Comparison of the Chemical Composition of Essential Oils Isolated by Water-steam Distillation and Hydrodistillation from Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgarisL.)

The aim of the studies conducted in 2010–2012, was to compare the chemical composition of essential oils isolated from garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) by water-steam distillation and hydrodistillation in Deryng apparatus. Analysis of the isolated oils by GC-MS revealed the presence of 35 different components represented mainly by oxygenated monoterpenes (67.30–89.89%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (2.43–26.55%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (2.93–4.94%). Thymol (57.14–71.29%) and carvacrol (10.38–20.40%) were the main constituents identified in water-steam distilled oil, while thymol (41.34–52.23%), carvacrol (10.12–16.73%), p-cymene (9.10–12.12%) and γ-terpinene (6.12–10.20%) dominated in hydrodistilled oil. On the basis of the obtained data it was proved that the distillation method had a significant effect on the chemical composition of garden thyme essential oil. There was no significant effect of distillation method on essential oil content found.