Parsley monoterpenes

Nervous system Seizures Water hemlock, (parsley family), mint family Cicutoxin - effects potassium channels. Monoterpenes in mint oils... 

The oil consists mainly of monoterpene hydrocarbons. Its main constituent is 1,3,8-menthatriene [18368-95-1], which is important for the aroma of parsley leaves [679-688]. 

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a member of the Apiaceae family. The fresh leaves of parsley and the dried herb are widely used as flavouring. More than 80 compounds have been identified in the volatile fraction, and the aromatic volatiles of parsley are mainly monoterpenes and the aromatics myristicin and api-ole. It is suggested that the characteristic odour of parsley is due to the presence ofp-mentha-l,3,8-triene, myrcene, 3-sec-butyl-2-methoxypyrazine, myristicin, linalool, (Z)-6-decenal and (Z)-3-hexenal [227, 228]. Furthermore, /3-phellan-drene, 4-isopropenyl-l-methylbenzene and terpinolene contribute significantly... 

The celery x parsley hybrid inherited all the terpenoids from celery and heptanol from parsley, while synthesizing new compounds of its own. The content of these new compounds was higher than that of the main celery components, limonene and myrcene (Madjarova et al., 1979). The volatile components of celery consisted of monoterpene hydrocarbons (46.0%) and phthalides (42.3%). The major components were limonene and 3-butyl-4,5-dihydrophthalide (or sedanenolide). Celery volatiles contained higher concentrations of y-lerpinene and a-pinene. A celery-like odour was associated during GC elution with each of the 16 phthalides reported (MacLeod and Ames, 1989). 

Yoshikawa, M., T. Uemura, H. Shimoda, et al. 2000. Medicinal foodstuffs. XVlll. Phytoestrogens from the aerial part of Petroselinum crispum MID. (parsley) and stmctures of 6"-acety-lapiin and a new monoterpene glycoside, petroside. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 48(7) 1039-1044. 

Production By steam distillation of the aerial parts of the parsley plant, including the unripe seeds. Composition A major part of the oil consists of monoterpene hydrocarbons such as a- andP- pinenes, myrcene, limonene, P-phellandrene (see p-mentha-dienes). The occurrence of p-mentha-1,3,8-triene (usually between 20 and 30%) (C,oH,4, Mr 134.22) is characteristic and mainly responsible for Ae organoleptic impression. According to recent investigations a series of other trace components with widely varying structures also contributes to the typical parsley odor. The leaf oil also contains lower concentrations of those compounds that constitute the main components of parsley seed oil (see below). 

Monocyclic monoterpenic hydrocarbons are derived predominantly from the optically active hydrocarbon 4-isopropyl-1-methylcyclohexane, known as p-menthane (8-2). An exception isp-cymene also known as cymene (l-isopropyl-4-methylbenzene, 8-3), which is an aromatic hydrocarbon. Cymene is a common component of many essential oils, especially the essential oils of cumin (the seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum of the parsley family Apiaceae) and common thyme Thymus vulgaris, from the mint family Lamiaceae) Hsted in Table 8.32 (see later). 

P-ionone resulting from the degradation of carotenoids. Other components are the monoterpenes myrcene, a-pinene, P-pinene, a-thujene, camphene, sabinene, car-3-ene (A -carene), a-and P-phellandrene, (S)-limonene, yterpinene, p-cymene and terpinolene. p-Mentha-l,3,8-triene is the main aroma constituent of parsley leaf oil. 

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