Unit-IV

1. VOLATILE OIL
PRESENTED BY
M.NITHYA., B.PHARM,
LECTURER, ECOP.

2. CONTENT
 Introduction
 Classification of Volatile oil
 Occurrence
 Distribution
 Isolation
 Identification test
 Therapeutic activity
 Pharmaceutical application

3. INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION:
 The Odorous, Volatile principles of plant and animal
origin which evaporate when exposed to air at ordinary
temperature.
 Volatile oils are soluble in Alcohol, Ether and Practically
insoluble in Water.

4. TYPES OF VOLATILE OILS
TYPES EXAMPLES
Alcohol volatile oils Cardamom, Coriander,
Sandalwood
Aldehyde volatile oils Cinnamon, Lemon peel,
Lemon -grass
Ester volatile oils Lavender
Hydrocarbon volatile oils Turpentine, Black pepper
Phenolic ether volatile oils Fennel
Phenolic volatile oils Clove

5. OCCURRENCE
FAMILY EXAMPLE
Lauraceae Cinnamon
Umbelliferae Fennel
Lamiaceae Lavender oil
Zingiberaceae Ginger
Black Pepper Piperaceae

6. DISTRIBUTION
Petals –Rose Oil
Flowering tops- Lavender Oil
Bark – Cinnamon Oil
Buds – Clove Oil
Rhizomes- Ginger Oil
Seeds- Cardamom
Wood- Pine Oil

7. ISOLATION OF VOLATILE OILS
The following methods are available for the isolation of
volatile oils:
1. Extraction by Distillation:
The distillation is carried out either by water or
steam. The volatile oils from fresh materials are
separated by hydro distillation, and volatile oils
from air dried parts are separated by steam
distillation.

8. 2. Ecuelle Process:
In this process, the rinds are ruptured mechanically using
numerous pointed projections with a rotary movement and the oil
is collected.
3. Enfleurage method:
 Fat is warmed at 500 C In a glass plate.
 The surface of the plate is covered with flower petals and it is
allowed to be kept until it become saturated with oil.
Then it is replaced by new petals.
 Finally the fat is dissolved in alcohol & distilled to remove the
solvent.

9. IDENTIFICATION TEST FOR VOLATILE OILS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. A thin section of drug
is treated with alcoholic
solution of Sudan III.
Appearance of red
colour.
Presence Of Volatile
Oil
2. A thin section of drug is
treated with a tincture of
alkane.
Appearance of red
colour.
Presence Of Volatile
Oil

10. THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY &
PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS OF
VOLATILE OILS
1. Carminatives- E.g., Umbilliferous fruits
2. Antihelminitic- E.g., Chenopodium oil
3. Antiseptic- E.g., Eucalyptus
4. Local Anaesthetics- E.g., Clove
5. Local Irritant- E.g., Turpentine
6. Source of Vitamin A- E.g., Lemon grass
7. Insect Repellant- E.g., Citronella

11. Thank you