Churchill Livingstone. 2004
5. Sinclair J. The alchemy of herbal medicine: spagyric tinctures, elixirs and vegetable stones. Australian Journal of Herbal Medicine. 2013. 25(4).
6. Junius MM. Spagyrics: The Alchemical Preparation of Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs. Rochester (VT): Healing Arts Press; 2007.
7. Adams R P. Identification of essential oil components by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 4.1 ed. Carol Stream, IL: Allured Publishing Corporation; 2017.
8. Tavares CS, Gameiro JA, Roseiro LB, Figueiredo AC. Hydrolates: a review on their volatiles composition, biological properties and potential uses. Phytochem Rev. 2022; 21:1661–1737. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-022-09803-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-022-09803-6