essential oil and extract of coriander (coriandrum sativum l.)

Two different methods of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil isolation, steam distillation and extraction by methylene chloride (Soxhlet extraction) were investigated. After the determination of essential oil content in the investigated drug and in dry extract (using steam distillation), qualitative and quantitative composition of obtained essential oils, determined by TLC and GC-MS methods, were compared. The content of linalool was higher (52.4%) in essential oil obtained by coriander steam distillation than that in essential oil separeted from dry extract (42.8%), and, on the other hand, content of geranyl-acetate was lower (4.6% and 11.7%, respectively).