Avaliação da composição química de óleos essenciais de plantas medicinais cultivadas na Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Realeza, PR

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants dates back to ancient times, playing an essential role in traditional medicine. Currently, these plants continue to be studied due to their impact on the pharmaceutical, food, automobile, agricultural and chemical industries. This study focused on analyzing the chemical composition of essential oils from aromatic plants grown in Realeza, Paraná, with emphasis on Palmarosa; Citronella; Melaleuca; Rosemary; and Lavender. The extraction of these essential oils was carried out by steam distillation and then analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The results revealed unique compositions for each essential oil, with a predominance of certain components such as Geraniol in Palmarosa, Citronellal in Citronella, Terpinen-4-ol in Melaleuca, a-Pinene in Rosemary and Eucalyptol in Lavender. In addition, other compounds present in varying amounts were identified. This analysis demonstrates the chemical diversity of essential oils from these plants and highlights their potential in various applications, from veterinary and human medicine to industries.