Determination of the Effect of Different Drying Temperatures on the Content and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Greek sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill. =Salvia triloba L.)

The aim of this experiment was to determinate the effect of different drying temperatures on the content and chemical composition of essential oil of Anatolian sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill.). Essential oil isolated for 3 hours from fresh and oven dried leaf samples (at 35°C, 45°C, 55°C and 65°C) by using Clevenger type apparatus was analyzed with GC-MS. The content of volatile oils (%) in different drying temperatures was in the order of: fresh leaf sample (0.80%), dried leaf sample at 35°C (3.10%), at 45°C (2.67%), at 55°C (2.30%) and at 65°C (1.62%). In total, 29 compounds of essential oil were identified from fresh and dried leaf samples. The main compounds of essential oils isolated in different drying temperatures were 1.8-cineole and camphor. 1.8-cineole was highest in the dried sample at 65°C (50.54%) and lowest at 35°C (39.76%). The highest and lowest camphor contents were observed in the sample dried at 45°C (16.51%) and at 55°C (11.56%). On the other hand, the ratios of beta-caryophyllene and beta-pinene, effective in the different uses of sage, has also changed depending on different drying temperatures. The highest and lowest beta-caryophyllene ratios were observed in the sample dried at 35°C (8.35%) and at 45°C (5.31%). Also, the highest and lowest beta-pinene ratios were observed at fresh leaf sample (6.74%) and at 65°C (4.26%). Results from the study showed that different drying temperatures were effective on essential oil content and chemical composition of essential oil of Anatolian sage