CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF WORMWOOD TAURIA, GROWING IN THE ASTRAKHAN REGION

Abstract

Using the steam distillation method, essential oil samples were obtained from the ground part of Artemisia taurica Willd., which grows wild in the Astrakhan region, and the dependence of its yield on the growing season of the plant was studied. The duration of the steam distillation process was established experimentally based on the study of the dynamics of changes in the yield of essential oil over time. The yield of essential oil was determined in % in terms of the weight of air-dry raw materials. The highest yield of essential oil was obtained from plants in the flowering phase (0.57–0.59%). Quantitative analysis of the main components of Artemisia taurica essential oil was carried out by GC-MS. The quantitative content of essential oil components was calculated from the areas of gas chromatographic peaks without using correction factors. Qualitative analysis was performed by comparing linear retention indices. It has been established that the composition of the essential oil of Artemisia taurica, which grows on the territory of the natural "Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky" reserve of the Astrakhan region, is very specific. In the essential oil, 41 compounds belonging to various classes have been identified. It includes monoterpene hydrocarbons (6.57%), monoterpenoids (65.17%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (4.87%), sesquiterpenoids (1.85%), as well as fatty acids and acid esters (13.93%) and carbonyl compounds (4.04%). The main components of the essential oil are camphor (24.50%), borneol (8.70%), iso-dihydrocarveol (4.11%), mertinal (3.67%), terpene-4-ol (3.35%). Unlike the taxon Artemisia taurica growing in the Crimea, the studied essential oil contains a small amount of a-thujone (1.32%).