Physico-chemical properties of clove oil from three forest clove accession groups in Maluku

Abstract

Forest cloves (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry.) are classified as wild and endemic clove to Maluku islands. So far, the studies on utilization of clove oil as an essential oil are still limited. This study aims to provide information on the physicochemical properties of clove oil from three clove accession groups in Maluku. Clove oil is obtained through the distillation of parts of the plant such as flowers bud, flower stalks, and leaves. The physicochemical components of clove oil in this study were compared to those of the standard type of cultivated clove oil, for there is no standard for forest clove oil. The results of the characterization of the physicochemical properties of clove oil revealed that the oils of the three clove accession groups met the standard of clove oil in several parameters, namely color (yellow to dark brown), specific gravity (0.9559-1,101 g ml−1), refractive index (1.5075-1.5467), β-caryophyllene (0.74-11.79%). However, they did not meet the standard of clove oil solubility in ethanol 70% (1:10) and total eugenol (20-28%). The clove accession groups had high oil content (in the distillation) from the flower bud section (1.33-3.00%), followed by the flower stalks (0.40-1.0%), and leaves (0.44-0.93%).