Chemical analysis of essential oils from lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

Kseniia Zaikova

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

The aim of this bachelor thesis was to conduct the chemical analysis of volatile compounds contained in the essential oil of Melissa Officinalis. In the literature review part, these methods were described as well as the main information about the plant, it’s medicinal benefits and most commonly represented constituents of the plant - citral (and its isomers), caryophyllene and citronellal. In the experimental part of my work, essential oils were obtained from 3 types of lemon balm tea available on the Czech market, extracted using hydro-distillation method and analysed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Compounds were identified, and results were compared between each other and with literature data. Results had revealed differences in chemical composition among the 3 samples and confirmed the presence of citral, citronellal and caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide as main constituents. Substantial differences were found in chemical composition of analysed samples in comparison with literature data.

Keywords

Lemon balm, GC-MS analysis, essential oil, Melissa officinalis, extraction

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 24. 4. 2019

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: Ing. Klára Urbanová, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Markéta Houdková, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme / odbor:
Tropical Agriculture / International Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Development