CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF CHINESE MINT (HYPTIS SUAVEOLENS) 1

• R.M.O. Kayode

  Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

  Author

• V.A. Joshua

  Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

  Author

• B.I. Kayode

  Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

  Author

Essential oil are known for their importance in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and primarily used in the food industries as flavourings and antimicrobials and sometimes as insecticidal and pesticidal agents. Many synthetic chemicals have been used to prevent post-harvest spoilage of perishable agricultural produces but they have been found to have detrimental health effects on consumers. Essential oils were extracted from the inflorescence and leaf of Hyptis suaveolens by hydro-distillation method. The percentage yields of the essential oils were 2.08% and 2.00% respectively. The number of compounds isolated from the inflorescence and leaf of Hyptis suaveolens were 22 and 27 respectively. The major compounds isolated from the inflorescence essential oils were 3-Cyclohexen-1-ol (26.51%), Caryophyllene (15.75%), Bicyclo-hexane(15.60%), Cyclohexane (7.61%) and Bergamotol, Z-alpha (trans) (5.21%). The total peak area of the oxygenated compounds was 44.46% and the total peak area of the non-oxygenated compounds was 55.54%. The major chemical constituents foundin the leaf essential oil were gamma-Terpinene (24.45%), Caryophyllene (11.08%), Cyclohexene (6.93%), 2,6,6-Trimethylbicyclohept-2-ene (6.27%), alphaPhellandrene (6.16%), 1,3-Cyclohexadiene, Terpinen-4-ol (5.18%) and 1,3-Cyclohexadiene (5.02%). The total peak area of the oxygenated compounds was 14.00%, while the total peak area of the non-oxygenated compounds was 86.00%. The essential oils of Hyptis suaveolens inflorescence and leaf were both monoterpene dominated. The findings of this work showed mixtures of both oxygenated and predominantly non-oxygenated compounds; which may serve as any or combinations insecticide, pesticides and possible inhibitors of spoilage aerobic microorganisms and may subsequently lead to a delayed spoilage process of some perishable agricultural produce during storage.

1. R.M.O. Kayode, Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

   Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

2. V.A. Joshua, Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

   Division of Food Preservation, Biotechnology, Waste Management and Safety, Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

3. B.I. Kayode, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

   Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

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