Hemp essential oil
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Essential hemp oil (English also cannabis flower essential oil ) is obtained by distillation from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant ( Cannabis sativa ). It consists of a large number of different ingredients and is used in food and cosmetics. As an essential oil , it must be differentiated from hemp oil (pressed edible oil made from plant seeds) and hash oil containing THC (oily resin extract, not a real oil).
Plants with a lot of Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are preferred for its production , as these provide a higher yield and at the same time a higher quality. But even with varieties that contain a lot of THC, the THC is only extracted in traces by the steam distillation and remains in the biomass . Most phytocannabinoids are also hardly soluble in water, so they are only contained in small amounts. Use in food and cosmetic products is therefore always possible. However, the residual THC content must be documented for customs reasons.
composition
| connection | % Share of the oil |
|---|---|
| α- pinene | 2.3 to 31.0 |
| β- pinene | 0.9 to 7.8 |
| 3-carene | Lanes up to 3.5 |
| Limes | 0.2 to 6.9 |
| Myrcene | 29.4 to 65.8 |
| β- phellandras | 0.2 to 0.6 |
| cis - ocimen | Traces up to 0.3 |
| trans - ocimen | 0.3 to 10.2 |
| α- terpinolene | Lanes to 23.8 |
| α- bergamot | Traces up to 0.8 |
| β- caryophyllene | 3.8 to 37.5 |
| α- caryophyllene (humulene) |
0.7 to 7.4 |
| β- Farnese | Traces up to 1.4 |
| β- selinene | Traces up to 0.5 |
| Selina 3.7 (11) diene | Traces up to 0.7 |
| Caryophyllene oxide | Lanes up to 11.3 |
| Sum of the monoterpenes | 47.9 to 92.1 |
| Sum of the sesquiterpenes | 4.0 to 47.5 |
Hemp essential oil contains substances from hemp, which are removed from the flowers and leaves by steam distillation. As typical odorous substances, it contains volatile mono- and sesquiterpenes , including caryophyllene oxide , which, as a typical hemp odor substance, is also a key substance for the use of drug detection dogs . A total of around 100 different fragrance components are known, which vary depending on the variety and condition of the plant material.
Some of the most important ingredients in hemp essential oil are shown in the table below.
use
The earliest usage of hemp essential oil cannot be dated. The use of hemp as a useful plant can be traced back a long way in history; the earliest ropes made from hemp fibers date from around 2,800 BC. u. Z. from China and its use as textile fiber is proven by finds from the Zhou dynasty (1122 to 149 B.C.E.).
Hemp essential oil is used as an additive in the production of correspondingly flavored iced teas , cough drops , hemp beer, chocolate and other products. It is also used in cosmetics and perfumes . As an additive to massage and skin oil , essential hemp oil is said to have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect and relieve tension and relieve cramps, swelling and phantom pain. Hemp essential oil is also used in aromatherapy and is said to have a positive effect on the treatment of skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis , joint pain (joint inflammation, arthritis, rheumatic complaints), stress and other complaints.
Extraction and marketing
Hemp essential oil is not extracted on a large industrial scale. The cultivation areas for the extraction of the essential oil are correspondingly small as a rule. The extraction takes place by steam distillation , about 1.5 ml of essential oil per kilogram of fresh mass can be obtained. The water vapor is passed through a container with the appropriate plant parts and dissolves the fragrance molecules. When it cools, the oily components separate from the water and can be separated out due to the lower density.
In Europe, less than 200 liters of essential oil are currently produced and sold per year, with the main production taking place in Canada. The production is very expensive due to the high effort and the currently still very limited market and the oil is sold at prices of around 6 euros per milliliter or over 40 euros for vials of 10 milliliters. These prices can only be achieved if the other components of the hemp ( fibers , seeds, shives , hemp oil ) can be used.
literature
- Michael Carus et al .: Study on the market and competitive situation for natural fibers and natural fiber materials (Germany and EU). Gülzower Expert Discussions Volume 26, Agency for Renewable Raw Materials eV 2008
- nova-Institut (Ed.): Das kleine Hanf-Lexikon. Verlag Die Werkstatt, Göttingen, 2nd edition, 2003; Pages 63-64. ISBN 3-89533-271-2
- Vito Mediavilla, Simon Steinemann: Essential oil of some hemp genotypes . Journal of the International Hemp Association 4 (2), 1997: pp. 80-82.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Vito Mediavilla, Simon Steinemann: Essential oil of Cannabis sativa L. strains . Journal of the International Hemp Association 4 (2): pp. 80-82.
- ↑ a b nova Institute 2003
- ^ Karen Railey: The Amazing Hemp Plant (Cannabis sativa L.) .