Isolation and Analysis of Essential Oils from Spices

Markéta Vostarková

Bakalářská práce

Abstract:

Herbs and spices have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Knowledge of the chemical composition of herbaceous plants is desirable in pharmacy for the development of new drugs and dietary supplements. The main aim of this bachelor thesis was chemical analysis of active compounds contained in the essential oil of 4 kinds of spices. Samples of black cumin, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon (C. cassia) were imported from Jaipur, India. The literature review part describes botanical information, traditional use and active compounds with their positive health effects for each of the spice, as well as explanation of methods used for the extraction and analysis of samples. In the experimental part, essential oils were extracted using the Soxhlet extraction apparatus and analysed by the gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Main and trace components were identified, and their mass spectra were compared with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. On average, 95% of the substances were identified. Results were compared with literature data as well as with other samples. The presence of main compound thymoquinone (TQ) in black cumin and (E)-cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon was confirmed, however the results from analysis of cardamom probably correspond to the chemical composition of different species from the same family. The minor variations in the chemical composition of ginger can be affected by the age of the sample, the country of origin and the quality of storage.

Keywords

Nigella sativa, ginger, cardamom, Cinnamomum cassia, GC-MS analysis, active compounds, Soxhlet extractor

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 14. 5. 2020

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Ing. Klára Urbanová, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Bakalářský studijní program / obor:
Tropické zemědělství / International Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Development