Avaliação do teor e da composição química das folhas de lippia Alba (Mill) n.e.br. e mentha piperita l. cultivadas em Cruz das Almas, Santo Antonio e Amargosa, submetidas às diferentes épocas de colheita e processos de secagem

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of harvesting time and drying methods on the content and the chemical constituents of essential oil of Mentha piperita L. and Lippia alba (Mill) N.E.Br. Were used in research in experimental area cultivated, plants harvested in the fifth month after planting between 8:09 am. Immediately after harvest, the leaves were dried in the shade natural and artificial drying with dehumidifiers, and weighed periodically until constant weight. After drying the leaves were packed in bags and stored until the time of extraction of essential oil. In obtaining the essential oil, the leaves were subjected to hydrodistillation for 3 hours, and the extracted essential oil analyzed by gas chromatography (GC-FID and GC-MS). Under conditions in which the study was conducted one can conclude that: a) the oil content of leaves Lippia alba (Mill) N.E.Br. was higher in January and Mentha piperita L. the highest oil content was in November, b) the levels of essential oil from leaves of Lippia alba (Mill) N.E.Br., Amargosa coming from, not different in the three treatments; c) in Cruz das Almas artificial drying increased the content of essential oil of Lippia alba (Mill) N.E.Br. d) in Santo Antonio de Jesus contents of essential oil from dried leaves Lippia alba (Mill) N.E.Br. and Mentha piperita L. In both methods did not differ statistically e) in Amargosa and Cruz das Almas drying increased the level of essential oil from leaves of Mentha piperita L.; f) for the three counties, there were no qualitative difference between the major components of Lippia alba (Mill) and Mentha piperita N.E.Br. L. for both methods of drying and harvest time.