Lemongrass oil (Citronella oil)

The best known varieties for the raw material of lemongrass oil (citronella oil) are the varieties of Mahapegiri (as a source of Java lemongrass oil) and Lenabatu varieties (Cylon lemongrass oil). Mahapegiri varieties are capable of delivering quality and better essential oil yield compared with Lenabatu varieties. It is thought to have come from Sri Lanka. Latin name of its plant is Cymbopogon nardus L., including the tribe of Poaceae.
Area for its planting and production in Indonesia has a total area in 2007 amounted to 19592.25 ha, the largest is in the area of Java, especially West Java and Central Java. The market share and production reached 95% of the total production of Indonesia. The other areas are Aceh and West Sumatra. Production centers are in West Java: Purwakarta, Subang, Pandeglang, Bandung, Ciamis, Brass, Garut and Tasikmalaya, while in Central Java are Cilacap, Purbalingga and Pemalang.
To make lemongrass oil, the processors in Indonesia usually use a process of distillation for 3-4 hours. Average yield of this essential oil around 0.6 to 1.2% depend on its variety and handling and the distillation effectiveness .
Most important compounds of this oil are sitronellal and geraniol. Both of these components determine the intensity of the lemongrass oil odor, fragrance, and prices, so its content should be eligible for export requirements. It is used in industry, especially as soaps, sprays, disinfectant, plant-based pesticide, polish materials, gasoline octane enhancer and a variety of technical preparation.
The estimated world consumption of lemongrass oil in 2007 is more than 2000 tons / year. Indonesia is the world's third producer after China and Vietnam. Some countries are always actively buying it from Indonesia are Singapore, Japan, USA, Australia, Holland, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, India, and Taiwan, with major buyers are the U.S., France, Italy, Singapore and Taiwan. Lemongrass oil export volume is relatively small, amounting to 115.67 tons valued at U.S. $ 701.0 in 2004.
The composition of lemongrass oil
Its leaves: 0.4% essential oil consisting of citral, citronelol (66-85%), (a-phinene, camphene, sabinene, mirsen, ß-felandren, p-Simen, limonene, cis-osimen , terpinol, citronellal, borneol, terpinen-4-ol, a-terpineol, geraniol, farnesol, methyl heptenon, n-desialdehida, dipenten, methyl heptenon, bornilasetat, geranilformat, terpinil acetate, acetate sitronelil, geranil acetate, ß-element, kariofilen-ß, ß-bergamoten, trans-methylisoeugenol, ß-kadinen, elemol, kariofilen oxide. In another study found 1% with the major components (+) citronelol, geranial (approximately 35% and 20%), besides that there are also geranil butyrate, citral, limonene, eugenol, and methyleugenol. Citronelol isolation results from citronella oil consist of a pair of enantiomers (R)-citronellal and (S) citronellal. On the other kinds of Cymbopogon (Cymbopogon giganteus chiovenda) containing Essential oil consisting of limonene, p-Mentha-1, 5, 8-triene; 1.2 limonenoxyde, p-Mentha-2 ,8-dien-l-ol; Dean-2, 4-dien-l-ol, p-methylacetophenon ; trans-p-Menta-1 (7), 8-dien-2-ol; decan-2, 4-dienal; isopiperitenol; cis-p.menta-1 (7), 8-dien-2-ol; cis carveol; carvone; isopiperitenon; cuminil alcohol; perililaldehide; perilil alcohol.
Lemongrass oil and plant for traditional medicine
Roots: used as a laxative urine, cough medicine, materials for mouthwash, and body warmers. Leaves: used as a laxative stomach, appetite enhancer, post-natal treatment, lowering the heat and strain relief.

