Methods of isolation of volatile oil:
A) Distillation :
Most of the oils are obtained by distillation which are of following 3 types
1.Water distillation -is mostly applicable to such plant material, which is dried initially in air
and the constituents are not degraded by boiling upto 1000C
e.g Turpentine oil
2.Water and steam distillation – It is often suitable for such plant material whether fresh or
dried the constituents of which undergo degradation by direct boiling e .g Clove oil
3.Direct steam distillation- it is invariably applicable to fresh drugs that is loaded with
sufficient natural moisture and hence no maceration is required e.q. peppermint oil.
B) Solvent Extraction :
Extraction is done by using some organic solvents like ether, benzene, petroleum etc.
C) Ecuelle Method: In this method the oil cells of the citrus fruits are ruptured mechanically
using pointed projections and thus citrus oil is extracted.
D) Enfleurage Method: It is used in the extraction of delicate perfumes. The fresh flower
petals are spread on a fatty material. The spread petals are exhausted after sometime as the fatty
material absorbs the oil. These exhausted petals are replaced by fresh petals and then the oil is
collected from the fatty material.