Essential Oil Extraction

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1.4 Methods of Extraction of Essential Oils Following are the methods used to extract essential oils from aromatic and medicinal plants: • Hydrodistillation: For the isolation of essential oils by Hydrodistillation, the aromatic plant substances are packed in a still and a sufficient amount of water is added and brought near to a boil. Due to the influential effect of hot water and steam, the essential oil is unbounded from the oil glands present in the plant tissue. The combination of water vapors and oil is condensed by indirect cooling with water. From the condenser, the distillate then flows into a separator, where the oil gets separated automatically. Plants are abundantly submerged in water, making a soup and the steam of this soup…show more content…
This is the most common, moderate and useful way of essential oil extraction. In this process the plants are not directly plunged in boiling water because there is a chance that at elevated temperatures the most refined aromas might get altered. The procedure involves passing of water vapors at a low-pressure over a tank enclosing aromatic plants. The steam will certainly capture the essential oil’s micro-pockets that are confined in the plant; it will then transfer through the cold-water chamber to condense into a…show more content…
These petals are submerged in an animal fat bath which is rewarmed numerous times. As far as the petals have released all their essence, they are substituted with new petals until the saturated fat is obtained. The same method occurs with cold enfleurage, but the petals are positioned on a lump of cold animal grease. This method has now come to be outdated due to its great cost. 1.5 Methods of Application Following are the methods of application of essential oils • Diffusions: A good diffusion occurs through at cool temperature air. This assists the oil molecules remains bounded to air for prolonged hours and do not disturb the structure of the oil. • Direct Inhalation: Directly inhalation could be done by placing the bottle of essential oil at a distance of few inches from the nose and inhaling the aroma • Indirect Inhalation: Adding a drop to a hankie, cotton balls, Small Square of cloth etc. can all be beneficial for indirect inhalation. • Massaging: It is one of best way to avail the benefits of aromatherapy. It has two effects, one is the healing benefits other is the benefits of massage. This ultimately

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