A Survey on Chemical Constituents and Indications of Aromatic Waters Soft Drinks (Hydrosols) Used in Persian Nutrition Culture and Folk Medicine for Neurological Disorders and Mental Health

Abstract

In Persian nutrition culture, drinking aromatic waters (hydrosols, distillate) has a long history as functional beverages or therapeutic remedies. The co-distilled water with essential oils, which contains partial amounts of more water-soluble volatile compounds are diluted and used as beverages. Since the solubility of volatile components is different in water, the overall composition, and thus the biological activities of aromatic waters seem to be different from the essential oils they were co-distilled with. Despite the essential oils, chemical constituents of many aromatic waters have not been evaluated scientifically. This research investigated hydrosols used for mental and neurological health maintenance in Persian nutrition culture and their chemical constituents. Constitutions of these hydrosols were extracted by liquid/liquid extraction method and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Furthermore, cluster analysis was used to evaluate the relevance of these hydrosols chemical constituents. About 93 compounds were identified from 20 aromatic waters. the major or second major constituents were thymol (azarol howthorn, frankincense, lemon balm, valerian, shadab), phenethyl alcohol (damask rose, dog-rose, starflower), carvacrol (basil, creeping buttercup, lemon balm); eugenol (shadab, dog-rose, starflower, basil), camphor (yarrow and wormwood), carvone (oriental plane), caryophyllene (cuminum), cinnamaldehyde (Chinese cinnamon), p-cymen-7-ol (musk willow), limonene (lemon verbena), linalool and α-terpineol (bitter orange), menthol (date palm) and methyl 5-vinylnicotinate (olive). Although, these hydrosols prepared from plants belong to different genus and families, but cluster analysis showed obvious similarities between their chemical constituents. Results of this investigation showed in many cases that the constituents of aromatic waters are different from the pure essential oil.

Endemic Veronica saturejoides Vis. ssp. saturejoides–Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Free Volatile Compounds

“…In the hydrosol samples, the most abundant compound was trans-p-mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol, which represented 31.75% and 36.63% of the total hydrosol in the PS and KS, respectively. These results are consistent with the fact that hydrosols contain dissolved molecules of EO, considering that more than half of the compounds that we identified in hydrosol can also be found in the essential oil [12].…”

“…Free volatiles were isolated in lipophilic and water fraction. Water fractions or hydrosols are condensed water vapors containing dissolved molecules of EOs and more water-soluble (polar) volatile compounds [12]. Due to the different solubility of the volatile compounds in water, the overall composition and thus the biological activity of the hydrosol differs from lipophilic fraction or essential oil.…”

“…Hydrosols are often discarded after the EO extraction process. However, research has shown that these waste products are rich in biologically active substances [12]. Hydrosols from various plants are becoming increasingly important in the food industry, the cosmetics industry, the application of plant pesticides, traditional pharmaceuticals, in aromatherapy as part of complex formulations and as independent products; therefore, their potential use should be further investigated [13].…”

Assessment of the electrochemical behaviour of Nickel-Titanium-based orthodontic wires: Effect of some natural corrosion inhibitors in comparison with fluoride

“…In this study, we found that hydrosols have a more positive effect on NiTi’s corrosion resistance than have the essential oils and the extract of Celtis australis. Hydrosol or aromatic water is the aqueous phase obtained by distillation of herbs in addition to the essential oil (25). A study conducted on persian herbs demonstrated that the chemical composition of essential oils is very different from their aromatic water (26).…”

Polyphenolic Compounds in Human Health with Pharmacological Properties

“…Most of phenolic compounds as secondary metabolites in the plants present in natural foods may reduce the risk of important health defects because of their antioxidant properties. The origin and biochemistry of these phyto-compounds have some practical uses [5]. Secondary metabolites are synthesized in biochemical pathways that are not necessary for plant growth but have biological and pharmacological importance.…”