Essential Oil Of Laurus Nobilis Research Articles

Phytochemical analysis and in vitro antiviral activities of the essential oils of seven Lebanon species.

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Laurus nobilis, Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus, Thuja orientalis, Cupressus sempervirens ssp. pyramidalis, Pistacia palaestina, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja thymbra was determined by GC/MS analysis. Essential oils have been evaluated for their inhibitory activity against SARS‐CoV and HSV‐1 replication in vitro by visually scoring of the virus‐induced cytopathogenic effect post‐infection. L. nobilis oil exerted an interesting activity against SARS‐CoV with an IC 50 value of 120 μg/ml and a selectivity index (SI) of 4.16. This oil was characterized by the presence of β‐ocimene, 1,8‐cineole, α‐pinene, and β‐pinene as the main constituents. J. oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus oil, in which α‐pinene and β‐myrcene were the major constituents, revealed antiviral activity against HSV‐1 with an IC 50 value of 200 μg/ml and a SI of 5.

Essential oil of Laurus nobilis from Montenegro

Steam distilled oil from the shoots, separated leaves, and stem, as well as from the flower of laurel (Laurus nobilis), grown in Montenegro, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The yield of essential oil was as follow: 1.4% in young shoots, 1.5% in the separated leaves, and 0.7% in separated stems. The main constituents of all investigated oils were 1,8-cineole, methyleugenol, and α-terpinyl acetate. Besides, α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, and linalool were also present. It was interesting and important for commercial samples of laurel essential oil that there was no significant difference among the essential oil obtained from young shoots and those obtained from leaves and stem. The main constituents of the flower oil were 1,8-cineole (15.7%), β-caryophyllene (9.5%), γ-muurolene (7.1%), α-terpinyl acetate (6.5%), and methyleugenol (3.9%).

Comparison between the conventional method of extraction of essential oil of Laurus nobilis L. and a novel method which uses microwaves applied in situ, without resorting to an oven

A novel microwave method has been applied to the hydrothermal extraction of essential oil from plants. An insulated microwave coaxial antenna was introduced inside a 1000ml glass flask containing dry Laurus nobilis L. leaves and tap water. Microwave power up to 800W at 2450MHz was emitted in continuous wave regime (CW) or in pulsed regime (PR) at 8kW peak power. Stirring with a magnetic bar and a Clevenger refrigerator connected to the flask enabled to complete the extraction in 1h. The results of the in situ microwave extraction were compared with those obtained by heating the same reactor with a conventional electric mantle by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Differences were observed both in the composition of the essential oil and from the energetic point of view. The essential oil obtained with microwave (MW) methods contained substantially higher amounts of oxygenated compounds and lower amounts of monoterpenes than conventional method. The in situ microwave heating is safe and versatile; it presents time and energy saving advantages, and therefore it can be considered useful also for industrial applications.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and characterization of Laurus nobilis essential oil.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction allowed essential oil of Laurus nobilis to be obtained. Extraction conditions were as follows: pressure, 90 bar; temperature, 50 degrees C; and carbon dioxide flow, Phi = 1.0 kg/h. Waxes were entrapped in the first separator set at 90 bar and -10 degrees C. The oil was recovered in the second separator working at 15 bar and 10 degrees C. The main components were 1,8-cineole (22.8%), linalool (12.5%), alpha-terpinyl acetate (11.4%), and methyleugenol (8.1%). Comparison with the hydrodistilled oil did not reveal any significant difference. Collection of samples at different extraction times during supercritical extraction allowed the change of the oil composition to be monitored. Lighter compounds such as hydrocarbon and oxygenated monoterpenes were extracted in shorter times than the heavier hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpenes.

Anticonvulsant activity of the leaf essential oil of Laurus nobilis against pentylenetetrazole- and maximal electroshock-induced seizures.

The leaf essential oil of Laurus nobilis Linn., Lauraceae, which has been used as an antiepileptic remedy in Iranian traditional medicine, was evaluated for anticonvulsant activity against experimental seizures. The essential oil protected mice against tonic convulsions induced by maximal electroshock and especially by pentylenetetrazole. Components responsible for this effect may be methyleugenol, eugenol and pinene present in the essential oil. At anticonvulsant doses, the essential oil produced sedation and motor impairment. This effect seems to be related in part to cineol, eugenol and methyleugenol. Although the essential oil had an acceptable acute toxicity, further studies are required before any absolute conclusions can be drawn.

A monoterpene alcohol from Laurus nobilis

Cis- and trans-thuj-2-en-4-ol have been identffied in the essential oil of Laurus nobilis, the former as a novel compound.

Composition of Essential Oils ofLaurus nobilis, L. nobilisVar.angustifoliaandLaurus azorica

The essential oils of Laurus nobilis, L. nobilis var. angustifolia and L. azorica were investigated by means of GLC, IR, PMR, CMR and GC-MS. The composition of the oils of the first two mentioned species was about the same with as main constituent 1,8-cineole, whereas the oil of L. azorica was different with low content of 1,8-cineole (10% vice 40-50%), absence of spathulenol, high content of alpha- and beta-pinene and presence of alpha-copaene, cinnamyl acetate, allo-aromadendrene, beta-eudesmol, beta-caryophyllene oxide and 1 (12), 8 (15)-caryophylladiene-9alpha-ol. About 50 components were tentatively identified.