Essential oil Composition of Chinese Caraway (Carum carviL.)

The essential oils from caraway seeds (Carum carvi L.) grown in China were isolated by hydrodistillation (HD) and microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MHD). The essential oils obtained with 4.7 % and 4.2 % yields, respectively, were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Thirty-four components have been identified in the HD essential oil of caraway and thirty-one components in the MHD essential oil, respectively. The major constituents of the HD essential oil were limonene (43.5 %), carvone (32.6 %), and apiole (15.1 %); the MHD essential oil contained apiole (12.3 %), carvone (31.1 %), and limonene (48.4 %), consisting of 99.6 % of total essential oils, respectively.