PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM LAUREL FROM BRAZIL AND TURKEY

The aim of this work was to evaluate the yield and chemical composition of essential oil of laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) from Turkey and Brazil. Laurel leaves were collected at four properties in Paty do Alferes district (Rio de Janeiro State) in winter (07/26/2008), and dried at room temperature (25°C) at shade conditions. Samples from Turkey were donated by a private company. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus for 4 h and analyzed by GC-MS (Shimadzu, QP 5050, with DB-5 capillary column - 30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm). Carrier gas was Helium (1.7 ml/min); split ratio: 1:20. Temperature program: 60°C, rising to 240°C at 3°C/min. Injector temperature: 240°C and detector temperature: 260°C. Identifications of chemical compounds were made by matching their mass spectra and Kovat’s indices (IK) values with known compounds reported in the literature. The average of essential oil yield obtained was 1.4% (Paty A and D samples), 1.5 and 1.1% (Paty B and C samples, respectively) and 2% (Turkey sample). Lower yield of Brazilian essential oils’ may have occurred because the leaves were harvested in winter. Further studies will be conducted to verify the seasonal variation of laurel. Even smaller, they are within the acceptable market standard. Analysis by GC-MS of the essential oils has identified 16 compounds. The essential oil from Turkey presented a slightly higher content of 1.8 cineole (major compound), but it does not present linalool, methyl eugenol and myrcene, compounds found in Brazilian essential oils. These results showed the high quality of Brazilian essential oils’ tested that indicates marketing potential to the consumer industry, without the onus of an import process. Brazilian and Turkey essential oils’ presented similar quality and the first can supply the needs of internal Brazilian marketing, reducing costs of raw material and logistics.