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Vetiver oil

Vetiveria zizanoides Stapt is a source of vetiver oil, include the family of Graminae or grasses. It has a very fragrant smell, grow in a dense, scarlet highly branched root fibers. It can be planted any time of year, but it is best at the beginning of the rainy season.
Vetiver oil production is done by steam distillation at a multilevel pressure 1-3 atm for 8-9 hours at a rate of distillation from 0.7 to 0.8 liters oil / kg roots / hour. Average yield of this oil is ranged from 1.5 to 2%. Its quality not only depends on the age of the roots, but also depends on the length of distillation. The smell of charred (burnt) is due to quickly distillation which will reduce the oil prices and quality which buyers expected.
The compounds that make up the vetiver oil are: vetiveron, vetiverol, vetivenil, vetivenal, palmitic acid, benzoic acid, and vetivena. It is used as raw materials of cosmetics, perfumes, soaps and fragrance materials. It has a pleasant odor, hard, durable, and besides that it also serves as an odor binder (fixative).
Estimated worldwide demand of this essential oil is more than 200 tons / year. Indonesia is an important player with production area center in Garut which provide a total area of 2063 ha and the production as much as 34.5 tons in 2007. Today, in addition to Europe, this oil is also exported to USA, Japan, and Singapore.
Its plant can control dengue fever mosquito populations. Strong smell of vetiver oil that comes out of this plant is quite deadly to the kind of mosquitoes.
Based on the results of research conducted by Sri Murwarni (2002), in the form of utilization of its extracts to control the mosquito of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles aconitus, which include biological testing the toxicity of the extract for LC50 and LT50 of the Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae. Based on these experiments, then the test conducted showed toxicity, the extract with a concentration of 0.20 percent and 0.25 percent was able to kill the Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae within approximately two hours.
In southern India, traditionally, its grass is planted along a particular path as a permanent boundary between the land. Whereas in Java, the grass is planted on sloping sites. The ability of the grass for use as erosion control has been widespread throughout the tropics, since the 1980s. In Central Java, the combination planting that grass, elephant grass, Sengon and Kara trees surely can control erosion, slope stability and spur the development of soil physical properties of the former volcanic eruption at Mount Merapi.
Vetiver oil as a commodity unique needs diperlajari further, not only from the aspect of their utilization but also the cultivation and processing to obtain a high quantity and quality.

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Patchouli Oil

Today, patchouli oil s used as an antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-acne, eczema cure, chapped skin and dandruff, and to reduce inflammation. In addition, it is also used to help reduce anxiety and depression or to help people with insomnia (difficulty sleeping disorders). In the 1980s, its essential oil is often used for aromatherapy ingredients.
Its plant (Pogostemon spp) is known by various names in several areas, such as the: Sumatra-Java, rei (West Sumatra, pisak (Alor), ungapa (East). Among scientists known for several species of Pogostemon sp, among others:
• Pogostemon cablin Benth. It is popular with the name Aceh patchouli; the main characteristic is the leaves are rounded like hearts, and on the surface of the bottom of the leaves, there are many hairs. This species is up to the age of 3 (three) years of almost no interest.
• Pogostemon hortensis Backer. It is known as the soap patchouli. The central characteristic leaf is the thinner, hairless, shiny surface of the leaves, and the color is green.
• Pogostemon heyneanus Benth. It is often called the Java patchouli. The characteristics of the leaf are thin and rather sharp, the color is dark green, and it is flowering more quickly.
Of the three types, the highest essential oil content is the Aceh (2.5 to 5.0%). In contrast, the others contain an average essential oil content of only 0.5 to 1.5%. Nowadays, it has been known for the three varieties of Indonesia with superior productivity of> 300 kg patchouli oil /ha, i.e., Sidikalang, Tapaktuan, and Lhokseumawe.
Patchouli oil is produced by distillation, either with steam or high-pressure steam. Its main compound is patchouli alcohol (PA), about 30%. Patchouli oil composition are: β-patchoulene 2.90 to 3.80%, α-guaiene 13.10 - 15.20%, caryophyllene 3.30 to 3.90%, α-patchoulene 5.10 to 5.90%, seychellene 8.60 to 9.40%, α-bulnesene14.70 to 16.80%, and norpatchoulenol 0.50%. PA is usually used as a basis for determining the desired quality of this oil in addition to the requirement of free from oil contamination by iron (Fe). Therefore, refineries or distillation should be done by using a kettle made of rust-free (stainless steel) instead of iron or steel, which are corrosive.
Its cultivation is not too tricky, with careful selection of varieties, the management of intensive cultivation, and a growing environment that meets the requirements, i.e., at a temperature of 24-28 ° C, rainfall is 2000-3500 mm/year or humidity> 75%, crumb texture of the soil, loose and lots of humus, dirt, and altitude reached 50-400 m above sea level. Plants that grow in the lowlands have a high oil content, PA is low, and vice versa at high altitudes, low oil content, but the PA was high. Its production center is mostly in NAD, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. Some areas, such as South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan, also began to produce it.
Patchouli oil is a binder (fixative) of other fragrance ingredients in perfumes and cosmetic compositions. In addition, it can be used to control pests. Besides being used in the form of oil, it is also helpful for skin moisturizing ingredients, eliminating body odor, body and drug preservatives, and medical treatment of the skin.
It is exported to various countries like the USA, Singapore, Japan, France, Switzerland, UK, Taiwan, Holland, Germany, and China with an export volume of 2,074,250 kg of oil, the export value of U.S. $ 27,136,913 in 2004 (BPS, 2007). Its world consumption 2006 was about 1500 tons/year, and Indonesia is the primary producer. The situation in 2007 - 2008 could have been more conducive (the price fluctuated quite significantly), resulting in a drop in production and consumption by more than 40% (Mulyadi, 2008). The performance of Indonesia patchouli oil exports by volume (kg) estimated that only about 50-60% of exports in 2006, although the value (GBP/USD) rose because there were significant price hikes.

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