Targeted yield of 100% Pure Thymol via Extraction over a mixture of terpenoids presents in essential oil of Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi.) seeds

Thymol is an active constituent of ajwain essential oil to establish its preservative character and consequently their utilization in food and pharmaceutical industries. The extraction of ajwain essential oil from the natural source via hydro-distillation leads to a combination of terpenoids like thymol, carvacrol, γ-Terpene, o-cymene, α-pinene, terpinen-4-ol, caryophyllene, 4-carene, β-myecene etc. other extraction methods via organic solvent utilizes various toxic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isobutyl alcohol etc. since this essential oil is the key replacement of chemical preservatives utilized in food and pharmaceutical industries as preservative, it is required to extract with safer method. Hydrodistillation is quite safe but due to presence of various isomeric forms of thymol in essential oil, its utilization is quite less as compare to pure thymol. As thymol is the key terpenoid responsible for antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of ajwain essential oil, it is necessary to extract pure thymol from its natural source. Present study represents the development of an aliquot (Water and methanol) extraction method via soxhlet apparatus by which Targeted yield of 100% Pure Thymol over a mixture of terpenoids presents in essential oil of Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi.) seeds can be achieved.