SAGE OIL, SPANISH

Chemical properties

Spanish sage oil, obtained by steam distillation, is a slightly yellow liquid having a camphoraceous odor with a cineole top note.

Chemical properties

Wild herb growing mainly in Spain (Murcia, Almeria and Granada provinces). The only part used is the leaves. Spanish sage has a camphoraceous, fresh odor with a cineole top note.

Physical properties

It is a colorless to slightly yellowish oil. It is soluble in most fixed oils and in glycerin. It is soluble, usually with opalescence, in mineral oil and propylene glycol.

Occurrence

Found in the plant S. lavandulaefolia Vahl (or S. hispanorum Lag., Fam. Labiatae) (Guenther, 1949).

Preparation

By distillation of S. lavandulaefolia Vahl (Gildemeister & Hoffman, 1961).

Essential oil composition

Main constituents include cineol, linalool, linalyl acetate, linalyl isovalerate, d-camphor, probably camphene, pinene and dipentene. Some oils from the Jaen province of Spain have been reported to exhibit a slight levo optical rotation.