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Title: AROMATIC PROFILES OF THYMUS HYEMALIS AND SPANISH THYMUS VULGARIS ESSENTIAL OILS BY GC-MS/GC-O

Author
item Goodner, Kevin
item Mahattanatawee, Kanjana
item Plotto, Anne
item SOTOMAYOER, J - IMIDA, MURCIA, SPAIN
item JORDAN, MARIA - Murciano Research Institute And Agricultural Development And Food (IMIDA)

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2006
Publication Date: 12/1/2006
Citation: Goodner, K.L., Mahattanatawee, K., Plotto, A., Sotomayoer, J.A., Jordan, M.J. 2006. Aromatic profiles of thymus hyemalis and spanish thymus vulgaris essential oils by gc-ms/gc-o. Industrial Crops and Products. 24:264-268.

Interpretive Summary: Two species of thyme (Thymus hyemalis and Thymus vulgaris) vary greatly with regards to chemical composition. Shrubs were harvested at five different maturation stages during the plant vegetative cycle. Analyses were conducted on each maturation stage to determine odor active compounds in each species and at each maturation stage. A total of 96 (hyemalis) and 52 (vulgaris) aromas were detected with the 27 (hyemalis) and 26 (vulgaris) most important reported here. Three previously unreported compounds are detailed in this study.

Technical Abstract: Thymus hyemalis L. and Spanish Thymus vulgaris L. shrubs are characterized by a great chemical intraspecific variability among plants. This fact makes it difficult to detect real changes occurring in their essential oil composition during the vegetative cycle. Because of this, clones of T. hyemalis and T. vulgaris were used to monitor seasonal variations in their aromatic composition of the essential oil. Shrubs were harvested at five different phenological stages during the plant vegetative cycle. Capillary GC/MS with olfactometry analysis was used to determine the volatile profile of the essential oil samples. GC-Olfactometry analysis was conducted on each phenological stage for T. hyemalis and T. vulgaris. A total of 96 (T. hyemalis) and 52 (T. vulgaris) aromas were detected with the 27 (T. hyemalis) and 26 (T. vulgaris) most important reported here. The compounds with the most aroma impact for T. hyemalis were linalool, borneol, thymol, and ß-damascenone. The compounds with the most aroma impact for T. vulgaris were eucalyptol, borneol, terpinyl acetate, and ß-damascenone. ß-ionone, myrtenol, and ß-damascenone are reported for the first time.