The objective of this study was to investigate how varying concentrations of salt (NaCl) and different drying methods affect the yield and composition of essential oil extracted from the leaves of Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. The findings revealed that fresh samples yielded significantly more essential oil (0.24%) than both dried samples and those treated with different NaCl concentrations (5, 10, and 15% NaCl). Gas chromatography analysis identified 12 chemical constituents, with α-phellandrene and lavandulol being the primary ingredients. Medium proportions of β-phellandrene and β-caryophyllene were also detected, along with eight other chemicals. Among the samples, the oven-dried sample exhibited the highest concentration of α-phellandrene (44.205%), while the sample treated with 15% NaCl had the lowest concentration (33.064%). The difference in the α-phellandrene concentration between the fresh and oven-dried samples was significant (8.011%). The lavandulol concentration was highest in the 15% NaCl sample (27.905%) and lowest in the oven-dried sample (23.577%), with no notable variation observed among the dried, NaCl-treated, and fresh samples. β-Phellandrene was highest in the 5% NaCl sample (9.216%) and lowest in the fresh sample (6.77%). No significant variations were observed in the concentration of β-caryophyllene across all the samples. The elevated β-phellandrene content in M. koenigii essential oils by a particular treatment suggests potential market competitiveness and enhances the commercial viability of these oils. Keywords: Murraya koenigii, Drying, Salt media, Essential oil, Gas chromatography.
Read full abstract