Chemical composition analysis of the essential oil of Mentha piperita L. from Kermanshah, Iran by hydrodistillation and HS/SPME methods

Abstract

Abstract Background The volatile constituents from the aerial parts of Mentha piperita L. (peppermint) which were collected from cultivate growing plants in Kermanshah (Garreban; at the east of Kermanshah City) of Iran were extracted by hydrodistillation and headspace/solid-phase micro-extraction (HS/SPME) methods and were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Findings A total of 39 and 41 compounds were identified in the essential oil by hydrodistillation and HS/SPME methods, respectively. The main components in the hydrodistillation method were menthol (45.34%), menthone (16.04%), menthofuran (8.91%), cis-carane (8.70%), 1,8-cineole (4.46%), neo-menthol (4.24%), and limonene (2.22%). The main components in the HS/SPME method were menthol (29.38%), menthone (16.88%), cis-carane (14.39%), menthofuran (11.38%), 1,8-cineole (9.45%), trans-caryophyllene (2.76%), neo-menthol (2.37%), β-Pinene (2.26%), α-Pinene (1.55%), germacrene-D (1.41%), trans-sabinene hydrate (1.28%), and neoisomenthyl acetate (1.02%). Conclusions The medicinal herb Mentha piperita L. (peppermint) would be changed during hydrodistillation method by chemical changes on the main essential oil of this herb before heat effects in presence of water vapor matrix (WVM).

Keywords

• Mentha piperita L.
• Essential oil compounds
• Hydrodistillation
• HS/SPME method
• Water vapor matrix (WVM)
• Medicinal herbs