Effect of Drying Methods on the Essential Oil Content and Composition of Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz Bip cv. Zardband

Abstract

The flowers of Tanucetum parthenium cv. Zardband cultivated in Iran were har-vested at full flowering stage (end of June) and were dried by three different drying methods of sun-drying, shade-drying and oven drying at 40°C. The essential oil of every treatment was obtained by hydro distillation of the flowers, and were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oil content of the shade-dried flower was the largest (0.48% w/w) compared to sun-drying (0.27% w/w) and oven-drying at 40°C (0.42%). Drying methods had no effect on the number of chemical components of the essential oil, as 21 components were identified in the oil of every drying method. The major components were camphor, chrysanthenyl acetate, camphene and α- pinene. However the drying method had a signifi-cant effect on the proportion of the various components.