Comparison of Extraction Methods for Marker Compounds in the Essential Oil of Lemon Grass by GC

A gas chromatography flame ionization detection method for the quantification of bioactive marker compounds (neral, geranial, geraniol, limonene, citronellal, and beta-myrcene) in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) was developed. Four procedures for the extraction of essential oils from C. citratus were compared including solvent extraction, steam distillation extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Solvent extraction by sonication with nonpolar solvents showed comparable results to the steam distillation method. Several commercial products prepared from C. citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus were analyzed and compared.