Open AccessEffect of natural and artificial drying of leaf biomassof Psidium guajava on the content and chemical composition of essential oil
Author(s) -
Elizabeth Aparecida Josefi da Silva,
Vanessa Paula da Silva,
Cássia Cristina Fernandes Alves,
José Milton Alves,
Edson Luiz Souchie,
Luiz C. A. Barbosa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
semina. ciências agrárias
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.268
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1679-0359
pISSN - 1676-546X
DOI - 10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n5p3059
Subject(s) - psidium , essential oil , chemistry , chemical composition , composition (language) , humulene , gas chromatography , terpene , food science , myrtaceae , botany , horticulture , chromatography , biology , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
Psidium guajava L. is native to Central and South America. It is widely distributed and well adapted to Brazil, a producer of essential oils rich in terpenes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of natural and artificial drying on the content and chemical composition of the essential oil of guava leaves (Psidium guajava L.) grown in Rio Verde (GO). The two treatments consisted of drying fresh leaves either naturally in the shade or artificially at 40°C. Chemical composition was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas coupled with mass spectrometer chromatography (GC/MS) and gas chromatography using a flame ionizer (GC-FID), respectively. The method of drying changed the content and chemical composition of the essential oil of guava leaves. Drying in the shade reduced the content and altered the constituents of the essential oil, whereas drying in an oven at 40°C, despite having reduced the amounts of the constituents, exhibited the highest essential oil content and increased the concentration of certain major constituents as compared to that in the natural shade drying method. The major components found in the essential oil of leaves regardless of the drying processes were trans-caryophyllene, ?-humulene, aromadendrene, ?-selinene, and selin-11-en-4?-ol. According to reports in the literature, these compounds possess fungicidal, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity, among others beneficial actions