Avaliação do rendimento de extração de óleo essencial de capim cidreira (Cymbopogon citratus) fresco e congelado

Abstract

Essential oils are natural extracts obtained from aromatic plants and present antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which are widely explored in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical area. The lemongrass has light green coloration, of Asian origin, and is cultivated in several Brazilian states. It is used medicinally, for which fresh or dried leaves can be used and the oil extracted from them, it is also used in an aromatic way to obtain this essential oil in which it is highly valued especially by the cosmetic industry. The objective of this work was to evaluate the extraction efficiency of fresh and frozen essential oils of the freshwater cider (Cymbopogon citratus) grass by the steam drag extraction method, using a small extractor. The extraction process was evaluated by the percentage yield of essential oil. The results indicate that the freezing did not influence the extraction yield of the essential oil and, therefore, it can be an alternative of storage of the raw material until the extraction.