Angelica Root Oil

#### Angelica Root Oil. This oil is steam distilled from the dried roots of **Angelica Archangelica**, a tall plant which is cultivated in Belgium (near Lessines), Holland, France, Germany, Hungary, and northern India. Distillation takes place in most of the countries where the plant is grown. The dried roots are subject to insect attacks and do not keep well. This is an interesting fact since the essential oil from this plant is now in the limelight as an insect attractant, with special regard to the so-called "Mediterranean fruit fly", a dreaded hazard to the citrus fruit growers in many countries, including Florida, U.S.A. Belgian roots are highly esteemed, and are exported for distillation abroad. The angelica plant is an overwintering, mansize umbellifer plant. The fruits (seeds) from this plant are also distilled (see **Angelica Seed Oil). **The stalks are used in confectionery, either preserved in heavy syrup or in a candied form. **Angelica**** ****Root**** **Oil is one of the more expensive essential oils, for several reasons: - The yield by steam distillation is very low. - The distillation demands a significant amount of steam, and it takes 12 to 24 hours to exhaust the root material. - It is preferable that the roots should be not more than 2 years old. It takes three years for the plant to produce seed (fruits), which are also used for distillation of an essential oil (see **Angelica Seed Oil). **When seeds are harvested from three year old plants for distillation, the roots from these plants yield much less oil. The oil from old roots is different from that of young roots, but not inferior in respect to fixative value. The monoterpenes have resinified, and the old oil has little or no peppery topnote. - It is troublesome and hard work to harvest and clean the roots. **Angelica**** ****Root**** ****Oil **is a water-white or pale yellow to orange-brown colored liquid. Its color and viscosity varies according to the root material used for distillation and according to the age of the oil. The main constituent is **Phellandrene**, a monoterpene of comparatively minor value in perfumes and flavors. It is responsible for the light, somewhat peppery topnote of oils from young roots. Beneath the peppery topnote grows a rich, somewhat herbaceous-earthy, woody body- note of unique tenacity and great diffusive power. The note is also slightly musky-animal-like with a spicy undertone. Various lactones, occurring in trace amounts in the oil, are held responsible for these special effects of the oil and for the synergistic effect it imparts to other perfume materials in compositions. One of these lactones is **Cyclopentadecanolide**** **which is available as a synthetic material under a wealth of brand names. The discoveries of this lactone in angelica root oil and of **Ambrettolide **in ambrette seed oil belong to the milestones of the twentieth century in the development of synthetic perfumery materials. The scientists Ruzicka, Stoll and Kerschbaum made history with these and related materials in the late 1920's. **Angelica Root Oil **is very highly esteemed in perfumery and flavor work. Its power is easily underestimated, and it is an art in itself to use this oil correctly, and to adjust the application and concentration according to the inevitable type-variations in the various shipments of oil even from the same producer. The oil blends well with patchouli, opopanax, costus, sage clary, vetiver, oakmoss, coumarin, etc., in heavy chypres, oriental bases, etc. or in special citrus colognes and fougères. In flavors, the oil finds wide application in liqueurs, particularly those of the "Cointreau" type. The taste is similar to the odor and extremely powerful. Suggested use level is 0.30 to 0.60 mg%, but the **Minimum Perceptible **is as low as 0.01 to 0.02 mg%. Wide variations in these figures can be expected in various qualities of this oil. **Angelica**** ****Root**** ****Oil**** **is produced on a very limited scale only. A Belgian and a Dutch producer turn out the bulk of the annual world production which is less than one ton.