Saturday, July 9, 2011

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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Indonesia patchouli oils
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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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What is essential oils?

Essential oils are known by the name of the etheric oil or flying oil which is a material that is volatile (volatile), has a tart taste, and smell like a native plant taken from plant parts like leaves, fruits, seeds, flowers, roots, rhizomes, bark wood, even the entire plant. It is produced by plants in addition, can also be a form of degradation by enzymes or made synthetically.
The essential oils production can be reached through three ways: (1) compression (pressing), (2) using a solvent extraction (solvent extraction), and (3) distillation (distillation). Distillation is the most widely used method to obtain it. Distillation is done by boiling the raw material in the distillation boiler so there is steam needed to separate it by means of flowing saturated steam from the boiler into the distillation kettle.
It is one of the agro-commodity export potential that could be a mainstay for Indonesia to get foreign exchange. Export-import statistics indicate that world essential oils consumption and its derivatives gained about 10% from year to year. The increase was primarily driven by the need for industrial development of the food flavouring, cosmetics and fragrances industry.
The potential of Indonesia
Some examples of sources of essential oils from plants that grow in Indonesia and parts of the plants:
Roots: vetiver, Kemuning
Leaves: Patchouli, Clove, Lemongrass, Betel, Mentha, Cajuput, Gandapura, Kaffir lime, Karmiem, Krangean, Kemuning, Kenikir, Turmeric, Kunci, Basil, Gimbul Pine, Fan Pine
Seed: Nutmeg, Pepper, Celery, Avocado, Cardamom, Klausena, Kasturi, Kosambi.
Fruit: Fennel, Orange, Caraway, Cubeb, Anis, Coriander.
Flower: Clove, Cananga, Ylang-ylang, Jasmine, night Tuberose, yellow Cempaka, Daun Seribu, yellow Gandasuli, Srikanta, Angsana, Srigading.
Bark: cinnamon, acacia, Lawang, Sandalwood, Masoi, Selasihan, Sintok.
Rhizome: Ginger, Turmeric, Bangel, Baboan, Jeringau, Turmeric, Galangal, Lempuyangsari, Temu Hitam, Wild Ginger, Temu Putri.
All parts: Akar kucing, Bandotan, Inggu, Basil, Sudamala, Trawas.
In this blogspot, we will explain some essential oils producing plants that become commodity of Indonesia.

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