ESSENTIAL OIL TECHNICAL DATA Name Bot. name. Constituents Solubility ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Angelica A. archangelica phellandrene; 6 vols 90% EtOH valeric acid Anise P. anisum 80-90% anethole; 3 vols EtOH; ether methylchavicol chloroform Asarum A. canadense pinene; methyleugenol 2 vols 70% EtOH Balm M. officinalis chiefly citral EtOH Basil O. basilicum methylchavicol; 2 vols 80% EtOH eucalyptol; linalool ether; chloroform Calamus A. calamus 76% beta-asarone EtOH Caraway C. carvi 53-63% carvone; 1 vol 90% EtOH; d-limolene 8 vols 80% EtOH Cinnamon C. cassia 80-90% cinnamaldehyde EtOH; glac. acetic acid Citronella C. nardus 25-50% citronellal 10 vols 80% EtOH 25-45% geraniol Clove E. caryophyllata 82-87% eugenol EtOH; ether; glac. acetic acid Dill A. graveolens 50% carvone; apiole 1 vol 90% EtOH Eucalyptus E. globulus 70-80% eucalyptol; abs EtOH; oils alpha-pinene 5 vols 70% EtOH Fennel F. vulgare 50-60% anethole; 1 vol 90% EtOH; 20% fenchone ether; chloroform Geranium P. odoratissimum geraniol esters 3 vols 10% EtOH; (geranyl tiglate) ether; chloroform Ginger Z. officinale l-zingiberene; ether; carbon d-camphene disulfide Hops H. lupulus 65-70% humulene ether Hyssop H. officinalis 50% pinene 2-4 vols 80% EtOH Juniper J. communis pinene; cadinene; 4 vols EtOH; amyl camphene; terpineol alcohol; chloroform Lavender L. officinalis 30-40% esters 4 vols 70% EtOH (linalyl acetate) absolute EtOH Lemon C. limonum 90% limonene 3 vols EtOH; glac. acetic acid Lemon grass C. citratus 75-85% citral 3 vols 70% EtOH; ether; chloroform Marjoram O. marjorana 40% terpenes 2 vols 80% EtOH; ether; chloroform Nutmeg M. fragrans 60-80% d-camphene 1 vol EtOH; myristicin; elemicin 3 vols 90% EtOH Parsley P. hortense chiefly apiole 8 vols 80% EtOH; ether Patchouli Labiatae species patchouli oil ether Pennyroyal M. pulegium 85% pulegone 3 vols 70% EtOH; H. pulegioides ether; chloroform Peppermint M. piperita >50% menthol 4 vols 90% EtOH Rosemary R. officinalis >10% borneol 10 vols 80% EtOH Rue R. graveolens 90% methyl nonyl ketone 3 vols 70% EtOH Sandalwood S. album 90% alcohols (santalol) 5 vols 70% EtOH Sassafras S. albidum 80% safrole 2 vols 90% EtOH Spearmint M. spicata >50% carvone equal vol 80% EtOH Sweet Bay L. nobilis eucalyptol; eugenol EtOH Tansy T. vulgare thujone; borneol; EtOH; ether; camphor chloroform Thyme T. vulgaris 20-40% thymol 2 vols 80% EtOH Valerian V. officinalis bornyl esters (acetic, EtOH; ether; formic, isovaleric) chloroform Vetiver V. zizanioides 8-35% sesquiterpene 1-3 vols 80% EtOH; ketones oils White Cedar T. occidentalis d-thujone; l-fenchone 4 vols 70% EtOH Wormwood A. absinthium Thujyl alcohol; thujyl 2 vols 80% EtOH; acetate; thujone ether Yarrow A. millefolium cineol EtOH; ether Abbreviations: EtOH - ethyl alchol HOAc - acetic acid ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Properties of constituents: Compound Property ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Anethole carminative Apiole carminative Borneol perfumery, incense Bornyl esters sedatives, antiseptics, counterirritants Camphor anti-infective, counterirritant,antipruritic Carvone flavoring, perfumery, carminative Cinnamaldehyde flavoring, perfumery Citral flavoring, perfumery Citronellal insect repellant Eucalyptol flavoring Eugenol dental analgesic, insect attractant Fenchone counterirritant, perfumes Geraniol perfumery, insect attractant, Humulene urinary antiseptic (?) Limonene skin irritant, sensitizer Linalool perfumery Menthol antipruritic, flavoring, carminative, anesthetic Myristicin mild hallucinogen Phellandrene fragrances Pinene manufacture of organic compounds Safrole topical antiseptic, pediculicide, carminitive Santalol in perfumes, soaps, detergents Thujone [ingestion can cause convulsions] Thymol antifungal, antithelmintic, antiseptic Valeric acid intermediate in perfumery ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This information may be of use to some more advanced herbalists. The solubility information will be of use to anyone who prepares essential oils. This is for informational purposes only. I do not endorse the use of any of these agents, especially by the untrained. Many of these agents are very toxic. Prepared by Gary Ross [CIS 73317,3317] DB> Could you elaborate on the process of extracting essential oils? I DB> have been trying to find a way to do this and have come up empty...... One way is to soak flowers of the herb in Everclear or Vodka. You have to stick a bunch of flowers in a container with the alcohol and squish it around . Take the flowers out after about 15 minutes of squishing and squeeze the excess liquid from them. Put the same amount of flowers in the same mixture and do it again. The alcohol is extracting the oil of these flowers and you have to have LOTS of flowers. So you ask, howdya get the oil out of the alcohol? Simple, actually. Alcohol takes a lot to freeze it. Oil freezes easy and is lighter than the alcohol. Put the whole thing in the freezer and after a few hours or so, you should be able to skim whatever frozen essential oil you have in the mixture, right off the top! If you can re-use the alcohol for the same flower a few times. After a while it gets a bit grungy and has to be disposed of. WARNING!!! Do NOT put nightshade flowers in such a mixture...if you touch this mixture with nightshade, chances are that you'll be pushing up daisies! Seriously though, if you know the herb is poisonous, be careful with extracting the essential oil. I have extracted nightshade oil and one time I had a pinhole in the rubber glove I was using. Thought I'd died. I was not a happy camper. -Begin Recipe Export- QBook version 1.00.14 Title:Scented oils Keywords:herb, nonfood, oil, preparation, method, info Amounts: Use 4 oz dried herbs or 8 oz fresh herbs to 1 pint of oil. At dincture of benzoin (1/4 tsp per cup of finished oil) or Vitamin E (400 IU per cup) Oils will last about 1 year. Store in cool dark place. Method 1. 1. Rub fresh or dry herbs between palms of hands to break down herbs. 2. Place herbs in glass jar. 3. Pour chosen oil(s) over herbs. Cover with tight lid. 4. Every day shake jar so herbs and oil mix together well. Do this for at least two weeks. 5. After 2 weeks strain by covering kitchen colander with cheesecloth. Squeeze herbs in cheesecloth to wring out any remaining oil. 6. Pour contents of bowl into clean glass jar and cover tightly. 7. Add tincture of benzoin or Vitamin E as preservative. Method 2. (quicker) 1. Rub fresh or dry herbs between palms of hands to break down herbs. 2. Place bruised herbs in oil in a pan. Slowly heat and cook herbs gently until crisp, about 1/2 to 1 hour. Cook roots first, then add leaves and flowers last. Keep pot covered. 3. Every day shake jar so herbs and oil mix together well. Do this for at least two weeks. 4. After 2 weeks strain by covering kitchen colander with cheesecloth. Squeeze herbs in cheesecloth to wring out any remaining oil. 5. Pour contents of bowl into clean glass jar and cover tightly. 6. Add tincture of benzoin or Vitamin E as preservative. Method 3. Slower, but gies better oil. Ayurvedic method of making herbal oils. 1. Rub fresh or dry herbs between palms of hands to break down herbs. 2. Place 1 part herbs, 4 parts oil and 16 part water in a pan. Gently heat all ingredients together until water is evaporated. 3. Every day shake jar so herbs and oil mix together well. Do this for at least two weeks. 4. After 2 weeks strain by covering kitchen colander with cheesecloth. Squeeze herbs in cheesecloth to wring out any remaining oil. 5. Pour contents of bowl into clean glass jar and cover tightly. 6. Add tincture of benzoin or Vitamin E as preservative. -End Recipe Export- Courtesy of The Homestead (615)367-4410