Volatile Oils

• Volatile oils are also known as?

  essential oils, ethereal oils, essences (in humidifier)
• Volatile oils are colorless and photosensitive
• Volatile oils are stored in light resistant, tight containers (amber bottles)
• Volatile oils undergoes auto-oxidation
• Terpenes undergo resinification to produce resins
• Volatile oils resemble the properties of alcohol (volatile)
• Fixed oils - rancidification

  Volatile oils - resinification
• Fixed oils - esters of fatty acids + glycerol

  Volatile oils - terpenes, aromatic compounds
• Fixed oils - leaves grease spots

  Volatile oils - do not leave grease spots
• Fixed oils - expression

  Volatile oils - distillation
• Fixed oils - can be saponified (saponification NaOH+FA)

  Volatile oils - cannot be saponified
• Plant Families

  1. Lamiaceae - glandular hairs, trichomes (Labiatae)
  2. Piperaceae - modified parenchymal cells
  3. Apiaceae - oil tubes/vitae
  4. Pinaceae and Rutaceae - lysigenous and schizogenous
• Physical Properties of Volatile oils:

  • possess characteristic odors
  • high refractive index
  • optically active
  • immiscible in water; sufficiently soluble to produce an odor -aromatic water
• terpenes - mevalonate pathway
• Chemical Constituents:

  • terpenes
  • aromatic compounds
• monoterpenes - 10 carbon units, 2 isoprene units
• sesquiterpenes - 15 carbon units, 3 isoprene units
• diterpenes - 20 carbon units, 4 isoprene units
• triterpenes - 30 carbon units, 6 isoprene units
• tetraterpenes - 40 carbon units, 8 isoprene units
• aromatic compound - shikimic acid pathway
• Methods of obtaining volatile oils:

  1. distillation

  • water - dried plant samples (terpene oil)
  • steam - fresh plant sample (mints, peppermints)
  • water and steam - either dried or fresh samples (cinnamon oil)
  • destructive - empyreumatic oils (from charcoal_

  2. enzymatic action

  3. Expression

  • ecuelle a piquer - scarification
  • enfleurage
• Component of Volatile oil:

  1. stearoptene - solid oxidized hydrocarbon portion (camphor, menthol, anethol, thymol)
  2. eleoptene - liquid hydrocarbon portion (methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, eugenol)
• Fabrication of Perfumes:

  1. Top note
  2. Middle note
  3. Base note

  • musk
  • civet
  • ambergris
• Top note


  most volatile product
• top note


  lemon, lavender, anise
• middle note


  intermediate tenacity and volatility
• middle note


  thyme, neroli, rose
• base note


  low volatility (non-volatile), high tenacity
• base note


  fixatives
• Base note:

  1. musk
  2. civet
  3. ambergris
• musk


  dried secretion from preputial follicles of make musk deer of Asia
• civet


  a glandular secretion appearing in an outwardly discharging of civet cats
• ambergris 


  pathologic product formed in the stomach of sperm whale when it feeds in squid and cuttle fish
• Classification of Volatile Oils:

  1. hydrocarbons
  2. alcohol
  3. aldehyde
  4. ketone
  5. phenol
  6. phenolic-ether
  7. oxide
  8. ester
• hydrocarbon volatile oil


  turpentine
• turpentine


  rectified turpentine oil (stimulant expectorant)
• terpinol/terpin hydrate


  a combination of HNO3 + rectified turpentine oil
• Turpentine


  alpha and beta - pinene
• Alcohol Volatile oils

  1. Peppermint
  2. Coriander Oil
  3. Cardamom oil
  4. Rose oil
  5. Orange oil flower/Neroli Oil
  6. Juniper oil
  7. Pine oil