Parameters influencing the yield and composition of the essential oil fromCretan Vitex agnus-castus fruits

Mature and immature fruits of a Cretan Vitex agnuscastus L. population were chosen to investigate different parameters such as comminution, maturity, distillation period and extraction method influencing the essential oil yie ld and composition. The effect of the comminution and the maturity of the p lant material showed highly significant differences in yield and compositio n of the essential oils obtained, as well as the distillation duration from one to five hours and the method applied (hydrodistillation and simultaneo us distillation extraction). The variation of 36 essential oil components d ue to the parameters applied was studied. The results showed that many diff erent essential oil qualities can be obtained from the same plant material according to the parameters employed in its extraction. Entire fruits hydro distilled for one hour yielded an oil much richer in monoterpene hydrocarbo ns and oxygenated compounds whereas the best combination to obtain an oil r ich in less volatile compounds is by SDE of comminuted fruits for five hour s. For mature fruits the main components varied as follows due to the param eters studied: sabinene 16.4-44.1%, 1,8-cineole 8.4-15.2%, beta-caryophylle ne 2.1-5.0%, and trans-beta-farnesene 5.0-11.7%.