Chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia Absinthium from Romania

In the present study we have obtained and investigated the chemical composition of the essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation, from dried herb of Artemisia absinthium, cultivated in Romania. The results were compared with those reported by other authors (from other geographical areas), in specialty studies. The obtained essential oils were analyzed using the techniques of Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). A large number of monoterpenes (76.92%) and a small number of sesquiterpenes (13.87%) were identified. In the examined essential oil, from a total of 76.92% monoterpene components, the hydrocarbon monoterpenes represent 45.24%, while the oxygenated monoterpenes represent 31.05%. As monoterpene hydrocarbons, five compounds were identified in essential oil: alpha and beta pinene (24.47%), pseudolimonen (8.95%), geranyl bromide (3.70%), terpinolen (2.74%) and alpha and beta fellandrene (2.38%).