Chemical investigation of the volatile components of shade-dried petals of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.)

Abstract

Roses are always appreciated because of their inimitable aroma, many uses and of course their beauty. In addition to the different damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) products (oil, water, concrete, absolute, gulkand etc.), its dried petals are also used for various health purposes. The hydrodistilled volatile oil and water of shade-dried damask rose petals were investigated by GC and GC-MS. The predominant components of tThe essential oil and rose water were aliphatic hydrocarbons (56.4 and 46.3%), followed by oxygenated monoterpenes (14.7 and 8.7%). The main aliphatic hydrocarbons of the essential oil and rose water were heneicosane (19.7 and 15.7%), nonadecane (13.0 and 8.4%), tricosane (11.3 and 9.3%) and pentacosane (5.3 and 5.1%) while the content of 2-phenyl ethyl alcohol was 0.4% and 7.1% in the essential oil and rose water, respectively. The chemical composition of the dried rose petal volatiles is quite different from fresh flower volatiles.