Essential Oil Composition of Coriandrum sativum L. Fruits from Different Countries

The commercial coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seeds were obtained from retail pharmacies of different European countries (11 samples), from spice shop (1, Turkey) or cultivated in Estonia (5). The oils from all 17 samples were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. The yields of oil were in the range of 1 - 52 ml/kg and all coriander seeds obtained from pharmacies corresponded to European Pharmacopoeia (EP) requirement (not less than 3 ml/kg of essential oil). Eithteen components were identified representing over 95 % from total oil. The major constituent in the oils was linalool (58.0 - 80.3 %). The other characteristic compounds presenting in the oils were gamma-terpinene (0.3 - 11.2 %), alpha-pinene (0 - 10.9 %), p-cymene (0.1 - 8.1 %), camphor (1.2 - 5.3 %) and geranyl acetate (0.2 - 5.4 %). The chemotypes of coriander are not determined in investigated samples. Investigated samples partially confirmed to the EP standard of linalool content. The quality of coriander commercial seeds from pharmacies of differents countries is remarkably variable, especially by yields of essential oil.