184 Handbook of herbs and spices
Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons
b-Caryophyllene, a-cis-bergamotene, a-trans-bergamotene, b-bisabolene, d-cadinene,
g-cadinene, calamenene, a-copaene, a-cubebene, b-cubebene, ar-curcumene, b-elemene,
d-elemene, b-farnesene, a-guaiene, a-humulene, g-humulene, isocaryophyllene, g-
muurolene, a-santalene, a-selinene, b-selinene, ledene, sesquisabenene and zingiberene
(Purseglove et al. 1981a).
Oxygenated sesquiterpenes
Oxygenated sesquiterpenes identified are 5, 10 (15) cadinen-4-ol, caryophylla-3-
(12),7(15)-dien-4-b-ol, caryophylla-2,7(15)-dien-4-b-ol, caryophylla-2-7(15)-dien-4-
b-ol, caryophyllene alcohol, caryophyllene ketone, caryophyllene oxide,
epoxydihydrocaryophyllene, cis-nerolidol, 4,10,10-trimethyl-7-methylene bicyclo-
(2.0)decane-4-caboxaldehyde, g-eudesmol, elemol, cubebol, a-bisabolol, b-bisabolol,
virideflorol, cubebol, epi-cubenol, turmerone, ar-turmerone and turmerol.
Table 11.2 Principal constituents of certain spices and herbs
Spice Average Total volatile Average Principal volatile constituents
volatile oil ml/100 g NVEE (%)
oil (%) (range)
Basil (Sweet) 0.4 – 3.6 Methyl chavicol, linalool, methyl
- cinnamate, cineole, eugenol
Cardamom 4.0 2.0–8.0 – a-Terpinyl acetate, 2-terpineol, limonene,
cineole, borneol, linalyl acetate, linalool,
a-terpineol
Cassia 2.5 0.5–5.0 4.0 Cinnamic acid, benzaldehyde, methyl
salicylaldehyde, cinnamic aldehyde,
cinnamyl acetate
Cinnamon 0.75 0.5–2.0 5.0 Cinnamic aldehyde, eugenol,
caryophyllene.
Clove 16.0 12.0–20.0 7.0 Eugenol, eugenol acetate, caryophyllene
Coriander 0.3 0.0–0.1 16.0 d-linalool, d-2-pinene, dl-a-pinene,
geraniol
Cumin 2.5 2.5–4.5 20.0 Cuminaldehyde, p-cymene, dihydro
cuminaldehyde
Dill 3.0 2.0–4.0 17.0 Carvone, d-limonene, phellandrene
Fennel 3.0 3.0–4.0 15.0 Anethole, fenchone, d-a-pinene
Fenugreek Trace 0.02 7.0 d-cadinene, a-cadinol, g-eudesmol
Ginger 2.0 1.0–3.0 5.0 D-camphene, zingiberene a- and
b-phellandrene
Mace 12.0 7.0–14.0 23.0 d-a-pinene, d-camphene, myristicin,
elemicin
Nutmeg 6.5 7.15 28.0 Myristicin, geraniol, d-camphene,
dipentene, pinenes, safrole, p-cymene
Pepper 2.5 1.0–3.0 5.5 a-pinene, b-pinene 1-a-phellandrene
(black) b-caryophyllene, limonene
Peppermint – 0.4–1.0 – 1-menthol, l-limonene, l-menthone, a-
pinene, phellandrene, d-menthone.
Spearmint – – – l-carvone, l-limonene 1-phellandrene
Turmeric – 1.3–5.5 7.0 Zingiberene, borneol, d-sabinene,
tumerone, ar-turmerone, d-a-phellandrene,
cineole