Propagation Method and Distillation Apparatus Type Affect Essential Oil from Different Parts of Matricaria recutita L. Plants

Abstract

The composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from flowers and leaves-stems of Matricaria recutita L. cultivated in north-western Poland has been investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A comparative study of oil composition from the flowers and leaves-stems showed that the oil from flowers contained higher amounts of α-bisabolol oxide B, α-bisabolol oxide A, α-bisabolone oxide A and chamazulene, whereas spathulenol, (E)-β-farnesene and cis-en-yn-dicycloether were present in large amounts in the leaves-stems oil. The method of propagation (conventional and in vitro) had a significant effect on the percentage content of the essential oils components of leaves-stems. Moreover, there was statistically significant interaction between the concentration of the main essential oil components and type of apparatus for its extraction, and between the concentration of the main essential oil components and the propagation method. The highest amounts of chamazulene (15.42%) and α-bisabolone oxide A (18.36%) were noted in the oil obtained in Clevenger type apparatus from flowers of plants derived from in vitro propagation. The oil obtained in Deryng type apparatus from flowers of plants cultivated conventionally contained the highest amounts of α-bisabolol oxide A (19.60%) and α-bisabolol oxide B (25.56%). Spathulenol (14.85%) was found in the highest concentration in the oil obtained in Deryng type apparatus from leaves-stems of chamomile propagated in vitro, whereas the highest concentration of (E)-β-farnesene (17.52%) was noted in the oil obtained in Deryng type apparatus from leaves-stems of chamomile cultivated conventionally.