The essential oil co-distillation by superheated vapour of organic solvents from aromatic plants

A method of essential oil co-distillation by superheated vapour of solvents was developed and the apparatus was presented. As suitable solvents, penta ne and ether (inert solvent with low boiling point) were used. The method w as tested on sage, Salvia officinalis L., as an aromatic plant. The essenti al oil of this plant was also isolated by hydrodistillation as a standard m ethod. The isolated volatiles obtained by two methods were analysed using g as chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Th e obtained results were compared. This method of distillation enables safe isolation of monoterpene and sesquiterpene compounds, as well as hydrodisti llation. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.